Services and Service Marketing

Services are acts or performances that is essentially intangible and does not result in ownership. Services may be provided by itself, or may be tied with a product. In the race to better themselves against their competitors, manufactures and retailers go out of the way provide exceptional services. It is one point of contest for sellers, when the kinds of products rivals sell tend to be alike.

Services characteristically are:

• intangible-cannot be touched, tasted, felt
• Inseparable-services are produced & consumed at the same time
• Variable-delivery of services vary from person to person
• Perishable-lasts only during that moment in which it is delivered.

      

     Service mixes are of the following categories:

• Pure tangible good – eg: products such as milk, bread, sugar etc.
• Tangible goods with accompanying services - eg: Buying a washing-machine
• Hybrid - eg: Services in a restaurant
• Major services with accompanying minor goods - eg: Airline passengers being served snacks and drinks apart from the service of transportation
• Pure service - eg: Legal advise, psychiatric help etc

      Vicks VapoRub is an FMCG product and it is a pure tangible good. The instructions on the tin that explain how to use the product could be considered a service. Online, Vicks India has offered contact details to Customer Service, including a number and email address. 

Vicks lacks a defined customer service unit because it is an FMCG. The attitude and character of the retailer does not affect the customer's purchase of the Vicks VapoRub.

Other ways in which Vicks improves it's online presence: By running an online portal that helps one self-diagnose, Vicks operates an online presence outside of the sale of Vicks VapoRub. By adding more such features, it will make itself more attractive.