List of Services Sector in India:- 1. Banking Services 2. Insurance Services 3. Mutual Fund Services 4. Portfolio Management Services 5. Factoring Services 6. Transport Services 7. Tourism Services 8. Hotel Services 9. Consultancy Services
10. Retail Services 11. Personal Care Services 12. Education Services 13. Hospital Services 14. Political Services 15. Day-Care Services 16. Courier Services 17. Entertainment Services 18. Mass Communication Services 19. IT Services 20. Electricity Services 21. Automobile Services.
List of Services Sector in India
Services Sector in India # 1. Banking Services:
In the group of service generating industries, we find banking services occupying a place of outstanding significance. We can’t deny the fact that with the development of economic activities, the banking sector could emerge as an industry. The public as well as the private sector has been found owning, managing and controlling the banking services.
It is right to mention that scientific inventions and innovations made ways for the use of technologies in almost all the sectors and the developed countries activated the process of promoting the technology- driven, user-friendly services. A number of information technologies got important place in the management of banking services. In the past, the banking sector did not get any attraction in the Indian economy because of the low level of economic activities and the meagre business prospects.
The business prospects are bright, the trade and commerce has been found getting a conducive environment, the development-oriented activities are motivated, the welfare-oriented programmes are given due weightage, the international trade has been found gaining popularity and these positive developments in the economic world have engineered a sound foundation for the development of banking industry. It is against this background that we find different types of banks serving the different segments of the Indian economy.
In the Indian banking industry, the contours of development underwent radical changes specially after the first phase of nationalisation of commercial banks way back in 1969. The nationalisation was with the motto of raising the contributions of public sector commercial banks to the development and welfare heads but they failed in doing such. The job security to bank employees and domination of trade unions paved the avenues for a degeneration in the quality of customer services.
The process of degeneration reached to its peak which developed a bias and the customers in general are found dissatisfied with the services of the public sector commercial banks. Meanwhile, the foreign banks and a few of the private banks got an opportunity to display their excellence and with the support of high-performing bank employees and technology-driven services; they got success in establishing an edge over the services of public sector banks.
Of course, the regulation of the Reserve Bank of India demotivated the private sector banks and especially the foreign banks while expanding their network which has minimised the intensity of competition, however they have been successful in building and projecting a positive image. It is in this context that we talk about the application of modern marketing principles in the banking services.
The policy makers have realised gravity of the problem since they appear interested in discussing and deliberating upon the problems of customer services even in the boardrooms. With the increasing level of customer expectations, it is essential that to be more specific, the public sector commercial banks innovate strategies and promote technology-driven, user-friendly services to increase the market share vis-a-vis to project a positive image. This makes a strong advocacy in favour of bank marketing since its application in a right fashion would answer to a number of unsolved questions.
Services Sector in India # 2. Insurance Services:
Wherever there is uncertainty, there is risk. Wherever there is business, there is risk. The risk can’t be averted. We do not have any command on uncertainties since there are a number of uncontrollable factors. The insurance is a co-operative device to accumulate funds to meet uncertain losses.
The industry, the business and the individuals appear interested in using the insurance services. The involvement of public sector in the insurance business has made possible a number of changes in its functional areas and responsibilities.
The behaviour of insuring institutions, the work culture and the quality of services are presenting a gloomy picture. Of course, a number of steps have been taken to improve the insurance business much more widely and in particular to the rural areas and to socially and economically backward classes with a view to reaching almost all segments of the society but a degeneration in the quality of service has been a matter of serious concern. It is against this background that we talk about the insurance services, specially under the public sector.
We find different types of services offered by the insurance corporation to the individual and industrial customers. The General Insurance is also managed and controlled by the public sector. Thus, in the Indian perspective, we find the Life Insurance Corporation of India and the General Insurance Corporation engaged in the insurance business. The insurance business was nationalised with the motto of improving the quality of services.
In addition, it was also expected that the insurance business would benefit the rural sector of the economy and the weaker sections of the society would get an opportunity to develop. It is right to mention that they have failed in doing such which has engineered a foundation for the entry of private sector in the insurance business.
The regulatory barrier is delaying their entry. The task of Insurance Corporation is found difficult as well as challenging. This necessitates a change in the service profile of the public sector insurance business.
A change in the product mix would naturally require involvement of rural agents having adequate training facilities. The behavioural profile of insurance employees working in the public sector is to be given due weightage. The performance orientation is to be made possible. The domination of trade unions is to be minimised.
The promotional efforts are to be made innovative. The gap between the services-promised and services-offered is to be bridged. And all these reforms need conceptualisation of modern marketing principles. The policy makers vis-a-vis the insurance employees need an attitudinal change. The boardrooms need to review the policy decisions in the face of recent developments.
Since we find a number of private insurance companies very much operational in the business, the service marketers would be required to formulate a sound marketing mix where in addition to the traditional four Ps, the extended three mixes would also be practised. The recent changes in the provisions mainly due to IRDA 1999 make the business environment much more volatile.
Not only the Insurance Companies but we find even banks entering in the insurance business. This focuses our attention on the professional excellence specially in the public sector where due to managerial deficiency, the foreign insurance companies have been found snatching the business.
