MMK251 Services Marketing - Trimester 1 2024
MMK251 Services Marketing - Trimester 1 2024
Assessment 2 Service Processes and Servicescape Designs Group Assignment
DUE DATE AND TIME:Friday, 10th May, by 8:00pm (AEST)
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL GRADE:40%
WORD COUNT:Up to 3500 words
ASSESSMENT TYPE:Group Assignment
Overview
In this assignment, your group of four is the consultant hired by Dawn Avatar Robot Cafe, located in Tokyo Japan, to investigate and analyse how the caf documents its service processes and designs its servicescape to enhance customer experience. Additionally, your task entails making recommendations aimed at improving the current service processes and servicescape.
Write an industry-based research report about the Caf by: i) developing its service blueprint, ii) identifying fail points within the processes, wait time, standards and target and physical evidences, and iii) suggesting improvements to the current processes, and (iv) suggesting improvements to the current servicescape.
Assignment Instruction
You need to form a group of 4 students, then enrol yourselves into a group via MMK251 Cloud Deakin>Tools>Groups. The due date for group formation is 14th April 2023 (end of Week 5). Any student who has not enrolled into a group by that date will be automatically enrolled into a group randomly. It is your responsibility to check and confirm you have been allocated a group.
Your team is a consultant hired by Dawn Avatar Robot Caf. At the bottom of this assignment brief under Research Sources section, some information and resources about the Caf are provided. You are required to conduct a comprehensive examination and further research of Dawn Avatar Caf in addition to the resources provided to understand the cafs service processes and servicescape design. You are encouraged to use your imagination and creativity to guide your thoughts and analysis, but the analysis should be grounded by research evidence.
Use the below instructions to guide your investigation:
Service Processes Documentation Analysis:
Identify the key stages (i.e., pre-processes, in-processes, post-processes) and customer actionsConsider the physical evidences and other evidences for front-stage activities
Examine its processes flow, direction of the flow, and line of interactionExamine contact person, their visible front-stage actions, and line of visibilityIdentify main back-stage actions by customer-contact personnel and other service personnelConsider support processes involving other service personnel and across other departments (i.e., IT, accounting, marketing, etc.)
Observe potential fail points and risk of long wait timesConsider the standards and targetServicescape Design Analysis:
Observe the layout and overall ambiance of the cafLook for elements such as lighting, color schemes, signage, furniture style, dcor, technological features etc.
Evaluate how these design features contribute to the overall aesthetic appear and align with the cafs mission and visionRecommendations for Improvement
Consider how the integration of technology influence the process(es) improvement and servicescape improvement, hence customer experience improvement.
Consider how customers co-creation (participation) influence process(es) improvement and make recommendations to servicescape improvement to enable such customer co-creation.
Assignment Structure:
1. Assignment Cover Page (exclude from words count): State the Unit Code, Study Period, Title of the Assignment, Words count, Group Number and all contributing group members names and their students IDs.
2. Executive summary (350-400 words): briefly explain the purpose of the assignment, scope and limitation, key findings, implications and recommendations. Keep in mind the report is written for the management of the caf, hence consider the use of the language for this audience.
2. Introduction (150-250 words): provide an overview of the assignment objectives and the significance of analysing Dawn Avatar Robot Cafs service processes and servicescape design
3. Background of Dawn Avatar Robot Caf (300 - 400 words): provide a history, mission and values, products/services, employees, etc. about the company
4. Service blueprint Development (1 page infographic approx. 400 words). See chapter 8 for the service blueprint template.
5. Service process improvement (700 - 900 words): recommend strategies to improve any specific processes and justify your decision by using relevant theory/concepts
6. Servicescape design and improvement (700 900 words): discuss how the Caf currently designs its servicescape and suggest how to improve the current servicescape by using relevant theory/concepts to justify your decision
7. Conclusion (250 350 words): provide the summary of the key points your consulting firm can recommend to the management of Dawn Avatar Caf to improve its efficiency in its processes and customer experience
8. Reference List (exclude from words count): APA or Havard Referencing style. Minimum of 10 references.
Research paper assessment criteriaThe final mark allocated will be based on the criteria outlined in the Assignment Rubric (see Assessment folder in CloudDeakin). The mark will be given equally to the group members in the same group unless otherwise stated. Please note that this assignment will be marked out of 100 and then re-scaled to 40.
Research sourcesA minimum of ten (10) relevant references are required (ALL of which should be cited within the body of your report). Use a range of sources, e.g., journal articles, text books, web sites, business magazines, etc. Please use the Harvard referencing system which can be accessed at the following web site (http://www.deakin.edu.au/students/study-support/referencing/harvard).
A blend of relevant services marketing theory and practical advice for management is required to score a high mark for this assignment.
Additional resources:
Chapters 8 to 12 of the prescribed textbook.
Background of Dawn Avatar Robot Caf: Access the links below and read about the background and other details about the caf:
https://dawn2021.orylab.com/en/https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/robot-cafe-tokyo-disabled/Watch the video below:
Source: https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/tokyos-innovative-robot-cafe-paves-path-for-inclusive-employment/
IMPORTANT: A podcast (audio recording) will be released by the end of week 5 that will provide you with additional help with this assignment. FAQs relating to this assignment will be available on the Discussion Forum under Assignment 2 Discussion and updated as student queries and questions emerge.
Font and line spacing
With regard to the text used in your paper, please use a standard font (such as Times New Roman or Arial Narrow), at 12-point, with 1.5 minimum spacing between lines, to enhance the legibility for markers.
Word limit
Your report should comprise 3,500 words. The following penalties apply to reports in excess of the word limit:
If your report exceeds the word limit by 10% or less, 5% of the available marks will be deducted.
