Services Marketing unit (BMA258)

Melbourne Study Centre, Hobart, Online, Shanghai Ocean University

Introduction

The service industry is increasingly identified as contributing to worldwide business growth and is seen as a critical source of employment. Furthermore, the provision of services is playing an increasingly important role in the marketing strategies of goods manufacturing companies, because B2B manufacturers seek to differentiate their offerings by including significant value-adding service components. However, services possess unique characteristics, justifying the consideration of whether traditional marketing management concepts and models need to be adapted to better account for service-dominant economies, and for the successful marketing of services. This unit focuses on developing your knowledge of the specific characteristics of services, and how to manage and market them. This unit will help you to create and manage relationships with customers to deliver superior services. It will focus on the processes underpinning the creation and delivery of high-quality services, the extended services marketing mix, and managing internal marketing within service firms. This unit also examines the service environment, and managing capacity and demand to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to market service firms. This unit will integrate the necessary knowledge and skills to market service firms.

Summary

Unit name	Services Marketing
Unit code	BMA258
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Tasmanian School of Business and Economics
Discipline	Marketing
Coordinator	Doctor Linda French
Available as an elective?	Yes
Delivered By	University of Tasmania and Third Party(ies): ECA|Shanghai Ocean University AEIN Institute|Universal College of Higher Education Hong Kong
Level	Intermediate

Availability

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Melbourne Study Centre	Semester 1
Hobart	Semester 1
Online	Semester 1
Shanghai Ocean University	Shanghai Semester 2

Note

Enrolment in units available at ECA Melbourne, Hong Kong Universal Ed, and Shanghai Ocean University is only available to eligible students studying at those corresponding locations.

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Key Dates

Study Period	Start date	Census date	WW date	End date
Semester 1	22/2/2026	16/3/2026	19/4/2026	13/6/2026
Shanghai Semester 2	1/3/2026	6/4/2026	18/4/2026	4/6/2026

* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).

Unit census dates currently displaying for 2026 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2026 will be available from the 1st October 2025. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the specific characteristics of service offerings and markets and discuss how marketing services differs from marketing goods.
• Critically analyse the extended marketing mix and its role in positioning a service firm in a target market.
• Communicate outputs from analyses of service marketing situations.

Fee Information

Field of Education	Commencing Student Contribution 1,3	Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3	Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3	Domestic Full Fee 4
090799	$2,174.00	$1,020.00	$1,192.00	$2,562.00

• Available as a Commonwealth Supported Place
• HECS-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility³
• FEE-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility⁴

¹ Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
² Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
³ Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
⁴ Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.

If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UniConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.

Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.

Teaching

Assessment	AT2: Case Study Analysis (20%)|AT1: Workshop Activities (40%)|AT3: Service Audit (40%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

Wirtz, J 2022, Essentials of Services Marketing, 4th edn, Pearson Australia, NSW.

Recommended

Egan, J 2008, Relationship marketing: exploring relational strategies in marketing, 3rd edn, Pearson Education, Harlow, England. Fisk, RP, Grove, S J & John, J 2012, Services marketing self-portraits: introspections, reflections, and glimpses from the experts, Marketing Classics Press, USA. Peck, H, Christopher, M, Clark, M & Payne, A 2013, Relationship marketing, Routledge, London, UK. Wilson, A, Zeithaml, VA, Bitner, MJ & Gremler, DD 2012, Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm, 2nd European edn, McGraw Hill, Maidenhead, UK.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.