With the development of information technology, we now find a changed scenario both in bank and insurance sectors. The internet services have virtually revolutionised the operational mechanism. The database is to make possible a significant change in the decision-making process. We find computerisation making ways for a number of Qualitative and quantitative improvements in the insurance sector.
Of course, the leading foreign insurance companies have been found tapping the urban markers and they are also making efforts even to tap the rural markets. They have a team of dedicated and committed marketing professionals and therefore we find their marketing efforts much more result-oriented. Undoubtedly enough, we also find public sector making efforts to initiate the process of innovative marketing but still they need miles and miles to go.
The public as well as the private insurance companies need to tap the non-life business which in the Indian condition is found very low. With the influx of foreign big players, we find good auguries and expect that in the years to come, the non-life business will also show an upward trend.
Capitalising on the opportunities requires world-class professional excellence. The professionals, specially in the Indian perspective also need rural orientation.
Services Sector in India # 3. Mutual Fund Services:
Acceleration in the pace of economic transformation makes it essential that flow of capital gains a rapid momentum both at domestic and global levels. We find a close relation between savings and investment. And both, the processes are found interlinked with the emerging trends in the economy. In the annals of transformation of Indian economy, we find the decade 1980s known for a number of positive developments which remained instrumental in engineering a sound base for corporatisaton.
It is in this context that we find even the public sector financial institutions evincing keen interests in the mutual funds specially during the late 1980s. The State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Unit Trust of India, Bank of India, General Insurance Corporation, etc. are found showing special interest in the operation of Indian financial market.
We find a number of schemes for the investors and the credibility for the same goes to emergence of a strong savings market. We cannot negate that during 1980s, the Indian economy witnessed a good number of positive developments. This in a very natural way made ways for the development of Indian financial sector. The mutual funds actually worked as a close link between savings and the capital market.
The increasing domination of corporate sector instrumentalised the process of corporatisation and this was mainly due to liberalisation and globalisation. Since 1990, we find a turning point in the Indian economy. The liberal business and economic regulations started motivating the foreign investors. The Indian Stock Market started becoming stronger and stronger. The pace of economic transformation was found accelerated.
The flow of capital, in the stock market started marching forward and this, of course, was a challenge before the institutions engaged in the mutual funds services. The globalisation of Indian economy in a very natural fashion made ways for the globalisation of Indian financial sector and in the process the institutions promoting mutual funds services experienced a number of threats and challenges. The globalised efforts based on world-class professional excellence made it difficult for the domestic players to excel competition.
It is against this background that mutual funds services need a new vision, a new strategy and a new device so that not only the big players but even the small players get an opportunity to make their savings and investments much more productive. The household savings has been found increasing and therefore the potential investors can be transformed into the actual investors if the mutual funds players take the support of professional excellence.
Sensitising the domestic investors makes it essential that our marketing efforts are of innovative nature. We cannot deny the confidence of small domestic savers on the domestic mutual funds players and therefore the only thing the financial institutions need to activate is world-class professional excellence. The conceptualisation of modern marketing principles would make their task much more-easier. The quality managerial decisions bear the efficacy of turning the negative into positive.
Services Sector in India # 4. Portfolio Management Services:
It is not only sufficient that we keep on moving the process of economic transformation. It is equally important that we create a condition in which investors have additional attractions. Since we find a number of positive developments in the process of national economic transformation, it is natural that there would be wider avenues for the channelisation of investments by almost all categories of the investors. In the Indian perspective, the investors in a majority of the cases lack sensitivity.
They find themselves unaware of the emerging trends in the volatile business environment. Where to invest, how much to invest and when to invest are some of the essential considerations making our investments either productive or unproductive. A number of Indian investors have poor risk bearing capacity.
This makes a strong advocacy in favour of portfolio management services helping, guiding, sensing and sensitising potential investors for transforming them into actual and habitual investor’s by ensuring a profitable return of their investments.
We cannot negate that the financial services in India have been witnessing a boom and the trend is to continue even in years and decades to come. The professionals have tremendous opportunities for channelising the productive investments and therefore we find conceptualisation of marketing practices much more significant. The portfolio managers need world-class professional excellence for communicating and motivating the investors.
In the process- we find people, technology and equipment playing a very positive role. The strategic decisions play a very effective role in the entire process. The portfolio managers with the help of a sound marketing mix may be successful in formulating a strategy that would be helpful in satisfying the investors.
The relationship considerably influenced by professionalism bears the efficacy of activating the transformation process in which even the intangible services would be tangible in the minds of investors.
With the changing faces of economic transformation, we find copious avenues for the development of stock markets. This makes it essential that portfolio managers bearing the potentials of managing financial and marketing activities develop professional excellence so that the tremendous opportunities available in the stock markets are successfully capitalised on.
Service blueprinting, services capes, service encounters would help marketing and financial professionals in many ways. Development of a sound marketing information system will help professionals in many ways. The marketing reports, their minute scanning, emerging trends in the stock markets at both the domestic and global levels, attitudinal change in investors, changing behavioural profile of investors and potential investors are some of the important areas to be instrumental in increasing the potentials of professionals.
