individual assignment course service marketing management

In order to fully examine two service encounters - one of which is regarded as the best and the other as the worst I have encountered this semester.. CONCLUSION: PERSONAL INSIGHTS Throug

NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT COURSE: SERVICE MARKETING & MANAGEMENT

Instructor: Dr Va Hoang Linh

Student’s name: Đặng Đình Đức Anh Student’s ID: 11210294 Class: Marketing CLC 63C

HA NOI, JAN 2024

TABLE OF CONTENT

Contents

DEVELOPMENT

PART 1: DISCUSSION OF THE WORST SERVIC E < -< <<<<5 PART 2: DISCUSSION OF THE BEST SERRVIC E << ==s«

APPENDIX: A JOURNAL OF SERVICE ENCOUNTER ENTRIES

INTRODUCTION

These days, service marketing is growing in popularity Gaining critical information and a deeper grasp of service marketing principles can be achieved through observing service encounters and the ways in which service organizations deliver their services In order to fully examine two service encounters - one of which is regarded as the best and the other as the worst I have encountered this semester I will be applying the theory of service marketing that I have learned in this article This paper's appendix contains a diary of service encounter entries that serve as a reference to its primary body of work

DEVELOPMENT

PART 1: DISCUSSION OF THE WORST SERVICE

In my point of view, the firm that gave me the worst service this semester is Winmart store

in Vincom Pham Ngoc Thach, Ha Noi This service encounter took place when my friend and I wanted to buy some stuff in Winmart in the late night I am dissatisfied with this service due to the following reasons

1.1 Describe the problem:

DISCRIMINATION

That day, around 9:30 p.m on January 14, 2024, my friend and I went to Vincom Pham Ngoc Thach I originally worked at the center at night so I got off work late every day, and today

my friend (who is originally from the Central region and her Northern accent mixed with Central accent) had to work overnight so I could come pick her up at 9:00 While passing by Vincom, my friend wanted to buy a hair dryer The first time we entered Vincom Pham Ngoc Thach, we struggled to find a parking lot (the lot above did not accept late parking so we went downstairs), then because the elevator did not stop at the B1 floor of Winmart, we lost a while time to find a way down again So by the time I entered Winmart Pham Ngoc Thach, it was probably around 9:40 p.m

Besides the dryer, we also bought some other items Today we had to work all day so we only had that late night to shop, so we took advantage of it a bit At that time, the announcement above the loudspeaker was that the center was about to close and pay, so we went outside to the cashier My phone ran out of battery and my friend only had a few hundred VND in cash, so we planned to pay with a Vietcombank account Later, she told me that Vietcombank seemed to be under maintenance, she couldn't log in, and said she would pay with her Fortune wallet (Vi than tai) through Momo

When we went to the cashier counter, we took the dryer displayed on the shelf because it was the only one left of the model that we wanted to buy At that time, she was waiting to pay while I went to look for another item nearby We wanted the staff to help us change the dryer we took to the counter to another machine in the box, because for electronics, it’s better to buy items still in the box than display items that could fall or get damaged when on display The staff said this product was usable, but my friend still asked the staff to exchange it Maybe that’s the time when the staff started to get annoyed

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When I turned to the counter, I heard the staffs at the counter behind me say, 'Turn on Google Translate and listen’ At that time, I didn't have any thoughts, but a while later, another staff came to the counter and stood alone, looking like his face was not happy at all At that time, the staff had finished scanning everything, and asked us who would pay I just told her to come pay, but she couldn't scan her Momo Her fortune wallet said 0 VND, maybe because the wallet was linked to her Vietcombank and Vietcombank at that time couldn’t work By that time it was probably already past 10 o'clock The staff behind me said ‘You're working a broken shift today, right’ to the staff that was helping my payment The staff in front of me replied ‘That's right’, then the staff behind me continued to say ‘Suffering, working a broken shift but why can't the store be closed at 10 p.m’ I knew it was ironic that we and some other guests are still paying there, but we kept that guys for more than 10 p.m and then there was a bank error that made them stay too long,

so I didn’t have any comments I just hoped to pay quickly so everyone could go home early

