Introductory description

This is an elective module available for WBS and non-WBS students.

Challenge thinking about the underlying principles of marketing by exploring aspects such as customer experience (CX), servitisation, service innovation and user experience (UX).
Develop knowledge of how consumer needs and expectations translate into activities to enhance the customer experience and add value.
Develop knowledge of international contexts and how this allows organisations to enhance customer experience.
Understand how to assess customer expectations in context and to develop and deliver activities that meet those expectations.
Develop understanding of effective monitoring and measurement techniques that improve customer experience.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Indicative syllabus:

• Creating service value propositions: how service contributes to customer experience and value creation
• The international market and its implications on customer expectation
• Customer Journey Mapping
• Customer Insight
• Creating a culture for customers and a customer focused organisation
• Customer Relationship Management
• Service Innovation
• User Experience

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Articulate the central arguments of service science and customer experience and critically evaluate its role, usefulness and applicability in a marketing and business context.
• Discuss new theoretical perspectives and their practical applications.
• Evaluate how service innovation contributes to the overall impact of marketing strategies and initiatives.
• Demonstrate understanding of user experience and how it can be applied to creating value in the customer experience.
• Critically evaluate the principles and theory underpinning service marketing and customer experience.
• Learn to apply and critically evaluate the concepts, tools and frameworks for analysing services and customer experience.

Indicative reading list

As an emerging area, there will be no core text for this module. However, readings will be selected from relevant top-class
academic journals and credible industry literature.
Examples include
Pine, B.J. and Gilmore, J.H. (1998). Welcome to the experience economy. Harvard Business Review, 76, 97-105.
Reichheld, F.F. (2003). The one number you need to grow. Harvard Business Review, 81(12), 46-55.
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2004). Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. Journal of Marketing, 68(1), 1-17.
Verhoef, P.C., Lemon, K.N., Parasuraman, A., Roggeveen, A., Tsiros, M. and Schlesinger, L.A. (2009). Customer experience creation: Determinants, dynamics and management strategies. Journal of Retailing, 85(1), 31-41.
Lemke, F., Clark, M. & Wilson, H. (2011) Customer experience quality: An exploration in business and consumer contexts using
repertory grid technique. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 39, 846-869
Macdonald, E.K., Wilson, H. & Konus, U. (2012) Better customer insight – in real time. Harvard
Lemon, K.N. and Verhoef, P.C. (2016) Understanding customer experience throughout the customer journey. Journal of
Marketing, 80(6), 69-96.
Macdonald, E., Kleinaltenkamp, M. & Wilson, H.N. (2016). How business customers judge solutions: solution quality and value in
use. Journal of Marketing, 80(3), 96-120

Subject specific skills

Apply a range of practical frameworks in order to create value through service and customer experience.
Identify strategies for creating and delivering value through customer excellence or innovation.
Apply the principles and concepts for responding to customer need and buying behaviour.
Use with confidence tools and techniques of service marketing and customer experience.

Transferable skills

Propose strategies and tactics to deliver exceptional customer experience.
Communicate a customer excellence culture.
Develop specific skills including use of consumer insight data and customer journey mapping.