A gigantic leap that we find in the portfolio management services will continue even in future. The most important thing is to conceptualise innovative marketing and to make use of world-class professional excellence. The market is becoming much more competitive in which the excellation process needs priority attention on professionalism.
Services Sector in India # 5. Factoring Services:
Corporatisation makes the ways for economic transformation in which we find development of a number of economic activities to be instrumental in activating the process of development. The financial activities, if gaining a rapid momentum, open new vistas of development in which we find place for the growth of new types of business. It is in this context that we find the emergence of factoring services in the Indian business environment.
Factoring service includes in its purview the services related to financing and collection of receivables in both the domestic and global sectors. The small and medium enterprises are found involved in the factoring services which are found gaining popularity in the Indian business environment.
We find factor responsible for providing finance against bills receivables and trade debts, undertaking the books and accounting process, providing the insurance services, offering consultancy services to the concerned organisations. We find factoring an arrangement in which the receivables on account of sale of goods or services are sold to the factor at a discount who gets the title to the goods and services on account of the factor contract. This makes him responsible for controlling the credit, debt collection, sales accounting, etc.
The above-mentioned facts make it clear that factoring is to offer a package of services to the clients for which the factor works. Particularly in the Indian context, we find strong justifications for the development of factoring services as the development of small and medium organisations for which the factoring services are found significant have been getting priority attention of the government.
It is also found that in absence of factoring services, the concerned organisations find it difficult to realise dues from the large-scale enterprises and the government companies and departments.
This obstructs the process of development of small and medium organisations. With factoring arrangement, an organisation will be in a position to increase its business activities which would improve its financial performance. The cash flow position of the concerned organisation can be increased with the help of prepayment facilities upto a certain percentage which may normally vary from 80 to go per cent of the value of assigned invoices if the circumstances necessitate so.
It was against this background that specially for the development of small-scale sector, the Vaghul Committee on money market had strongly recommended development of such a system that facilitates factoring. The Committee opined that banking and the non-banking financial institutions particularly in the private sector should be encouraged to set up institutions for factoring services.
Further, the Kalyansundram Committee also made a strong advocacy in favour of factoring services which were accepted by the Reserve Bank of India in principle but in practice the services could not be popular. Lack of awareness is an important reason for the same which makes it essential that the factoring organisations take part in the sensitisation process.
Services Sector in India # 6. Transport Services:
For speeding up the process of socio-economic transformation, we find transportation services occupying a place of outstanding significance. Of late, this sector is considered to be a facto barometer of national economy. It has also been successful in transforming the globe into a village. Besides, it has even contributed to the evolution of civilisation by transmitting ideas and inventions to the people of different countries.
It removes barriers to physical separation, momentises the inflow and outflow of different types of resources and instrumentalises the process of delivering goods to the national economy. In the modern age, we can’t imagine the development of society if there is a bottleneck in the transport network. In a country like India, the development of transport network in which different modes take part is felt essential.
There are a number of services generating organisations engaged in the process of making available to us the transportation facilities. The public sector as well as the private sector organisations take part in the process but all of us feel that the quality of service, risk element, time schedule, fare and freight decisions are required to be innovated. This is essential to improve the quality of service vis-a-vis to maintain the commercial viability of the transport organisations.
The road transportation, rail transportation and air transportation are the important modes where we need professionalism. It is right to mention that by and large almost all the State Transport Corporations have been facing the problem of financial bankruptcy. The cases of accidents are frequent, the fare and freight structure are not judicious, the overcrowding is a general problem, the time schedule is not maintained and so on.
The rail transportation services used by the millions and millions of the rail users have been found deteriorating. Since they don’t have any competition, the users’ services fail in getting due weightage. The Indian Railways have been found depending on the central assistance. The Air transportation services have been facing the problem of fierce competition. In the Indian context, both the Indian Airlines and Air India have failed in delivering quality services.
Besides, they are also facing the problem of financial imbalance. The international market is found more competitive and Air India finds it difficult to compete. The quality of service is poor, the fare structure is found exorbitant, the time schedule is not maintained and the safety provisions are hardly practised.
Thus, all the three modes of transportation have been facing a critical situation which is found questioning the commercial viability of the service generating organisations. It is against this background that we need to take up the problem with a new vision.
In the Indian perspective, it is pertinent that we make possible qualitative-cum-quantitative improvements which necessitate a new policy, an innovative strategy and a team of dedicated and committed personnel. Our policy decisions are required to be reviewed while practising marketing principles in all the transport organisations since this would only not make ways for profit generation but would also make possible qualitative improvements in their service mix.
Services Sector in India # 7. Tourism Services:
Of late, we find tourism not associated with aristocracy, since even ordinary persons can afford. With the passage of time, the tourism has become almost a part our normal life. It is virtually a mass phenomenon. It has grown to such an extent that we consider it an important industry contributing substantially to the national economy vis-a-vis the foreign exchange reserve.
The promotion of tourism as an industry serves multi-pronged interests, such as promoting our art and culture, preserving our cultural heritage, interaction between different religions, exchange of views, enrichment of knowledge, generation of foreign exchange and so on. It is against this background that tourism organisations like Global Tourist Organisation, Pacific Area Travel Association, International Union of Official Travel Organisation, etc. have been found promoting the tourism industry.
