Tristan and Juliet, a newly married couple who intend to go to Egypt for their honeymoon, bought a Europe travel package on Jizo Inc., an online travel site. As they have never seen Europe or used the services of Jizo before, they were largely dependent on other customers’ feedback and signals for service quality. Which of the following characteristics of service is highlighted in this instance?
A) service intangibility
B) service inseparability
C) service variability
D) service perishability
E) service distinction
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is:
A) Service Intangibility
Explanation:
Service intangibility refers to the fact that services cannot be seen, touched, tasted, heard, or felt before they are purchased. Unlike physical products, services do not have a tangible presence that customers can examine before making a buying decision. Instead, customers rely on indirect cues such as reviews, ratings, word-of-mouth recommendations, or brand reputation to assess the likely quality of the service.
In the case of Tristan and Juliet, they have never been to Europe and have never used Jizo Inc.’s services before. Since they cannot physically inspect or test the travel services in advance, they depend on feedback from other customers to evaluate service quality. This reliance on previous customer experiences demonstrates the intangible nature of services.
For travel and tourism services, intangibility plays a crucial role in decision-making. Travelers often rely on online travel agencies, reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, or direct testimonials from friends and family before booking a trip. Service providers attempt to reduce the uncertainty caused by intangibility by offering detailed descriptions, high-quality images, virtual tours, and customer testimonials to build trust.
Additionally, service providers may use branding and reputation management to assure potential customers of consistent service quality. Companies like Jizo Inc. must focus on managing their online presence, encouraging positive customer reviews, and ensuring excellent customer service to attract and retain customers.
Thus, the situation of Tristan and Juliet clearly highlights service intangibility, as they cannot directly assess the quality of their travel experience before purchasing but must instead rely on signals from other users.