Ch. 12 - Services and Nonprofit Organization Marketing

Goods and services are the outcome of human efforts to meet the wants and needs of people. Economic
production is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Service refers to applying human or mechanical efforts to people or objects. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between manufacturing and service firms, however for many manufacturers it is the service that contributes to the firm's success the most. But still we can differentiate services from goods by their unique characteristics, one of which is service quality. Rating the service quality has become a challenge because it is much harder to rank than tangible goods. Service quality is evaluated through a few very important aspects of every service. Lancome service quality is uncontested because it  fulfills the requirements by which customers evaluate the quality of particular firm.  Lancome is committed to provide first-rate quality service customers can trust. Lancome's clientele can be sure to enjoy both the best in product innovation and personalized advice through its beauty consultation. Lancome realizes that the best way to promote the image of their brand is for every employee, especially the ones who work with the customers, to accurately represent that image. Therefore when Lancome recruits employees, they train them about every product they sell. Assurance of Lancome's knowledgeble consultants make the customer feel comfortable and that they can trust the firm. Another component which Lancome implements as part of its quality of service is responsiveness. Lancome strives to answer all e-mail queries within two working days. In addition, the company is dedicated to provide customers with a superior level of customer service until midnight during week days and until 7pm on the weekends. Empathy, the art of seeing a situation through a customer's eyes, is another essential component of company service quality. Lancome's employees always care about this aspect and they provide their clients empathetic service. Within the first moment, customers are welcomed and asked about their preferences. Every customer is treated individually with a one-on-one consultation in order to recognize the customer's genuine needs and to offer professional advice if needed. Moreover, customers are offered trials and demos of specific cosmetics so they can feel more comfortable with the particular product. Customer service representatives perform the service accurately and dependably every time.

(Lancome Internal Marketing )

Lancome realizes that customer satisfaction is deeply dependent on the performance of a company's staff which can be seen as the company's most important marketing tool. Therefore, the company implements an internal marketing strategy across its workforce. The objective of internal marketing is to align every aspect of the company's internal operations to ensure that the staff is as capable as possible of providing value to customers. When the company works in a coordinated way, it can provide a more consistent experience to its customers.

One of the non profit organizations supported by Lancome's was Mrs. Carla Bruni-Sarcozy Foundation, which aims to encourage access to culture, education and knowledge in order to fight exclusion and reduce inequality. Through program under the name "Lancome revelations" which aimed to introduce students in their last year of high school to the creative professions, to reveal their true artistic talent, and to accompany them as they pursue further study."Lancome revelations" program supported students throughout whole year in organizing artistic workshop, offering personalized educational guidance, helping to prepare for the entrance exam to the best art schools. This program was organized in twenty high schools in disadvantaged areas across whole France. Supporting non profit organizations is always a good move, which creates a positive brand image.