We find this industry an economic bonanza. It is also considered to be a potential force for making possible world peace through mutual appreciation and international understanding. The success of tourism industry is considerably influenced by consumer orientation which necessitates integrated development of all the related components like transportation facilities, hotel, communication, availability of travel agents, tourist guides, etc.
The tourism product can only be experienced. It is a service product found of perishable nature. The providers are a heterogeneous group of people. The success of this industry depends upon the integrated efforts of providers. Since it is an amalgam of different industries, the task of developing professional excellence requires due cooperation of all the constituents.
In the Indian context, we find this industry in a critical condition because the amalgamating components lack world-class excellence and the policy makers appear least interested in making them competitive. Of course, we have world class potentials but our contributions to the world tourism is 0.40 per cent.
This speaks of the fact that tourism services need a new strategy for development so that we make the tourist spots a point of attraction and promote with the support of innovative devices which help us in projecting our positive image.
It is right to mention that image problem has been playing a negative role in the development of tourism industry in India. There is no doubt in it that the most important thing for the development of tourism industry is ensuring safety to the tourists and we find our efforts dismal at least in relation to the law and order situations in the country. The world tourists are found to be the worst sufferers as treatment with them in Kashmir, Bodh-Gaya or even while travelling compel us to form a negative attitude.
We have attractive tourist’s centres, world-class hotels, most sophisticated communication facilities, rich cultural heritage, modern transportation facilities but nothing can attract tourist if we find a threat to their safety and security. It is in this context that we find it an important dimension, specially in the Indian perspective.
It is high time that the policy makers assign an overriding priority to the image problem and activate concerted efforts to develop this industry in a right fashion. The tourist organisations and other amalgamating forces need to change their functional style. We make a strong advocacy in favour of tourism marketing.
Services Sector in India # 8. Hotel Services:
The recent developments in the transportation and communications services, the liberal cultural exchange policy of government, the development of tourism as an industry, the development of corporate culture and a change in the lifestyles of masses are some of the important factors opening new vistas for the development of hotel industry in India. The growing instrumentality of managerial proficiency in the hotel industry has made it essential that we develop this industry in the changed socio-economic scenario and create new job opportunities in this neglected sector.
Today, the customer services are planned, automated, audited for quality control and regularly reviewed with the motto of initiating qualitative improvements which make the industry internationally competitive. We find a new vision for the development of hotel industry the world over and it is essential that hotel planners assign due weightage to the same even in the Indian perspective. The moment we find a change in the taste and preferences of customers, it is pertinent that we make possible an analogous change in our service mix.
We are well aware of the fact that like the tourism industry, the hotel industry is also influenced by the multi-dimensional developments in the allied areas. The development of tourism industry paves avenues for the development of hotel industry and like this, the development of corporate culture paves avenues for the development of both the tourism industry as well as the hotel industry. This makes it essential that we plan development of hotel industry in tune with the changing preferences of customers.
The high spending tourists prefer to stay in a cottage having all the facilities like a five star hotel. They like peace. It is against this background that we make an advocacy in favour of a new vision. The policy makers, the hotel planners, the tourist organisations need an innovative strategy for the development of hotel industry.
In the Indian perspective, we find a beginning in the development of corporate culture which signals positive signs for the development of hospitality industry in a new fashion which makes it a point of attraction.
The hotel services are found based on customer services and therefore we need to identify the changing behavioural profile of guests so that our marketing resources are found to be productive. The development of hotel buildings, the location of hotels, the infrastructural facilities, the safety and security provisions, the development of hotel personnel, the innovative promotional devices, the hotel tariff are some of the important factors to be given due weightage.
We find the future bright provided our efforts are positive, strategies are innovative and the marketing resources are internationally competitive. It is against this background that we need to develop the hotel industry both in national and international background.
On the one hand, we need luxurious expensive hotels for high spending tourists while on the other hand we also realise the urgency of developing economic hotels for masses or the low spending tourists who can’t afford luxurious hotels. Thus, we need to identify the changing preferences, likes and dislikes of different segments of market and to market the services accordingly. This is possible when we practise modem marketing principles in the hotel industry which right now is facing a problem of poor occupancy ratio.
Services Sector in India # 9. Consultancy Services:
Providing consultancy or advice is not a recent phenomenon. We have witnessed the practise even during the ancient days when a king used to keep ministers for consultation and advice for which they were suitably paid. At the same time, we also find cases when the religious saints, gurus and hermits offered free of cost services which was the result of their deep meditation. With the passage of time, the concept of commercialisation gained the momentum.
A firm, an organisation or an individual required specialised knowledge, expertise for the smooth functioning of the business. An individual needed legal, financial, medical advices. An organisation used consultants for generating profits and an individual used consultation for his/her personal gains. This engineered a foundation for the development of consultancy organisations in different areas.
A number of public and private organisations have been found selling their expertise. The mounting intensity of competition in the business world and the increasing requirements and expectations of the individuals are some of the points injecting strength to the consultancy business. It is in this context that we find profitable avenues for the development of consultancy business.
