OME 663: SERVICE MARKETING

TERM PAPER

NAME: NUNUU A.ABDALLA

REG.NO:PG201802188

Instructor: Prof. Jan-Erik Jaensson

[email protected]
ANSWER TO THE TERM PAPER

SELECTED INDUSTRY: TRANSPORT AND LOGISTIC

1.1 Introduction

This term paper will be concerned with one of the service operations courier i.e. Express Mail
Services (EMS). The intention of this term paper is to describe EMS assumptions,how
service development and design of EMS is done. It will also show the servicescape of EMS
i.e where the consumer pickup their products and lastly it will enlight on service delivery by
EMS.Then the conclusion will be drawn

1.2 Service Development and Design of EMS

1.2.1 Definition of key concepts

Express Mail Service: Express Mail Service (EMS) is an international express postal service
offered by postal-administration members of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) connecting
more than 180 countries and territories worldwide for documents and merchandise.
Servicescape: refers to the physical surroundings that impact on the behaviours of customers
and employees in service organizations(Lim,2011).
1.2.2 Express Mail Services assumptions
The EMS Edge: The demands of a healthy, fast-paced business sector led to the creation of
EMS high-speed mail service. But it was professional, personalized service and emphasis on
quality customer care that gave EMS its loyal and growing list of quality clients.

EMS offers on-time, guaranteed delivery across Tanzania and East Africa, and around the
world.

Dynamic flight-linking and computer tracking of customer’s document or parcel is how EMS
do it.

Free Pick Up: For regular customers, a telephone call brings an EMS agent to your home or
office to pick up his/her documents or parcels.

A priority express service - EMS takes priority over other postal services.

Convenient - the EMS global network has the most customer access points in the world based
on Post Office counters.
Largest delivery network worldwide - EMS postal operators have the largest last mile
coverage worldwide supported by the postal delivery network to reach every business and
citizen in the world
International Service Delivery times vary from two to five days, depending on destination
and potential flight delays/disruptions. When a customer need to ship overseas, International
EMS provides the solution.

To facilitate a customer business or high-traffic needs, he/she may establish a credit account
for domestic or international business with EMS so that he/she may book now and pay later.

1.2.3 Development and Design of courier service system

The following is how a courier or parcel package tracking system is designed to work:
The first step to the development process, as soon as a product is handed over by the online
seller to our courier company for delivery, a barcode is generated for the same and attached
to it. A barcode is a unique identification (ID) that has all the details related to the parcel,
like, pick up and destination details, buyer’s contact details, etc.The second step is when the
item is loaded for the delivery, its bar code is scanned by the courier company, and this data
is stored in the tracking system of that courier company’s website.As soon as the barcode is
scanned, all the information related to the courier is stored in the tracking system, like, the
time it left the courier agency (at seller’s location) for delivery, where it came from, where it
is destined to, etc.

After leaving the courier agency at the seller’s location, the shipped item reaches to another
branch of the courier agency at the buyer’s location. As soon as the new courier agency
receives the product, it scans the barcode and stores the parcel details in the tracking system,
which includes information related to its received time. At this location of the courier
company, the received item is scanned again when it is ready to be sent out for delivery. The
scanned information is stored back in the tracking system, which includes the time the
products left that courier agency for delivery.Once the product is delivered to the end user or
buyer, the tracking system is updated with the delivery status of item (for example,
‘Delivered’ in this case), delivery time, recipient’s name, etc.

1.3 Servicescape

Jieun (2018) highlighted the role of the environment in marketing services and how the
physical environment influences customer perceptions of service.Lim (2011) suggested the
term “servicescape,” referring to “the physical surroundings that impact on the behaviors of
customers and employees in service organizations” (Bettencourt,2010).He posited that both
customers and employees perceive their service environment through a variety of objective
environmental factors and both groups may respond cognitively, emotionally, and
physiologically to the environment. In designing an EMS service the following Servicescape
will be used:

Simplicity: We use simple, quick, and efficient services

Communication: We use speed up communication with our warehouse

Automation: We use scanning devices to get up-to-date info on our stock. And although
manpower will always be a good part of the process, usually we do try to automate as many
tasks as possible.

Use of EDI: We use EDI (electronic data interchange) a technique which replaced old
paperwork with electronic data. Getting rid of paperwork makes the process much quicker.
Frontiers Contacts: We list the contacts of our clients and make some connections in the
destination countries so that we will be able to know which services to use, which to avoid,
and what things we can prepare upfront to ensure smooth shipping.
Customs Clearance:Customs clearance is a very long and frustrating sequence of the delivery
process, but unfortunately there is no way to avoid it. A good solution that we offer is to
declare the goods online, even before they leave the country. A customer’s parcel will then
slip through customs and go straight to its destination hence saving time
Customers information: We keeping our customers informed on the status of the delivery to
make them feel much more satisfied because they know what’s happening.
1.4 Service Delivery
Tracking a package or courier involves a process of localizing packages and containers, and
different parcels at the time of sorting and delivery (Ojasalo,2010). It helps to verify their
movement and source, and have an estimate of the estimated delivery date. The primary
objective of this parcel tracking system is to provide customers with information about the
details of the route of the package, delivery status, estimated delivery date, and the estimated
time of delivery. Despite of electronic mailing due to advanced technology, still the
conventional mailing system is used in Tanzania. In Tanzanian Context the following mail
services are available:
Conventional Mail:

These can be classified according to the delivery schedule or other qualities. They include:-

Priority Mail: These are mail that require faster delivery than ordinary mail and they attract
extra postage fees
 Economic Mail: These are mail delivered at no cost other than the stipulated postage rate, a
rate lower than that of Priority Mail.

Registered Mail :These are mail items requiring special handling because of its contents,
which may be Money Order, Postal Order, Bank draft etc. An extra fee is charged in addition
to the postage payment.

Business Mail service is concerned with processing mail which are exclusively meant for
business purposes (transactions).

Mail Delivery Services

Delivery of mail to addresses in Tanzania is effected through the following means:

Post Office Boxes: Post Office boxes are installed in all post offices and sub-post office
across the country, and are available for rent on completion of relevant forms and office
formalities.

Private Mail Bag: This service is available on application to the Postmaster in-charge of any
post office. It is particularly suitable for customers who receive large quantity of mail (daily)
and are prepared to accept delivery/collection usually at least once daily.

Special Delivery Service: This is a service introduced for corporate organisations that have
'PMB' and generate large volume of mail. On agreed frequency, TPC collects client's mail for
their private mailbags and delivers to their offices for an agreed fee..

Street Delivery: It entails mail delivery by postmen on house to house basis. The
effectiveness of this service depends, to a large extent, on how well a street is named and
numbered

Caller Services: Where there is no house to house delivery and individuals are unable to
procure a private box or private mail bas, addressees may claim their correspondence at the
post office or postal agency during normal office hours.

1.5 Conclusion

Under the high competition around the globe each company has to design and develop the
service using servicescape available.

1.6 References

Bettencourt, L. (2010). Service Innovation: How to go from customer needs to breakthrough

services. McGraw-Hill.
Jieun,H.(2018).A Systematic Underpinning and Framing of the Servicescape: Reflections on
Future Challenges in Healthcare Services. International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health 15(3):509

Lim, H. & Shiode, N. (2011). The impact of online shopping demand on physical distribution
networks: a simulation approach. International Journal of Physical Distribution &
LogisticsManagement, 41, 8, 732-749.

Ojasalo, K. (2010). The Shift from Co-Production in Services to Value Co-creation.

Cambridge Business Review, 16, 1, 171-177.