THE IDENTIFICATION OF EVALUATIVE CRITERIA AND CUES USED IN SELECTING SERVICES

Abstract

There has been extensive research conducted regarding the identification of evaluative criteria and cues used in selecting products classified as goods, yet there has been little research on products classified as services. Marketing managers accept the notion that there are some controllable and uncontrollable variables in the environment that will impact on the consumer's perceptions of their product offering. If marketers can understand which criteria are used to evaluate a product, in this case a service, and can identify which cues are used to assess the criteria, they will he better able to manage and influence the consumer's evaluations and perceptions of the offering. This study takes an integrated look at the evaluative criteria and cues used by consumers in selecting services.