When she failed to scan Momo several times, she became quite impatient and upset, so she decided to leave the dryer behind because she had enough cash to pay for the remaining items At that time, the staff member behind us said, 'It's a Central region customer, no wonder.’ Exactly, he said that right behind our backs Before I could listen carefully to that sentence, my friend pulled

me out and told me she didn’t want to buy anymore When we leaving already, one of the two guys, I'm not sure which one, said ‘Let's go home’

When she went out, she had tears in her eyes and told me everything she had heard, then told me that when I turned away, she had to breathe because it was suffocating, angry, and embarrassing That's when I realized what the phrase 'Turn on Google Translate and listen’ meant She kept repeating the sentence 'Did I do something wrong?’ The more she repeated it, the more lost her voice became as if she was about to cry

I was very angry and wanted to go back and talk things out with those Winmart staffs But

at that time my friend was in a very bad mood and didn't want to make me any more tired, so after

a while I gave up the idea of going back and talk with them again

1.2 Present a plan for improvement:

Regional discrimination is a negative behavior that hurts the honor and dignity of others This behavior not only violates the law but also negatively affects the company’s image When Winmart’s staffs receive feedback and boycott from customers like us due to regional discrimination, this company needs to handle it quickly and seriously to demonstrate its responsibility and protect the company's reputation and image

Firstly, the company should find out what happened: They need to clearly understand the incident objectively, including the staffs regional discrimination speech, time, location, witnesses, etc This helps the company have an opinion Get an overview of the incident and make appropriate handling decisions The company may collect information from a variety of sources, such as testimony of the accused staff, our (the insulted customers) statement , witness testimony, security cameras,

Secondly, Winmart should dealing with their staffs: After understanding the situation clearly, the company needs to deal with staffs fairly and strictly Depending on the severity of the behavior, the company may apply forms of handling such as: Reprimand and reminder, job transfer, lay off without pay, dismissal, The disciplinary of staffs needs to be done openly and transparently to demonstrate the company's seriousness in handling regional discriminatory behavior

After that, Winmart should give us an apology: The company needs to send a sincere apology to offended customers (in this case is two of us) The apology needs to be sent to us directly or through media channels and social networks like Website, Facebook or Tiktok The

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apology needs to show the company's sincerity and desire to remedy the consequences The company also needs to commit to not letting a similar situation happen in the future

Winmart also needs to take remedies to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future These measures may include: Organize training and propaganda sessions on corporate culture and anti-discrimination, develop internal regulations prohibiting discrimination, strengthen inspection and supervision of implementation of company regulations The most important thing is that these measures need to be taken seriously and effectively to contribute to building a civilized and humane working environment

In conclusion, Winmart has to handle the incident quickly and promptly to prevent the incident from spreading and negatively affecting the company's image The matter should be handled fairly and transparently, avoiding causing unnecessary misunderstandings Timely and serious handling of staff discrimination by region will help the company demonstrate its responsibility, protect the company's image and build a beautiful working environment

PART 2: DISCUSSION OF THE BEST SERVICE

Traveling by train was once the choice of many tourists, but now with the rise of low-cost airlines, the number of people taking the train has decreased For Vietnamese people, the Thong Nhat train has long been considered a beloved train full of meaning Not simply connecting the North-South strip of land, the Thong Nhat train also connects the longing of Hanoi - Saigon, completely connecting the love between the North and South

Once sitting on the North-South train traveling along the country's journey is probably the wish of many young people like me who want to experience it 2023 September 5", on the SE1 train departing from Hanoi station at 7:30 p.m, in a very excited mood, | started my experiential journey When the train departed, the song "Remembering Hanoi" sounded like a goodbye to start a new journey The train started rolling, the shaking feeling made me somewhat unfamiliar, all the objects in the room also tilted and collided with each other with rattling sounds After a while of moving, the tron block weighing more than 600 tons seemed to become more stable, moving gently, and I gradually got used to the feeling on the train In the same train compartment as me, Huy, 21 years old as I remembered correctly - a Law graduate college student from Haiphong who also experienced the North-South train for the first time told me: “I feel very excited, interested, it feels very strange Compared to other means of transportation, I feel that traveling by train is very safe, and the service quality of the train staffis also very enthusiastic and thoughtful."

