The content of the services marketing course also provides a particularly conducive setting for learning critical skills identified in our Training Needs Analysis stage with the Client. The development of the field of services marketing and many of its concepts have been cross‑functional from the outset. Many of the issues in services marketing have multiple roots and multiple solutions that span traditional functional boundaries. Thus by “experiencing” the content of the services marketing course, participants gain an appreciation for cross‑functional influences and interdependencies. For example, it is simply not possible to understand the design and delivery of service offerings without developing some understanding of disciplines such as operations and human resources, which are outside the traditional boundaries of the marketing function. By learning about the challenges of delivering service offerings in real time (frequently through interpersonal interactions between customers and front line employees), participants quickly begin to see the relevance of teamwork and effective “servant” leadership.
