Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Strategic Customer Service (Face-to-Face)

HRHM 3610-01

Course: HRHM 3610-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: MHRH
CRN: 10401

Course Description

This course teaches students how to establish and maintain a customer-service culture by learning how to implement service strategies that lead to a competitive advantage. (Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Junior or Senior standing required

Required Texts

(1) Services Marketing, by Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler, 8th ed. 
(2) Unleashing Excellence, by Snow & Yanovitch, 2nd ed.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Define service, service marketing and identify the characteristics of services. 
  2. Describe the gaps model of service quality and its role in assessing and improving service quality. 
  3. Identify the 9 leadership actions that enable organizations to offer outstanding service. 
  4. Describe customer expectations and perceptions of service. 
  5. Describe the creation of/importance of the service improvement team. 
  6. Explain the various approaches associated with listening to customers through research. 
  7. Recognize the important role of the voice of the customer and building customer relationships, including recovering from service quality failures.
  8. Explain the development of service improvement core tools and the importance of communication. 
  9. Explain the basic concepts of service design, including customer-designed service standards, physical evidence, and the servicescape. 
  10. Understand the importance of providing training and education; understand approaches for employees at various levels of the company. 
  11. Describe the employees’ and customers’ roles in delivering and performing service. 
  12. Discuss the importance of interviewing and selection potential employees to add to the service team. 
  13. Explain the importance of integrated marketing communications and service pricing. 
  14. Describe the importance of measuring customer service and understand the associated tools. 
  15. Discuss the importance of the financial and economic impact of service. 
  16. Understand the importance of recognizing top customer service performers, the service obstacle system, and holding employees accountable for performance.

Course Requirements

Class attendance: extra credit. A huge part of what makes this course effective is the opportunity for all of us to share observations on the learning content and to hopefully model what a collaborative, effective work environment looks like. (How are you going actually learn to work effectively with people - - THE main goal for this course - - if you decide to stay home and isolate yourself from people?!?). So, I take attendance every day in an effort to encourage you to come to class. Attendance will be taken promptly at the beginning of class. One point of extra credit will be given to students each day for coming to class on time.

In-class participation. Participation is basically extra credit; active participators will earn extra credit points while those choosing not to participate will not lose points.

Exams. Five exams will be given covering both text books, articles and class handouts, class discussion, and instructor lecture material.  Exams are mainly multiple choice, with a few True or False questions. None of the exams are cumulative. Your lowest exam score of the first 4 exams will be dropped from consideration. You are required to take Exam #5.

The exams will cover the course material as follows: 
    • EXAM #1: Services Marketing (SM) Chs. 1-3; Unleashing Excellence (UE) Chs. 1-2
    • EXAM #2: SM Chs. 4-6; UE Chs. 3-4
    • EXAM #3: SM Chs. 7-9; UE Chs. 5-6
    • EXAM #4: SM Chs. 10-12; UE  Chs. 7-8
    • EXAM #5 (Final): SM 14-17; UE Chs. 9-10

Teams and the Unleashing Excellence Team Presentation. During the first week of the class, I will place you in teams as each team will be expected to lead the class in assigned chapters from Unleashing Excellence. Each team will be assigned two sequential chapters from Unleashing Excellence, and the members of that team will deliver a class presentation based on the assigned material. The team members can use Power Point, Google Slides, YouTube, and a wide variety of resources to help the class learn the material from the book. Presenters should focus on summarizing the key learning points from the chapters.

Team Service Blueprint Assignment. This is also a team assignment, and you will be working with the SAME TEAM you worked with on the Unleashing Excellence project. This assignment is expected to allow students to demonstrate (a) an understanding of the blueprint concepts from class and (b) an ability to apply them in examining a particular service. Each blueprint should include the components listed in Chapter 8 and discussed in class. Blueprints should have all lines clearly labeled, and arrows should be included in the blueprint to indicate the order of activities.

Research and Writing Assignment: Service Encounter Paper. The purpose of the service encounter paper is to analyze two service encounters in detail.  This paper (5-6 pages, double-spaced) will consist of two parts: First, you will write about the organization that provided you with the worst service of any organization you encountered this semester; and, second, you will write about an organization that is doing an excellent overall job of services marketing. 

Course Outline

From the Services Marketing textbook, students will learn the following concepts:
  1. The Gaps Model of Service Quality
  2. Customer Expectaions of Service
  3. Customer Perceptions of Service
  4. Listening to Customers through Research
  5. Managing Customer Relationships
  6. Service Recovery
  7. Service Innovation and Design
  8. Customer-Defined Service Standards
  9. Physical Evidence and the Servicescape
  10. Employee's Roles in Service
  11. Customer's Roles in Service
  12. Managing Capacity and Demand
  13. Integrated Service Marketing Communications
  14. Pricing of Services
  15. Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Service
  16. The Financial and Economic Impact of Service

From the Unleashing Excellence book, students will learn the following concepts:
  1. The DNA of Service Excellence
  2. The Leadership Actions
  3. The Service Improvment Team
  4. Developing the Service Improvement Core Tools
  5. Communication
  6. Training and Education
  7. Interviewing and Selection
  8. Measurement 
  9. Recognition
  10. Service Obstacle System
  11. Accountability

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late work will not be accepted. All online assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the date indicated.

Attendance Policy

Class attendance: extra credit. A huge part of what makes this course effective is the opportunity for all of us to share observations on the learning content and to hopefully model what a collaborative, effective work environment looks like. So, I take attendance every day in an effort to encourage you to come to class. Attendance will be taken promptly at the beginning of class. One point of extra credit will be given to students each day for coming to class on time. Those coming late or not attending class will not have points deducted from their score. I promise to do my part by coming prepared every day by assembling great learning content and by making the classroom experience engaging. 

Course Fees

There are no fees associated with this course. 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.