MMK251 Services Marketing - Assessment 2 – Crafting the Service Environment

Overview

In a group of 3 to 4 students, imagine you are a team of marketing consultants working for a consulting firm. You are approached by a service organisation that needs your advice in improving their servicescape. Your team is required to write a report on the crafting of a service environment by applying at least two supporting marketing concepts. The purpose of the assignment is to provide an overview of the chosen service company, identify relevant services marketing concepts, explore their application in crafting the service environment, evaluate the proposed strategies, and reflect on the group’s learning experience.

Assignment Instruction

1.       You will be randomly formed into a group of 3 to 4 members in Week 5. You will be provided with a list of your group members and their contact. It is your responsibility to establish contact with each other and report inactive members to your tutor. The same mark will be given to each active and contributing member.

2. Choose an operating service organisation* for which improvements in its current servicescape is particularly important in improving customer experience as your client.
3. Write your assignment as though you are a paid marketing consultant writing a ‘business report’ for the managing director (MD) of your chosen service organisation (client). Decide on a company’s name and logo for your marketing consultancy practice; the logos of your consultancy firm and your client’s firm should be included in your report, e., on the front cover of your report and in the document header or footer.
4. Prepare a business report for your client to explain the reason(s) for the need to improve their servicescape and describe the strategies to improve their servicescape. The report should be written in a coherent and persuasive manner by using relevant industry and conceptual evidences.

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Assignment Template

The report should follow the following template:

1. Executive Summary (350 – 500 words)
2. Introduction (200 words)
3. Methodology (300 words)
   • Group formation: team composition, members’ roles and responsibilities in preparing this

report

• Service Industry and Service Client Selection
• Identification of the Main and Supporting Concepts

3. Service Organisation Overview and Reasons for Servicescape Improvement (350 words)
   • Service Organisation Description
   • Importance of the Servicescape
4. Crafting an improved Servicescape (800 – 1000 words)
5. Evaluation and Reflection (800 – 1000 words)

The group evaluates the feasibility and potential impact of implementing the proposed servicescape strategies above. Additionally, the group reflects on the learning experience, insights gained, challenges encountered, and the practical implications of applying service marketing concepts on crafting the service environment.

6. Conclusion (250 – 300 words)
   • Summary of Findings
   • Recommendations

Note:

*Suitable service organisations as your client include, but are not limited to a café, restaurant, night club, casino,dentist or doctor’s office, hotel, sporting complex (e.g., the M.C.G., fitness centre, bowling alley, golf course), an airline (e.g., the Qantas), hairdresser/beauty salon, day spa or tourist attraction (e.g., theme park, the Melbourne Aquarium, the Old Melbourne Gaol, Sovereign Hill). Importantly, you should have a very good understanding of the selected organisation’s current servicescape.

If your chosen organisation has multiple outlets, e.g., Hungry Jacks, Napoleon Perdis Store, Build-aBear Workshop, please choose ONE outlet only to base your report on. If your chosen organisation has multiple facilities, e.g., a resort, casino, hotel, fitness centre, it is permissible to write your report around one of these facilities.

It is vital that you choose a client that you believe would benefit from improving its current servicescape.

It is acceptable for you to make ‘sensible’ assumptions about your client based on your research and/or current knowledge about that client.

IMPORTANT: A podcast (audio recording) will be released by the end of week 5 that will provide you with additional help with this assignment. FAQs relating to this assignment will be developed and updated as students’ queries and questions emerge.

Specific Requirements

Research paper assessment criteria

The final mark allocated will be based on the criteria outlined in the Assignment Rubric (see Assessment folder in CloudDeakin). Please note that assignments will be marked out of 100 and then re-scaled to 40.

Assignment structure

Your report should include an executive summary, contents page, introduction, body (refer to the assignment template above), conclusion and a list of references. Please note that an executive summary is an overview of your entire paper. It requires explicit detail, particularly in relation to your recommendations. Your executive summary should appear on a separate page and should be 1/2 to 2/3 page. For a good description as to what is required in an executive summary, please access the following web address (https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/explore-our-resources/report- writing/executive-summaries)

A good introduction will be short and will help guide the reader. It should include:

• The purpose of the report;
• What the report will cover. Otherwise your marker will not be able to ascertain whether youhave talked about it meaningfully. If applicable, also indicate what you are not going to cover in your report; and
• Background information that will assist the marker in understanding the contents of the report. For example, you may want to briefly describe the nature of the business if it is not well-known.

Your final paragraph should contain the conclusions that you draw from the information presented in the body of your report. Conclusions should be briefly but firmly stated that include key findings and recommendations. You should not introduce new information in your conclusion paragraph.

You are strongly encouraged to use headings and sub-headings to give your report structure. Should you wish to attach any additional information to your report (e.g., a brochure), label this information Appendix 1, Appendix 2, Appendix 3, etc., and give each appendix a title, e.g., Appendix1: Witchery Chadstone Interior; Appendix 2: Witchery Chadstone Exterior. Each appendix must be referred to by number in the body of your report and described briefly.

Research sources

A minimum of fifteen (15) relevant references are required (ALL of which should be cited within the body of your report). Use a range of sources, e.g., journal articles, text books, web sites, business magazines, industry report, etc. Please use the Harvard referencing system which can be accessed at the followingweb site (http://www.deakin.edu.au/students/study-support/referencing/harvard).

A blend of relevant services marketing theory and practical advice for management is required to score a high mark for this assignment.

Word limit

Your report should comprise 3,500 words. The reference list and appendices do not include in this word limit. The following penalties apply to reports in excess of the word limit:

• If your report exceeds the word limit by 10% or less, 5% or 1 mark of the available marks will be
• If your report exceeds the word limit by 11-20%, 10% or 2 marks of the available marks

will be deducted.

• If your report exceed the word limit by 21-30%, 15% or 3 marks of the available marks will be deducted,
• This process will continue for each additional 10% that the word count is

Learning Outcomes

This task allows you to demonstrate your achievement towards the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) which have been aligned to the Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs). Deakin GLOs describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates acquire and can demonstrate on completion of their course. This assessment task is an important tool in determining your achievement of the ULOs. If you do not demonstrate achievement of the ULOs you will not be successful in this unit. You are advised to familiarise yourself with these ULOs and GLOs as they will inform you on what you are expected to demonstrate for successful completion of this unit.