Excellence, innovative efforts, new ideas, research, dedications, considerably determine the quality of our results. It is not possible that all the organisations have a special wing for different consultants for different purposes. It is not possible that an individual develops expertise in all the required areas. Hence, the use of consultancy services remains the lone solution. It is in this context that we feel a profitable future of the consultancy business even in the Indian context.
This is due mainly to the fact that we find multi-faceted developments in almost all the areas. The intensity of competition is increasing fast. The small-scale and large-scale businesses have been found developing. The growing significance of specialised knowledge and skill, instrumentality of specialised services by the firms and confirmation of their views by the experts are some of leading factors responsible for the development of consultancy services.
The present is bright, the future is prosperous. The Medicare services, the legal services the financial services, the technical services, the managerial services are likely to be much more profit generating in the years to come. This makes it essential that the consultancy organisations market their services in a right way.
The application of marketing principles in the consultancy business would help the consultancy organisations in many ways. The very success of the consultancy business is influenced by the excellence and behaviour of the consultants, the personal attention paid by the consultants to the interests and well-being of their clients/customers, the consultancy fee charged for the services rendered and their image in the business world.
The formulation of a sound marketing mix is to help the consultancy organisations/individuals in different ways. The management of information is considered to be an essential part of the consultancy services. This in a natural way draws our attention on innovative marketing which helps an organisation, an individual or the users at large by making available to them the world-class services.
Services Sector in India # 10. Retail Services:
With the increasing domination of corporatisation, we find a significant increase in the level of discretionary income. The burgeoning middle class has been found expanding avenues for the development of retail sector. The development of mall culture is the gift of corporate culture. The retail services in the changing business environment need a new look and a new approach. It is in this context that we realise the instrumentality of professionalism for the world-class development of retail sector.
In the Indian context particularly during the decade 1990s, we find different new faces of retail services. What to talk of the cosmopolitan towns and cities when we find development of mall culture even in the small towns and cities. The changing new faces of retail sector make it clear that the Indian retail trading has been moving in the new directions. Of late, the retail sector has been witnessing an upsurge and the foreign investors appear to capitalise on the opportunities. The regulations need due care of government.
The Chain of Stores, Convenient Store, Franchise, Departmental Store, Supermarket, Hypermarket, Shopping Mall, Shopping Plaza, Discount Stores, Factory/Secondary Stores and Kiosks are the different faces of retail sector gaining popularity even in the Indian society. The days are coming when we will find the retail services prospering like Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia, Poland and China.
This is due to the changing lifestyle for which credibility is to the developing corporate culture. According to the Survey of NCAER, we find middle class touching 65 per cent of the Indian household. Against this background, we find positive trends in. the development of retail sector in the Indian perspective.
This in a very natural way draws our attention on the professional excellence of retail marketers. The conceptualisation of innovative marketing in the retail services would simplify our task in many ways. We need to bridge the knowledge gap, quality gap, delivery gap and communication gap for which the professionals need world-class excellence.
The primary sector is also found opening new avenues for the development of retail services. The agri-business is found emerging as a new area where new faces of retail services are to be much more popular.
Of course, we find a number of woes in the development of new faces of retail sector which would considerably be regulated with the help of professionalised services. The increasing cases of theft, shoplifting, administrative errors, frauds and inventory shrinkages are found increasing fast. In a country like India where we find budding or upcoming youths not developing a temptation to the value engineering process, the marketing people serving shopping malls have been found creating numerous problems.
We need to regulate the multi-faceted woes because we cannot regulate the development of retail sector. The professionals need to develop a techno-driven marketing information system identifying the retail opportunities and capitalising on the same in a right way. The retail traffic cannot work suitably if we find lack of world-class professional excellence.
Services Sector in India # 11. Personal Care Services:
With the development of corporate culture, we find a change in our lifestyles which makes ways for the personal care services. The development of industrial economy, growing significance of globalisation, sophistication in the process of communications, multi-culturism management, transformation of globe into a village are some of the important factors contributing substantially to the development of personal care services even in the Indian setting.
To be more specific, the emerging positive trends in the level of income has paved avenues for an organised development of personal care services so that the users get the quality services and the organisations succeed in generating profits. A change in taste and fashion, increasing awareness for maintaining sound physique, growing temptation for corporate services engineer a sound foundation for the development of personal care services.
It is against this background that we find development of beauty parlours, hair dressing centres, gym and jogging, steam bath or so. There is no doubt in it that our words impress and throw an imprint on the psychology of an individual but the make-up narrates our feelings and ideas, taste and temperament even without a face-to-face communication.
In a country like India where we find the problem of unemployment at its peak, the development of personal care services may create job opportunities and may sizeably counter the problem of unemployment. Of course, a number of organisations have been found engaged in offering the personal care services but we find much scope for developing the same so that the organisations are found internationally competitive.
The application of marketing principles in the personal care services thus requires a priority attention. The framing or designing of marketing mix requires professionalism and if we develop the services in an organised way and activate systematic efforts to make the services internationally competitive, the users would get world class services vis-a-vis the organisations would get profitable opportunities to capitalise on. The product mix is required to be designed in the face of changing preferences of prospects of different segments.
