MNM3713
ASSESSMENT 849676
By
name Student number email
Date of submission:
xxxx-xx-xx
-i-
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION .............................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1
1 SERVICE CONTACT ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 LEVELS OF SERVICE CONTACT .................................................................................. 1
1.2 SERVICE DELIVERY CONTACT TYPES........................................................................ 2
2 ELEMENTS OF EVIDENCE .................................................................................................. 2
CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................ 3
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 4
-i-
, INTRODUCTION
It is important that service providers determine appropriate strategies to serve their target
markets as effectively as possible. These strategies should describe what level and type of
contact will be required to deliver their service, as well as strategies on managing key
elements which work together to provide the best possible customer experience, such as the
companies physical environment and communications strategies. These will be further
discussed and applied in relation to Europcar South Africa, a service provider of which saw
two car rental companies transitioning under one Brand and has since successfully
repositioned and launched.
1 SERVICE CONTACT
1.1 LEVELS OF SERVICE CONTACT
Service with a high level of contact is known as pure service, describing instances where a
greater level of contact is made between service providers and customers as they are
required to be physically present. With high contact level services requiring in-person input
by both the service provider and the customer, the amount of activities the service provider
can offer as well as the amount of services a customer can receive is limited. (APICS, 2020).
If customer’s opt for Europcar’s transfer or chauffeur service, a Europcar driver is required to
be physically present throughout and as such, this offering is classified as a high-contact
level service.
Medium-contact level services involve limited physical contact with the customer, only
requiring them to be physically present for a certain aspect of the service delivery process.
(Berndt, 2018). Through a reduction in the amount of direct contact required by both the
customer and the service provider in comparison to high level contact services, both parties
have more of a chance to perform further tasks simaltaneously. This is illustrated through
Europcar’s advertising describing how the company is implementing streamlined process
which allow people to spend less time sitting in the rental offices themselves and more time
on what they would like to do, with in-person contact only required to pick up the keys of the
vehicle and drive off, or to return the vehicle.
Services known to have low levels of contact require little to no physical contact with
customers. Advancements in technology are enabling service providers which traditionally
required higher levels of contact with their customers to now offer new, innovative, low-
contact alternatives to their services. (Berndt, 2018). These services are known to be more
standardized, with little personal input required by service providers but instead, equipping
the customer with the ability to help themselves. (Marquis, 2019).
ASSESSMENT 849676
By
name Student number email
Date of submission:
xxxx-xx-xx
-i-
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION .............................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1
1 SERVICE CONTACT ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 LEVELS OF SERVICE CONTACT .................................................................................. 1
1.2 SERVICE DELIVERY CONTACT TYPES........................................................................ 2
2 ELEMENTS OF EVIDENCE .................................................................................................. 2
CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................ 3
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 4
-i-
, INTRODUCTION
It is important that service providers determine appropriate strategies to serve their target
markets as effectively as possible. These strategies should describe what level and type of
contact will be required to deliver their service, as well as strategies on managing key
elements which work together to provide the best possible customer experience, such as the
companies physical environment and communications strategies. These will be further
discussed and applied in relation to Europcar South Africa, a service provider of which saw
two car rental companies transitioning under one Brand and has since successfully
repositioned and launched.
1 SERVICE CONTACT
1.1 LEVELS OF SERVICE CONTACT
Service with a high level of contact is known as pure service, describing instances where a
greater level of contact is made between service providers and customers as they are
required to be physically present. With high contact level services requiring in-person input
by both the service provider and the customer, the amount of activities the service provider
can offer as well as the amount of services a customer can receive is limited. (APICS, 2020).
If customer’s opt for Europcar’s transfer or chauffeur service, a Europcar driver is required to
be physically present throughout and as such, this offering is classified as a high-contact
level service.
Medium-contact level services involve limited physical contact with the customer, only
requiring them to be physically present for a certain aspect of the service delivery process.
(Berndt, 2018). Through a reduction in the amount of direct contact required by both the
customer and the service provider in comparison to high level contact services, both parties
have more of a chance to perform further tasks simaltaneously. This is illustrated through
Europcar’s advertising describing how the company is implementing streamlined process
which allow people to spend less time sitting in the rental offices themselves and more time
on what they would like to do, with in-person contact only required to pick up the keys of the
vehicle and drive off, or to return the vehicle.
Services known to have low levels of contact require little to no physical contact with
customers. Advancements in technology are enabling service providers which traditionally
required higher levels of contact with their customers to now offer new, innovative, low-
contact alternatives to their services. (Berndt, 2018). These services are known to be more
standardized, with little personal input required by service providers but instead, equipping
the customer with the ability to help themselves. (Marquis, 2019).
