Foreword. 1 Technology Companies, Services and Networks.
Introduction.
The growth of the service sector.
The different types of service.
Services in technology or engineering sectors: A neglected category?
Engineering and service.
Common characteristics and issues among service businesses in technology sectors.
Is this really a distinct market or category?
Summary.
2 Marketing Services.
Introduction.
One more time: What is marketing?
Different manifestations of marketing.
The evolution of marketing in an organisation.
Marketing services.
Marketing in technology sectors.
Summary.
3 Gaining Strategic Insight into Service Markets.
Introduction.
Why market understanding is essential.
Important market dynamics to understand.
Means of gaining an objective market perspective.
Opportunity analysis.
Summary.
4 Internal Perspectives and their Strategic Impact.
Introduction.
Strategic context.
Strategic intent: The need for clarity of purpose.
Methods of determining strategic focus.
Brand equity as a source of strategic advantage.
Customer equity.
Portfolio strategy.
‘Go to market’ capability.
How does the company develop strategy?
Summary.
5 Creating and Positioning a Service Brand.
Introduction.
What brands are and the effect they have.
The basics of brand strategy.
Corporate branding: The brand strategy for service companies.
Practicalities: How to create a brand where none exists.
Practicalities: Repositioning and brand extension strategies as a means of entering service markets.
A note on political will and leadership vision.
Summary.
6 Innovation and New Service Design.
Introduction.
Service vision.
Common mistakes in service design.
The role of innovation and service development.
Innovation in service businesses.
Value propositions.
Differentiation and how to achieve it.
Categorisation and its implications for new service design.
Practicalities.
Summary.
7 Selling Services.
Introduction.
How people buy.
The sales strategies of technological service companies.
Creating a ‘service’ sales force.
Generic sales structures applicable to services.
The practicalities: Managing the sales process.
Summary.
8 Marketing and Selling Services to Major Customers.
Introduction.
Prioritising customer accounts.
Major customer sales strategies: Account management.
Partnership selling: Major account management in consultancies.
Cultural variations and their effect on account management.
Account planning.
Service quality for major accounts.
Summary.
9 Communicating with Service Markets.
Introduction.
Effective communications strategy.
Aspects of communications strategy.
Communications techniques particularly important to service companies.
Managing the creative execution.
Media planning.
Practicalities and management basics.
Communications during a crisis.
Summary.
10 Service Quality.
Introduction.
The importance of service quality.
Service quality and customer care: A recent history.
Terminology and perceived wisdom.
Analysis.
Service strategy.
Planning service quality.
Service recovery.
Satisfaction measurement.
Summary.
11 Service on the World Stage.
Introduction.
The challenge of working across borders.
International strategic considerations.
International market analysis and perspective.
International brand strategy.
International marketing communication issues.
International sales and account management strategy.
International service design.
Different international strategic choices.
Summary.
Appendix Marketing Tools and Techniques.
References.
Index.