The beauty parlours bear the responsibility of making your face impressive and attractive but it is not meant that they always focus on western lifestyles. We find enough scope for the development of our own lifestyles to promote our culture. The jogging and gymnastic centres bear the responsibility of making your body sound and smart and the Indianised efforts with a fair mix of Yoga would create profitable opportunities not only in the Indian markets but even abroad.
The use of herbal products need due attention so that we succeed in promoting our own products. The beauty parlours are meant not only for the women but in the changing lifestyles which are substantially influenced by the corporate culture even men would need the services of beauty parlours.
We can’t say that personal care services are meant only for a particular segment since almost all the segments, such as men and women, child and youths, kids and teens, rural and urban need the services related to personal care. This makes it essential that pricing strategies are formulated in the face of the level of incomes. Thus, the need of the hour is to organise and innovate the personal care services so that the customers get quality services. This makes a strong advocacy in favour of personal care marketing.
Services Sector in India # 12. Education Services:
Today we pay for excellence. Education is an important device to enrich the credentials which help in generating excellence. It is not only fair but even judicious that all the segments of the society get an opportunity to enrich their potentials. If we succeed in developing knowledge, our success in developing professional excellence can’t be negated.
If we succeed in developing professional excellence, the managerial proficiency would help both the profit and not-for-profit making organisations in sub serving the organisational interests vis-a-vis the social interests.
Contrary to it, if we fail in developing excellence even the world-class inputs and sophisticated technologies would fail in delivering well. It is in this context that we talk about the education services which have been found in a critical condition. The educational institutions, of course, bear the responsibility of enriching the credentials but the task becomes much more difficult when we find them in a depleted condition.
Except a few, almost all the educational institutions have been found facing numerous problems which have been making an attack on their potentials to deliver the world-class services. The primary education, secondary education, college education and university education need a structural change.
With the passage of time, we find multi-dimensional changes in the socio-economic conditions and this makes it pertinent that the educational institutions assign an overriding priority to the total quality management. It is against this background that we go through the problem of general and professional education.
The process of socio-economic transformation is sizeably influenced by the instrumentality of human resources. The human capital formation thus occupies a place of outstanding significance. The educational institutions energise the process of human capital formation by producing quality human resources supposed to be productive.
The rationale behind applying the principles of marketing in the education services is securing to the users the world class services and at the same time making the educational institutions financially sound at enrich the inputs used in the process.
We can’t negate the fact that educational services are based on the quality of inputs and in most of the cases we find the educational institutions not in a position to manage the quality inputs. The principles of social marketing make it essential that the educational institutions are given freedom to generate their own funds for improving the quality of educational aid.
This necessitates a fundamental change in the policy decisions. The formulation of a sound marketing mix is found essential since this would help educational institutions in increasing their strength and making the services nationally and internationally competitive. To be more specific, the educational institutions owned, managed and controlled by the government have been facing a rough weather condition.
This has been questioning the quality of their outputs. It is high time that the educational institutions realise gravity of the situation and apply the principles of marketing. It is need of the hour that the policy makers and intellects realise gravity of the situation and formulate such a policy that makes available quality education to the masses. It is pertinent that the corporate sector takes part in the process of promoting the educational services. This is possible when we think in favour of education marketing.
Services Sector in India # 13. Hospital Services:
Human resources are the precious endowment in a country. The success of a plan or development of the national economy or an increase in the physical quality life index is substantially influenced by the effective measures taken for education, health, skill and well-being of the masses.
This in a natural way draws our attention on the medicare services made available to the human resources. The development of healthcare facilities is not only influenced by the opening of healthcare centres and hospitals but more so by their effective administration and value orientation.
If the hospitals or the healthcare centres are well managed, we can’t deny quantitative- cum-qualitative improvements in the healthcare services. Of course, the healthcare services have not received due attention of the policy planners which have been found deteriorating the quality of services made available by the hospitals. To be more specific, the government hospitals are found in a depleted condition.
The doctors, para-medical personnel and even the low echelon staff lack a sense of commitment. In a country like India where the poor sections of the society are not in a position to afford the expensive medicare services offered by the private hospitals, it is not a good sign.
Hence, it is high time that the policy makers, medical and para-medical personnel, managerial personnel realise gravity of the situation and make possible the necessary changes in the administration of hospitals so that the masses are made available the world-class medicare services.
There are a number of private hospitals offering to the society the world-class medicare services but it is not possible that urban and rural poor use the expensive services of these hospitals. Of course, we find the management of medicare services a costly affair since a big budget is needed to promote the research facilities, to procure sophisticated plants and equipments, to operate and maintain the hospitals. We can’t deny the fact that the world-class excellence can’t be promoted unless we intensify world-class education and research facilities.
Except a few almost all the government medical college hospitals fail in doing such partially on account of the budgetary constraints and partially on account of poor management. The private hospitals have been found assigning an overriding priority to the work culture which is the result of a well-managed education and training programme.
It is against this background that we make a strong advocacy in favour of hospital management in which the marketing of hospital services occupies a place of outstanding significance. The defined principles of social marketing make it essential that both the public and private hospitals consider hospital a social institution.
The quality of service, the behaviour of medical and paramedical personnel, the structure of fee, the inculcation of mass awareness are some of the aspects to be given due weightage while marketing the healthcare services. In the Indian perspective, the hospitals irrespective of the fact that they are public or private bear the responsibility of expanding their services to the rural areas where the masses suffer a lot.
