Initially, the marketing function was focused towards `product'
and `sales'. The marketing function was oriented towards
understanding what kinds of products were expected by the
consumers, and thereafter produce and sell the same. However,
with the increasing role played by the services sector in
the economy, the overall focus of marketing has shifted
towards service; and service plays a significant role even
in product-based companies. The reason for the growing importance
of service across all types of businesses is the positive
relationship between customer orientation advocated in marketing,
and the service function.
Further, due to increasing commodization of products, companies
are turning to service as the most promising tool for differentiation.
Companies are adding new services and reconfiguring existing
services to create services led growth. The huge growth
of the service industry may also be seen as a manifestation
of the changes brought about by information and communication
technology (ICT). ICT is an important source to help companies
collect and analyse data on customer preferences and to
interact with potential customers.
Service is elusive and intangible, but it is the life blood
of the airline industry. So we must understand "What
is customer service?" in the airline industry. In today's
competitive marketplace, service is the most important thing
that an airline company has to sell. It truly makes the
difference when two businesses have the same product. If
service was just a smiling welcome, or serving in-flight
refreshments, then it would have been simple; but we know
it is much more complex than that.
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