Marketing of Services, Success Key Concepts and guidelines to follow

The competitive dynamics of business today is increasingly focused on service strategies, making the service in the strategic element of the competitiveness of all businesses in general and the commercial and service companies in particular.

Therefore focuses on the offensive today in the field of services. Services before, during and after the sale of products, but also service in the actual service sectors: banking, transportation, tourism, utilities, hotels and many others.

A success factor in services marketing is to have a clearly articulated strategic position. The development of this strategy requires market research to identify those segments, their size and their specific needs. It is also necessary to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of competitors to serve the above-mentioned segments. Once the company has defined and found its niche market and its strategic position, it must be clearly articulated and made known to its own employees and its customers.

Another factor would have identified the elements of the service. Services can be divided into the "heart of service offered himself as the transportation of goods from one place to another, and several additional services that accompany the main service, as might be the acceptance of orders, receipt of further documentation and billing , problem solving and other extras.

Nor can we forget to put emphasis on quality. It is important that the company supplying the service to its clients clearly communicate the level of quality and service you expect and conform exactly to that level to minimize the difference between expected benefit and reality.

The fourth success factor is to ensure the retention and repeat customers. This involves knowing what the most desirable market segments for the company and its strategic positioning. Also that the organization meets the quality expectations of customers and make every effort to understand the problem from the standpoint of the customer.

Building and maintaining a current database is essential. Many utilities collect an enormous amount of customer data. All these databases are potential gold mines but you have to treat it in a way that allows effective segmentation.

We also have to worry about proper training to the staff of the company because it is not unusual that many staff have direct contact with customers, so it is important a good relationship, training and motivating them. Just create an internal culture that is accepted by all and in which each individual recognizes the contribution that his department performed to meet the needs of the market segments it serves, as well as his personal contribution to the results, being able to measure for them.