This in a natural way requires a new approach, a new strategy, a new vision. It is against this background that we talk about hospital marketing j which would make the ways for multi-dimensional developments.
Services Sector in India # 14. Political Services:
Political organisations bear the responsibility of serving and sub-serving social interests and protecting and promoting national interests. They are considered to be socially, morally and constitutionally bound to think and act for society. The party members, workers, volunteers need to make the working conditions much more conducive.
This makes it essential that the political parties are well aware of the services they need to deliver to the society. With the help of a techno-driven political information system, they can study and understand the society in a right fashion. The multi-faceted changes in the society, the emerging social, economic and cultural problems draw priority attention of society. The increasing levels of expectations of people need due attention of political leaders.
Making possible a fair blending of core and peripheral services is considered an important functional I responsibility of political organisations. Making an invasion on the rivals and getting a success in the race requires high degree of professional excellence. They need to build a fair image and for that it is essential that the political parties offer innovative core and peripheral services. The core services focus our attention on the contributions of political organisations to the process of socio-economic transformation.
This makes it essential that they have an in-depth knowledge of the emerging trends. The socio-economic conditions of different segments of society need due attention. The primary education facilities essential supporting infrastructural facilities, basic health and medicare, availability of potable water and sanitation services need due weightage on the development agenda of political parties.
The core services cover all those services found essential for protecting the interests of humanity in the society. The women and child care deserve an intensive care. While offering the core services, they need to make it sure that the services included in their election manifesto are fulfilled.
In addition to the core services, they have also to manage the peripheral services. In the context of peripheral- services, we find focus on supportive services to be instrumental in improving the quality of services. Sensitising the masses and developing mass awareness, regulating social evils, promoting informal education, national, social and communal harmony, activating community welfare coming forward to counter natural calamities, etc. need due weightage.
In a true sense, we do not find any boundary for the peripheral services. This is due to the fact that peripheral services if innovative in nature and distinct in character help political organisations in the building and projection of a fair image. Besides, they will also find it easier to counter the rival parties. Establishing an edge over the rivals is the motto and this task will be found easier it they keep, on moving the process of innovating the peripheral services.
Managing things with the help of professional having world-class excellence is the crying need of the hour. Value engineering process, of late, is found on the bottom of almost all the political parties. This requires an intensive care because political parties witnessing ethical imbalance cannot serve the society.
Services Sector in India # 15. Day-Care Services:
The day care services or day-nursery services, of late, have been found gaining popularity and the credibility for the same goes to the development of culture. We find it an institution meant for the working mothers who due to lack of time find it difficult to look after their children.
The centres are either run independently or as a part of the kindergarten school. It is found located in the urban areas and offers to the children not only the essential services related to their proper nursing but also some of the peripheral services to develop them for the primary pre-primary schools.
The composite day-care and the exclusive day-care are the two important dimensions of day-care services. In the exclusive day-care, we find only care whereas in the composite daycare we also find the kindergarten. The day-care centres are supposed to offer a friendly environment and ensure proper care for an overall development of children enrolled therein. We also call them creches.
The children get there a number of services such as love and affection, parental guidance, educational services, child care, recreation and sports, development of character and civic and aesthetic sense. The parental affection and parental guidance are the two different aspects of day-care services and the day-care centres fail in providing the parental affection.
We cannot negate that pre-education age is the most sensitive and receptive stage in our life cycle because this portrays a picture which cannot be removed for the long time. Since we find our temptation for corporate culture and material culture increasing very fast, we cannot check the development of day-care centres. The only thing that we can do is to regulate the services harming the interests of children. In a true sense, we find materialism opening new vistas for the development of day-care culture.
If we find a prosperous future for the corporate culture, the material culture will gain popularity and this will open doors for the development of daycare culture. The day-care centres in the changing perspective need to profeesionalise their services in the larger interests of children vis-a-vis the parents.
The increasing urbanisation, burgeoning middle class, increasing domination of corporate sector, mounting temptation for corporate and material culture are a few of the key factors making the business environment much more conducive. The opportunities are there and the professionals need to capitalise on.
The strategic decisions for the day-care centres need an innovative approach. Since the day-care centres bear the responsibility of serving the children of working mothers, well-educated mothers, fully aware and conscious mothers and specially those mothers developing temptation for material culture; the professionals managing the affairs need innovative services to be effective in satisfying them.
We also find cases where the day-care centres have been found engaged in unfair and unethical practises and therefore our focus must be on the quality services in tune with the changing levels of expectations of working parents. Working couples nurture a dream of developing their kids and the day-care centres are supposed to fulfill. This in a very natural way requires a professional touch and a new vision. Despite all, we do not find any substitute for parental affection.
Services Sector in India # 16. Courier Services:
With the increasing pressure of work and decreasing level of efficiency, the Department of Posts failed in managing the mailing services which made ways for the development of an alternative system catering to the changing needs of trade as well as the household sectors. The courier services came into existence and a number of formal and informal organisations started offering the services at regional, national and international levels.
