Unit rationale, description and aim

In a fast-changing global market, service firms aim to improve service quality and create great customer experiences (CX) to stay competitive. This unit introduces modern services marketing strategies that help create positive customer experiences. Students will use key models, frameworks and theories from services marketing to design creative strategies and examine CX outcomes such as satisfaction, trust, commitment, word of mouth and loyalty. The unit also looks at how service firms can deliver strong customer experiences, with a focus on global and ethical practices.

Students will explore how to map the customer journey—from before purchase to after purchase—spotting pain points along the way and finding ways to improve the experience. Ethical use of AI tools in services is also covered.

This unit follows earlier studies in core marketing and business topics and allows students to apply foundational knowledge in a more focused, service-oriented context. It prepares students for more advanced or specialised units later in the degree, where they will build on these customer experience and strategy skills in more complex or applied projects. It also prepares students for roles such as service marketer, service manager, consultant, entrepreneur or customer relationship manager, with a focus on making strong, ethical, and community-minded decisions in service-based firms.

2026 10

Campus offering

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  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Online Scheduled
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance

Prerequisites

MKTG207 Marketing Toolkit OR MKTG100 Principles of Marketing

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Explain core theories and concepts in customer exp...

Learning Outcome 01

Explain core theories and concepts in customer experience management within services marketing.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC9

Critically analyse issues in services marketing us...

Learning Outcome 02

Critically analyse issues in services marketing using relevant theories and provide evidence-based recommendations.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC9, GC12

Apply digital technologies to engage effectively w...

Learning Outcome 03

Apply digital technologies to engage effectively with social issues to support the dignity of the human person and advance the common good
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC10

Demonstrate clear and effective communication of s...

Learning Outcome 04

Demonstrate clear and effective communication of services analysis and recommendations in written format.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC11

Professionally and clearly communicate analysis an...

Learning Outcome 05

Professionally and clearly communicate analysis and solutions to services marketing problems, using high-quality sources and accurate referencing to support evidence-based recommendations.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC8

Content

Topics will include: 

  • The concept of services marketing, models and theories
  • Customer experience, experience mapping and customer experience management in the service context
  • Antecedents and consequences of superior customer-centric culture in service firms
  • Customer experience and contextual factors (e.g., Servicescape) in service firms
  • Service strategies to create customer experience outcomes such as satisfaction, trust, commitment, word of mouth and loyalty
  • Pre-purchase and post-purchase decision-making in services marketing
  • Service recovery
  • Service in local and global cultures
  • Ethical use of artificial intelligence and other technologies in services marketing

Assessment strategy and rationale

To pass this unit, students must achieve an aggregate mark of at least 50% and demonstrate satisfactory achievement of all learning outcomes. Each assessment task will be marked using rubrics designed to assess how well students meet the outcomes specific to that task.

The assessment strategy is structured to support the progressive development of students’ knowledge and skills in services marketing and customer experience. It also emphasises the importance of ethical, community-focused critique of emerging technologies, including AI and other service tools.

  • Assessment 1 focuses on developing students’ observational and analytical skills. Delivered in video format, it enables students to critically evaluate service delivery while strengthening communication and presentation abilities that are essential for industry engagement.
  • Assessment 2 requires students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world service management scenarios. The written report format helps refine their ability to clearly communicate complex ideas, and supports the development of strategic thinking and practical problem-solving in a service context.
  • Assessment 3 encourages deeper critical thinking and informed decision-making. Students will assess potential service improvements and integrate technology-driven insights, fostering adaptability and innovation in modern service environments.

Overall, this assessment approach ensures that students gain both theoretical understanding and practical, industry-relevant capabilities in service marketing.


Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: Service Audit Presentatio...

Assessment Task 1: Service Audit Presentation

Requires students to record an 8 minute presentation about the service processes and quality of a service firm in a specific industry. Students will identify the service offering and analyse it from a customer experience perspective. As an outcome students will map the customer journey and identify flaws in customer experience management that affect service quality.

Submission Type: Individual

Assessment Method: Video Presentation

Artefact: Video and slides

Weighting

20%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC9, GC11, GC12

Assessment Task 2: Service Blueprint Report ...

Assessment Task 2: Service Blueprint Report

Students will prepare a 1500-word report, including developing a  service blueprint to improve the service delivery model and making recommendations. Assessment 2 will build on the initial service marketing review conducted in Assessment 1.

 Submission Type: Individual

Assessment Method: Service Modelling and Recommendation Report

Artefact: Written report

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC2, GC7, GC8

Assessment Task 3: Service Improvement Report ...

Assessment Task 3: Service Improvement Report

Requires students to develop a 1500-word report featuring a service innovation or a recovery plan for the service examined in the first and second assessment. The plan should focus on services marketing strategies that improve the customer experience. Students will also need to critique recommendations made by AI before providing their own

Submission Type: Individual

Assessment Method: Recommendations Report

Artefact: Written report

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO4, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC2, GC7, GC8, GC11

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit adopts an experiential learning approach, engaging students in workshops and practical activities designed to reinforce key concepts in services marketing. Students will work individually and in groups to explore the customer journey and map service consumption processes, developing skills to create positive customer experiences across pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase stages. A project-based task involving real-world examples helps students apply analytical tools to services marketing and user experience. Additionally, students will critically engage with artificial intelligence by assessing an AI-generated response and improving it, encouraging ethical and community-minded use of technology.

The unit is offered in Attendance and Online modes to accommodate varied learning needs and improve access for isolated or marginalised groups.

  • Mixed Mode: Involves scheduled face-to-face workshops, with online preparation and revision through interactive platforms.
  • Online Mode: Delivered asynchronously, this mode includes interactive activities such as knowledge checks, discussion boards, and self-paced tasks, offering flexibility and accessibility.

Students are expected to undertake approximately 150 hours of study across all activities, including workshops, online engagement, and assessment preparation.


Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Aliekperov, A., 2020. The Customer Experience Model. Routledge.

Babin, B.J., Zhuang, W. and Borges, A., 2021. Managing service recovery experience: effects of the forgiveness for older consumers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services58, p.102222.

Bonfanti, A., Vigolo, V. and Yfantidou, G., 2021. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on customer experience design: The hotel managers’ perspective. International Journal of Hospitality Management94, p.102871.

Cambra-Fierro, J., Gao, L.X., Melero-Polo, I. and Trifu, A., 2021. How do firms handle variability in customer experience? A dynamic approach to better understanding customer retention. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services61, p.102578.

Chitty, W., D'Alessandro, S., Gray, D. and Hughes, A., 2019. Services marketing.

Kuppelwieser, V.G. and Klaus, P., 2021. Customer experience quality in African B2B contexts. Journal of Services Marketing.

Pecorari, P.M. and Lima, C.R.C., 2021. Correlation of customer experience with the acceptance of product-service systems and circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production281, p.125275.

Shams, G., Rather, R., Rehman, M.A. and Lodhi, R.N., 2020. Hospitality-based service recovery, outcome favourability, satisfaction with service recovery and consequent customer loyalty: an empirical analysis. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.

Weber, K. and Hsu, C.H., 2021. Banding together in a festival context: Examining effects of a joint-stakeholder external service recovery. Tourism Management83, p.104204.

Wirtz, J. 2022. Essentials of Services Marketing (4e). Pearson Education

Zeithaml, V.A., Bitner, M.J. and Dwayne D.. Gremler, 2018. Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm. McGraw-Hill Education.


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