The city lights gradually disappeared, leaving only flickering lights that gradually disappeared into the night On the train, we chatted comfortably, sharing our trips and regional cultures On the SE1 train, there were many foreign tourists If you are good at foreign languages, you can absolutely chat with them and who knows, maybe after the trip you will have new and interesting friends We were fortunate to talk with Mr Hung - train captain SE1 and listened to the stories he shared, the most memorable memories of his 12 years working in the railway industry Happy and sad memories, obsessions, fears and even missing family on every long trip He said:

"Currently, the number of people choosing to take the train is not as large as before when airlines offer prices that are not too expensive That's why we in the railway industry always try to create the most comfort for passengers, providing the best and safest services Each employee on board is equipped with basic medical skills to provide first aid in case of emergency situations, the ship is always clean, and food is served on board Every night, the working group on the ship always patrols to ensure the best security."

The ship swayed and blended into the stories, the passengers on board gradually fell asleep When the train arrives at Dong Hoi station (Quang Binh) at 5:00 am, stops to drop off passengers and the train starts moving At this time, many passengers also woke up and did not miss the moment of welcoming the sunrise on the train It was indeed a very interesting feeling Looking out the glass window, the pure light of the morning flooded in The morning rays awakened the scenery

on both sides of the road, awakening even sleepy souls to exclaim in admiration: "Oh, beautiful." too" Each train carriage had a very clean sink and a hygiene quality inspection card After completing personal hygiene, passengers could move downstairs to the ship's canteen for breakfast Breakfast served on the ship includes beef pho, beef noodles, rib porridge, boiled corn and even a cup of flavorful black coffee everything becomes both familiar and strange The feeling of having breakfast on the train, sipping a cup of coffee and watching the charming scenery with lush green rice fields swaying with the wind was a feeling that was very difficult to describe

Perhaps, in my opinion, the most awaited scene by many tourists is the route between Hue and Da Nang, only about 100 km long, passing through Lang Co beach and Hai Van pass The train took me through short tunnels interspersed with lush green hills and sunny beaches Hue - Da Nang

is famous for its beautiful beaches and is a modern city Close to the beach, bamboo basket boats were scattered on the white sand beaches, with a few fishing villagers here and there

The train continued to go to new routes, passing through urban areas to quiet countryside, with glimpses of small houses hidden under the canopy of ancient trees, through wonderful, poetic mountain roads and then again sink into darkness Covering a distance of 1726 km, the journey lasting more than 30 hours ended when the loudspeaker on the train blared the song: "Singing from the city named after Him" At this time, the staff on the train also reminded tourists to prepare their luggage to get off the train, ending my Hanoi - Saigon trip

Thad the opportunity to experience the trans-Vietnam North-South SE1 train in December

2023 and was very satisfied with the train's service Here are some points that make me feel pleasant and happy:

- Reasonable price: The ticket price for the trans- Vietnam North-South SE1 train ticket is quite reasonable, starting from only 600,000 VND for an individual hard sleeper ticket Compared to other means of transportation such as airplanes or buses, trains are a more economical choice

- Convenient travel time: The travel time of train SE1 from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is about 30 hours This is a reasonable travel time so me can rest and enjoy the trip

- Good service quality: The service quality of train SE1 is quite good The train carriages are fully equipped with amenities, clean and airy Ship staff serve attentively and enthusiastically

- Comfortable bed: The bed on the SE1 train is quite comfortable, with thick mattresses and clean bedding I could sleep well during the trip

- There are many amenities: The train carriage is fully equipped with amenities, including: air conditioning, television, closed toilet, 1 can comfortably rest and entertain during the trip

- Attentive service staff: Train staff serve attentively and enthusiastically They are always ready to help customers when needed

Moreover, the five dimensions of service quality have been well — addressed based on the following attributes:

-Tangibles: The clean and comfortable beds, air conditioning, TVs, and clean bathrooms all contribute positively to the tangible aspects of the service

- Reliability The consistent and predictable schedule of the train, along with its clean and well- maintained infrastructure, demonstrates reliability

- Responsiveness: The attentive and helpful staff readily assisting passengers whenever needed shows responsiveness to customer needs

- Assurance: The presence of safety features, qualified staff, and positive overall environment instills a sense of security and assurance in passengers

- Empathy: The courteous and friendly staff, who are willing to go the extra mile to ensure passenger comfort, demonstrate empathy and understanding

