The service marketing triangle or the Service triangle as it is commonly called, underlines the relationships between the various providers of services, and the customers who consume these services.
As we know, relationships are most important in the services sector. The service triangle outlines all the relationships that exist between the company, the employees and the customers. Furthermore, it also outlines the importance of systems in a services industry and how these systems help achieve customer satisfaction.
As the name suggests, the service marketing triangle can also be used to market the service to consumers. The marketing completely depends on the interaction going on between the customer and the service provider. We will look at each of these interactions in detail, and also read on how to market to your customer based on the interaction.
There are 6 main relationships in the Service triangle. And based on these relationships, there are three ways to apply marketing tactics.
The service marketing triangle is an important concept that every service business needs to understand. This model illustrates the interplay between a company’s promises, enabling those promises, and keeping those promises to customers.
In this article, I’ll explain in simple terms what the service marketing triangle is, why it’s important, and how it can help your service business be more successful.
What is the Service Marketing Triangle?
The service marketing triangle is a model that shows the relationship between three key parties in service delivery:
- The company
- The employees
- The customers
It consists of three interconnected elements:
- External marketing – making promises to customers
- Internal marketing – enabling the promises
- Interactive marketing – keeping the promises
Let’s break these down further:
External Marketing – Making Promises
External marketing refers to how a company promotes its services and makes promises to potential customers. This is done through traditional marketing techniques like advertising, pricing public relations etc.
The goal is to make customers aware of the services, set expectations on pricing, and promise a certain level of service quality.
Internal Marketing – Enabling Promises
Internal marketing ensures that employees are equipped to deliver on the promises made to customers via external marketing.
It involves training employees on service standards, motivating them to put customers first, and giving them the tools and authority to solve customer problems.
The idea is that satisfied, empowered employees lead to satisfied customers.
Interactive Marketing – Keeping Promises
Interactive marketing is about keeping promises during real-time interactions between employees and customers.
It focuses on the quality of each “service encounter” where promises made via external marketing are either fulfilled or broken.
Positive interactions build customer satisfaction and loyalty over the short and long term.
Why is the Service Marketing Triangle Important?
The service marketing triangle is a simple but powerful model because it highlights that successfully marketing and delivering services requires much more than just external promotion.
Making promises is easy, but keeping them is hard. This model emphasizes that all three sides of the triangle are equally crucial for service firms.
If any one element is weak, the whole structure falls apart. For example:
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Great advertising may bring in customers, but if employees are not trained properly, the service experience will disappoint and customers will not come back.
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Employees may be willing and able to deliver excellent service, but if external marketing does not set proper expectations, customers won’t be satisfied.
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Employees can be fully trained and enabled, but if they are not empowered to solve emerging customer problems during service encounters, promises will be broken.
The service marketing triangle reminds us that external marketing, internal readiness, and interactive delivery are all interconnected. The strongest service brands align all three.
Real World Examples
Let’s look at some examples of how top service companies leverage the service marketing triangle:
Ritz Carlton Hotels
The Ritz Carlton hotel chain is legendary for its customer service. This is enabled by its strong internal marketing practices.
For example, it empowers all employees to spend up to $2000 per guest to solve problems and delight customers – without manager approval!
This policy shows that Ritz Carlton aligns internal processes with external brand promises of being “ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines stands out from other airlines through its fun, friendly brand image. External marketing promotes the airline as being all about “positivity, passion, and personality.”
To make good on this brand promise, Southwest engages in extensive internal marketing. Employees go through immersive cultural training on Southwest values and must consistently demonstrate a positive, helpful attitude.
This enables employees to deliver positive, memorable customer experiences during every interaction.
Amazon
Amazon is obsessed with delighting customers, as promised in its external marketing.
To enable this, it intensely focuses on internal marketing, training employees to be “Earth’s most customer-centric company.”
Programs like its customer service apprenticeship ensure employees are skilled at solving problems creatively during service encounters.
The result is seamless alignment across the service marketing triangle.
How to Apply the Model
Here are some tips on how your service business can put the service marketing triangle model into action:
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Audit your external marketing – are you setting realistic expectations? Are brand promises aligned with service capabilities?
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Analyze your internal marketing – how can you better train and empower staff to deliver excellent service?
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Improve interactive encounters – solicit customer feedback, monitor social media, identify common service gaps.
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Align incentives – connect employee rewards/compensation to customer satisfaction metrics.
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Communicate consistency – ensure employees know about marketing promises made to customers.
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Bridge silos – improve connection and transparency between marketing, operations and human resources.
Key Takeaways
The service marketing triangle is a powerful model because it recognizes that successfully marketing and selling services goes far beyond just external promotion.
Aligning systems, employees and processes to deliver on brand promises is equally crucial. External marketing, internal readiness and interactive delivery must all work together.
This framework helps service companies identify gaps in their strategy and improve both customer satisfaction and business performance.
In today’s experience economy, the service marketing triangle is more relevant than ever. Mastering this model can elevate your brand from merely transactional to truly transformational in the eyes of customers.
Company to employees
Another important relationship in the service triangle is that between the company and the employees. Imagine an Airline where the flight attendants themselves are frustrated with the company. You, as a customer, will land up with the poorest services.
Hence, training employees, building value and trust, and empowering employees are some of the ways that the company can make their employees a positive influencing force for the customers.
Employees to system
Not only do systems leave customers frustrated, they also leave the employees frustrated. Imagine a McDonald’s where orders taken at the front desk are not reaching the kitchen. Or imagine a service center, where although you have entered a grievance, the employee is not getting your complaint and hence not calling you. Ultimately it is the employee on whom you are going to get angry!!
In one of the consumer durable companies i know, the systems were top of the line, but they had so many processes with regards to outstanding and inventory, that a simple order processing took 20 minutes. This same company had at least 1 lakh dealers and distributors. So imagine the continuous delay in order processing and the pressure on employees due to this system issue. The system was working excellently, but it was creating friction between the employees and the system.
Both, Employee motivation, and the empowerment of employees depends on the type of system you hand over to your employees. If the systems are very good and your employees are able to make good use of it, you will get very happy and satisfied customers.
Services Marketing Triangle Explained with Examples
What is a service marketing triangle?
The service marketing triangle works to show you how the different elements interact and the effects of different marketing types. This creates several one-on-one relationships that companies can evaluate to strategize. Some of the common relationships created when creating a service marketing triangle include:
What is a service triangle?
As we know, relationships are most important in the services sector. The service triangle outlines all the relationships that exist between the company, the employees and the customers. Furthermore, it also outlines the importance of systems in a services industry and how these systems help achieve customer satisfaction.
What is a service marketing Trinity?
According to Marketing 91, the service marketing trinity or the service marketing triangle includes the different types of marketing that service-based businesses use. There are also three key groups within the triangle: the company, employees and customers.
Why is communication important in a service triangle?
Communication of the service strategy to customers is important to build the trust of customers and hence to convert the customers to be loyal to the company. Another important relationship in the service triangle is that between the company and the employees.