If your report exceeds the word limit by 11-20%, 10% of the available marks will be deducted.
If your report exceed the word limit by 21-30%, 15% of the available marks will be deducted, etc.
This process will continue for each additional 10% that the word count is exceeded.
Learning Outcomes
This task allows you to demonstrate achievement towards the unit learning outcomes. The ULOs are aligned with specific graduate learning outcomes that is, the skills and knowledge graduates are expected to have upon completion of their studies and this assessment task is an important tool in determining achievement of those outcomes.
If you do not demonstrate achievement of the unit learning outcomes, you will not be successful in this unit.
It is good practice to familiarise yourself with the ULOs and GLOs as they provide guidance on the knowledge, understanding and skills youre expected to demonstrate upon completion of the unit. In this way they can be used to guide your study.
Unit Learning Outcome (ULO) Graduate Learning Outcome (GLO)
ULO 1: Design marketing strategies that overcome the challenges associated with the generic differences between goods and services. GLO1: discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities; GLO4: critical thinking; GLO5: problem solving.
ULO 2: Critically evaluate the conceptual and theoretical foundations of frameworks and models within the services marketing arena. GLO1: discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities; GLO4: critical thinking; GLO5: problem solving.
ULO 3: Evaluate various options for the marketing and management of real-world service organisations using both theoretical and practical approaches. GLO1: discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities; GLO4: critical thinking; GLO5: problem solving.
ULO4: Source information from academic journals, industry publications, market research and other material. GLO5: problem solving.
Submission
Only one submission per group is required. You must submit your Assignment in Pdf file to the Assignment 2 Dropbox in the MMK251 CloudDeakin unit site on or before the due date. Please check to ensure the submission is successful.
When uploading your assignment, name your document using the following syntax: <Assignment 2_Your Group number_[unitcode].pdf. For example, Assignment 2_Group 1_Services Marketing MMK251.pdf.
Submitting a hard copy of this assignment is not required.
You must keep a backup copy of every assignment you submit,until the marked assignment has been returned to you. In the unlikely event that one of your assignments is misplaced,you will need to submit your backup copy.
Any work you submit may be checked by electronic or other means for the purposes of detecting collusion and/or plagiarism.
When you submit an assignment through your CloudDeakin unit site,you will receive an email to your Deakin email address confirming that it has been submitted.You should check that you can see your assignment in the Submissions view of the Assignment Dropbox folder after upload,and check for,and keep,the email receipt for the submission.
Marking and feedback
The marking rubric for this task is below and also available in the MMK251 CloudDeakin unit site - in the Assessment folder (under Assessment Resources).
It is always a useful exercise to familiarise yourself with the criteria before completing any assessment task. Criteria act as a boundary around the task and help identify what assessors are looking for specifically in your submission. The criteria are drawn from the units learning outcomes ensuring they align with appropriate graduate attribute/s.
Identifying the standard you aim to achieve is also a useful strategy for success and to that end, familiarising yourself with the descriptor for that standard is highly recommended.
Students who submit their work by the due date will receive their marks and feedback on CloudDeakin 15 working days after the submission date.
Extensions
Extensions can only be granted for exceptional and/or unavoidable circumstances outside of your control. Requests for extensions must be made by 12 noon on the submission date using the online Extension Request form under the Assessment tab on the unit CloudDeakin site. All requests for extensions should be supported by appropriate evidence (e.g., a medical certificate in the case of ill health).
Applications for extensions after 12 noon on the submission date require University level special consideration and these applications must be submitted via StudentConnect in your DeakinSync site.
Late submission
If you submit an assessment task after the due date without an approved extension or special consideration, 5% will be deducted from the available marks for each day after the due date up to seven days*. Work submitted more than seven days after the due date will not be marked and will receive 0% for the task. The Unit Chair may refuse to accept a late submission where it is unreasonable or impracticable to assess the task after the due date. *'Day' means calendar day for electronic submissions and working day for paper submissions.
An example of how the calculation of the late penalty based on an assignment being due on a Thursday at 8:00pm is as follows:
1 day late: submitted after Thursday 11:59pm and before Friday 11:59pm 5% penalty.
2 days late: submitted after Friday 11:59pm and before Saturday 11:59pm 10% penalty.
3 days late: submitted after Saturday 11:59pm and before Sunday 11:59pm 15% penalty.
4 days late: submitted after Sunday 11:59pm and before Monday 11:59pm 20% penalty.
5 days late: submitted after Monday 11:59pm and before Tuesday 11:59pm 25% penalty.
6 days late: submitted after Tuesday 11:59pm and before Wednesday 11:59pm 30% penalty.
7 days late: submitted after Wednesday 11:59pm and before Thursday 11:59pm 35% penalty.
The Dropbox closes the Friday 17th May after 11:59pm AEST/AEDT time.
Support
The Division of Student Life provides a range of Study Supportresources and services, available throughout the academic year, includingWriting MentorandMaths Mentor online drop insand the SmartThinking 24 hour writing feedback service at this link. If you would prefer some more in depth and tailored support,make an appointment online with a Language and Learning Adviser.
Referencing
Any material used in this assignment that is not your original work must be acknowledged as such and appropriately referenced. You can find information about plagiarism and other study support resources at the following website: http://www.deakin.edu.au/students/study-supportAcademic misconduct
For information about academic misconduct, special consideration, extensions, and assessment feedback, please refer to the document Your rights and responsibilities as a student in this Unit in the first folder next to the Unit Guide in the Resources area of the CloudDeakin unit site.