CONCLUSION: PERSONAL INSIGHTS

Through the process of writing journal entries on my service encounter experiences and conducting in-depth analyses of both the greatest and worst service encounters, I have developed a better grasp of service marketing ideas and how to apply what I have learned in class to my future practical business life Despite the fact that the ten service encounters I have written about are from

a variety of businesses, my opinions regarding the services are influenced by similar factors I will attempt to give my customers the best service possible if I eventually work as a service manager and apply all of the lessons I've learned:

- Listen actively to customers: Listening is an important skill in every field, especially in service When customers express their problems, listen actively, without judgment Try to understand our customers’ needs and desires to come up with the right solution

- Understanding customers: Not all customers are the same Each customer has different needs, wants and preferences Try to understand customers to give them the best service experience

- Meet customer needs: The goal of the service is to meet customer needs Do our best to meet customer needs, both in terms of products/services and customer service

- Solve customer problems quickly and effectively: When a customer has a problem, resolve it quickly and effectively Show empathy and a desire to help my customers

- Show respect: Respect for customers is essential in any relationship, especially in service Show respect for customers by using polite, courteous language and respecting their privacy

- Create comfort for customers: Customers need to feel comfortable using my service Create a friendly, comfortable and pleasant environment for customers

- Always lear and grow: The world is always changing, so I need to always learn and develop to

be able to meet the increasing needs of customers Update new knowledge and skills to bring the best service experience to customers

- Build long-term relationships with customers: The goal of the service is not only to meet customer needs in the moment but also to create long-term relationships with customers Make an effort to become a trusted partner to our customers

- Offer a sincere apology when necessary: No one ts perfect, so sometimes we will make mistakes When we make a mistake, offer a sincere apology to the customer Express our remorse and desire

to correct our mistakes

APPENDIX:

A JOURNAL OF SERVICE ENCOUNTER ENTRIES

Journal Entry: 1

Name of firm: Xanh SM

Type of Service (industry): Transport

Date of Encounter: July 10", 2022

Time of Encounter Occurred: 9:30 a.m

What specific circumstances led to this encounter?

I traveled to Ho Chi Minh city and didn't have my own vehicle, so I needed to book a taxi

to get around

Address your expectations related to this service

I expected the taxis to arrive at the appointed time This is especially important because I didn’t have too much time for that trip Friendly and professional drivers: Drivers should be friendly and professional This includes being polite, clean and knowledgeable about this city Safe and clean vehicles: Xanh SM is a electric car so I hoped it is well maintained and free of unpleasant odors

When he saw me for the first time standing near the Independence Palace, Xanh SM driver greeted me in a polite and friendly manner: "Hello, welcome to Xanh SM." The driver also smiled and looked at me in the eye to show respect and welcome Next, he checked to see if the I had luggage to bring With my heavy and big luggage, the driver helped me arrange the luggage on the car The driver was also careful to avoid dropping or damaging my luggage After arranging the luggage, he opened car doors for me politely and thoughtfully The driver waited for me to get in the car before closing the door During the trip, I asked the driver a few questions about places to

go and foods to try in Ho Chi Minh City and he responded and gave me suggestions with great enthusiasm Of course, the driver drove safely and obeyed traffic laws He also paid attention to the surroundings and avoided speeding At the end of the trip, the driver politely and friendly said goodbye to me He also helped me get my luggage off the car In addition, Xanh SM driver also tried to create a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere for me He chatted with me in a cheerful and friendly manner, and tried to satisfy all of my needs

How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? (Circle the most

appropriate number.) 1 extremely dissatisfied - 7 extremely satisfied

What exactly made you feel that way?

- Safe driving skills: Xanh SM driver always drove safely and obeyed traffic laws He paid attention to their surroundings and avoided moving too fast

- Friendliness and professionalism: Xanh SM driver was friendly and professional in communicating with me He greeted me politely and respectfully, and did his best to accommodate

my needs

- Knowledge of that city: That driver had good knowledge of the area in which he was working He gave advice on attractions and places to eat, and helped me find my way if needed

- Patience and thoughtfulness: Xanh SM driver was patient and attentive to me He wasn’t hesitate

to answer questions, helped me with luggage, or simply chatted to create a comfortable atmosphere

What could the employee / firm have done to make you happier with the encounter?

I was fully satisfied with Xanh SM driver's service so at the moment I don’t have any suggestion But if in that trip to Ho Chi Minh city, I went with my family Xanh SM driver could prepare child seats in the car

How likely is it that you will go back to this service firm? 1 extremely unlikely - 7 extremely likely

Journal Entry: 2

Name of firm: Techcombank

Type of Service (industry): Banking

Date of Encounter: Febuary 28" , 2022

Time of Encounter Occurred: 7:30 a.m

What specific circumstances led to this encounter?

