Services Marketing in a Technological Environment 5 credits

Services are the backbone of most developed economies, accounting for the majority of GDP and employment. In an increasingly service-dominated and technology-driven marketplace, understanding how services create value is fundamental for both private and public organizations. Yet, most traditional marketing theories and models were originally developed for tangible goods and therefore fail to fully capture the complex, intangible, and interactive nature of services. This course responds to that gap by providing students with a comprehensive understanding of service marketing principles and their strategic relevance in contemporary business. The course introduces key concepts such as value co-creation, service quality, relationship marketing, customer journeys, servicescapes and service blueprints. Emphasis is placed on servitization, the process by which firms integrate services into their product offerings to build long-term relationships and generate stable revenue streams and enhance customer value. In addition, students will explore how digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, chatbots, self-service interfaces, and platforms transform service design and delivery with a focus on the customer´s perspective. Through cases and practical exercises, you connect these ideas to real firms and sectors in different countries. By the end of the course, students will be able to map and analyze service processes, diagnose service quality gaps, and design improved service experiences in both physical and digital settings. Students will be able to evaluate service management and marketing strategies, propose technology-enabled service innovations, and communicate actionable recommendations to managers. Overall, the course helps students to view services as dynamic systems of interaction and to use this perspective to create value for customers, organizations, and society in a technological environment.