Question

What are the nature and characteristics of a service?

Answer 1

Nature and characteristics of a service are as follows :

Intangibility

Tangibility characteristic means we can touch and feel that product. For eg,pulses while services on the other hand, are intangible means we cannot touch services,but only experience and consume it. Service unlike products cannot be compared wiith others,because of these quality of intangibility. Since services doesnot have physical existence. This is the basic property of service which differentiates it from a product.

Perishability

Services cannot be stored,saved or resold once it is been used. Once the service is rendered to a constomer,it cannot be returned back. For eg if a customer is dissatisfied with the service of a driver,he cannot return the service rendered by the driver. Also unlike products,services cannot be stored as inventory.

Heterogeinity/Variability

There is always a variablility in the service. Same service cannot be repeated and it won't provide same satisfaction to all the customers.Each service offering is unique and cannot be repeated even by the same service provider.Unlike products,service are not homogeneous.

Inseperatability

Service and service provider are inseperable. This means time of rendering service and time when it is consumed is within same time frame. For eg, Dorctor operating a patient and patient receiving the service of a doctor are at the same time,unlike product which can be consumed later after purchasing it.