At that time I started to move to Ha Noi and had my first job, I needed to open a bank account and ATM to receive salary and pay daily expenses

Address your expectations related to this service

I expected quick and simple card opening procedures: I wanted bank card opening procedures to be done quickly and simply, without having to provide too many documents or wait for a long time Moreover I wanted a reasonable card opening fee, suitable to my financial capabilities as a university student Next is diverse card usage utilities: | hoped bank cards can be used for many different purposes, such as paying bills, shopping, withdrawing money, transferring money, The last thing is customer information security: definitely no one doesn’t want their personal information and bank accounts to be kept safe and secure

Exactly what did the firm / employee say or do?

When I first came to the Techcombank branch, bank staffs greeted me politely and friendly He verified the customer's identity by checking my identification documents, including: Identity card/Citizen identification card and the card photo Next, he consulted on types of ATM cards I wanted to choose Bank staff advised me on ATM cards that suit my needs, including: Card type (Debit card, credit card, prepaid card, ); Features (Withdraw money, transfer money, pay bills, ) or Fees (Card fee, annual fee, withdrawal fee, transfer fee, ) After choosing the type of ATM card, he instructed me to fill out the ATM card application form, ensuring I had provided complete and accurate information (Full name, date of birth, address, phone number, account number and password) Finally, bank staff checked the my information filled out in the ATM card application form to ensure accuracy He needed to confirm customer information with me to ensure

I clearly understood my information

How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? (Circle the most

appropriate number.) 1 extremely dissatisfied - 7 extremely satisfied

What exactly made you feel that way?

- Polite and friendly attitude: Techcombank staffs greeted me in a polite and friendly manner They also smiled and looked at me in the eye of respect and welcome

- Enthusiastic and thoughtful attitude: Everytime I didn’t understand, bank staffs were always pleasant to answer all of my questions clearly and completely They also instructed me how to use ATM cards carefully

- Quick card making time: The ATM card making process was done quickly and conveniently, as I remembered it just took me 10-15 minutes

- Reasonable card making costs: ATM card making fee was reasonable (just 50,000 VND), consistent with the my financial ability

What could the employee / firm have done to make you happier with the encounter?

Flexible services: Techcombank need to provide flexible ATM card making services to meet customer needs For example, banks may provide online ATM card making services or ATM card making services at home Techcombank could launch an online ATM card opening service, helping me as well as other customers open ATM cards right at home without going to a transaction counter

How likely is it that you will go back to this service firm? 1 extremely unlikely - 7 extremely likely

Journal Entry: 3

Name of firm: VinBus

Type of Service (industry): Transport

Date of Encounter: June 15", 2023

Time of Encounter Occurred: 6:30 a.m

What specific circumstances led to this encounter?

I needed to go from home to work but my motorbike had a punctured tire that day Fortunately, there is a bus route with a departure point near my house In addition, I also wanted to try the experience of sitting on an electric bus once

Address your expectations related to this service

- Green, environmentally friendly transportation

- Reasonable price: I thought ticket price was calculated based on distance traveled, ranging from 7,000 - 15,000 VND/trip would be very acceptable and reasonable, suitable for the budget of many people, especially the students like me

- Convenience and comfort: I hoped buses are modernly designed, with air conditioning systems, wifi, entertainment screens, giving passengers a comfortable and relaxing experience

- Safe and thoughtful: If Vinbus was equipped with a security camera system, it would help to monitor the journey and ensure passenger safety And I also hoped VinBus staffs were well-trained and always ready to assist passengers

Exactly what did the firm / employee say or do?

I went to VinBus on a hot summer day When I got into the car, I felt very impressed with the cool, clean space The seats were comfortable, I could easily lean back and rest I also really liked the in-car entertainment screen, which kept me entertained throughout the trip I took the VinBus from home to the company Travel time was about 30 minutes The bus ran on time, without traffic jams I was very satisfied with my trip

Overall, I am very satisfied with my VinBus experience This is a modern, comfortable and safe means of public transportation I think VinBus will be a good choice for people looking for a means of transportation that is both cost-effective and comfortable