Of course, from the time immemorial, we find organised and unorganised services for this purpose but the services of Department of Posts assumed a place of outstanding significance due to its global network and cost economy. Since 1907 till present, we find Department of Posts using the Railway Mail Services for qualitative and quantitative transformation in the postal system.
A number of services are included in the courier such as despatching letters and packets both at national and international levels, despatching valuables, despatching boxes and offering to the individuals and organisation the services included in their purview. Of late, we find a number of small courier organisations not efficacious of offering the quality services as they lack the supporting infrastructural facilities.
They, of course, are defaming the privately managed courier services and consequently making an invasion the image of courier sector. We do not welcome such a negative trend in the courier services and feel that high degree of professional excellence and availability of adequate supporting infrastructural facilities will be helpful in rebuilding the lost glory.
The most important thing in this context is networking which majority of the courier organisations lack and therefore the formation of a consortium or syndicate mainly with the support of leading national and international courier organisations is found essential.
The leading courier organisations find it difficult to expand their services to the rural areas and if we find an integrated approach with the help of small courier organisations, there will be a significant improvement in their services even at the micro level.
The leading courier organisation need to feel that they have a profitable market even in the villages because with the expansion of job markets in the urban areas, we find migration of rural population to the big towns and cities and for diverse motives they make use of the courier services. Rural-urban networking and national-global networking are the two important aspects of courier services drawing priority attention of leading courier organisations.
The courier organisations need a sound service profile which will help them in building and projecting a fair image. They also need to assign due weightage to the behavioural profile of their workforce who lack personal touch and commitment. A majority of the users of services specially in the small towns and cities appear dissatisfied with the services of courier organisations.
Managing courier services with a professional touch is considered essential for improving the quality of services. Despite significant developments in the field of IT services, the courier services will remain in existence. The opportunities are there and they have to devise ways of capitalising on the same which would be made easier by the professionals.
Services Sector in India # 17. Entertainment Services:
Temptation for recreation is a natural phenomenon. If we undermine the law of nature, the environment for concentration, meditation, efficiency generation can’t be conducive. This may result into monotony and the process of degeneration may gain momentum. Particularly in the modern age, the human beings in general have been found experiencing multi-faceted problems. They are supposed to follow the busy schedule to earn more and at the same time are also required to be a high performer.
In addition, the management of family is also an important responsibility. This necessitates entertainment. The incoming changes in the taste and temperament of masses, the increasing disposable income, and the changing lifestyles due to the development of corporate sector have paved avenues for the development of healthy entertainment facilities. Opening of new air-conditioned cinema halls, open air theatres, drama centres, music centres, pub, club, art and handicraft and painting centres have been found gaining popularity.
A number of new budding, upcoming entrepreneurs have been seen evincing their interests in promoting the entertainment services. They by doing such only not entertain masses but also perform the responsibility of inculcating awareness, promoting education and developing knowledge. It is against this background that we focus on the development of entertainment services in a right fashion.
The development of entertainment services requires professionalism. The movies, dramas, songs bear the efficacy of educating the masses. The application of marketing principles in the entertainment services would make ways for the development of healthy entertainment services and in addition would also be successful in making the services commercially viable. The use of sophisticated technologies for promoting the entertainment services has virtually revolutionised the nature and character of entertainment services.
The blind use of sophisticated devices has been found making an invasion on our culture. The healthy entertainment services like circus shows, dramas are found disappearing. The tidal wave of pop culture has been found gaining popularity. The domination of western culture has very much been instrumental in derailing the new generation. The TV culture has been found making the new generation more-crazy. The use of sex and violence in the TV serials, and cinemas have been misguiding the youths.
This makes it essential that we think over the problem with a new vision. The entertainment marketing would only not be effective in making the organisations commercially viable but would also be helpful in promoting the healthy entertainment services.
To be more specific in the Indian perspective where we find a majority of the population illiterate, the organisations engaged in promoting the entertainment services bear an outstanding responsibility of inculcating awareness, sensing the masses and channelising the entertainment services even in the rural areas of the country.
Since a majority of the population are found below the poverty line, it is also essential that the pricing strategy adopted for the entertainment services assigns due weightage to the poor paying capacity of the weaker sections. The entertainment facilities are required to be channelised even in the rural areas and this requires an overriding priority to the taste and temperament of rural masses.
We find marketing principles effective in simplifying our task in many ways. It is in this context that we need to implement the principles of marketing in the entertainment services. The entertainment marketing thus appears to be a productive approach to initiate qualitative-cum-quantitative improvements.
Services Sector in India # 18. Mass Communication Services:
With the development of satellite, we find significant strides in the field of mass communication services. Sophistication paves avenues for complications. Scientific inventions and innovations, no doubt, have made possible a number of positive developments in the field of mass communications but at the same time have also opened doors for numerous negative developments.
We cannot negate that globalisation of economy gained a rapid momentum mainly due to the sophisticated communication and information technologies and resulting from which the general masses could get an opportunity to taste the fragrance of world-class goods and services.
The multi- faceted developments in the socio-economic fabrics are the outstanding contributions of mass communication. But other side of the coin presents a very disappointing result.
The mounting social tension and dissension, upward moving graph of violence contracting respect for elderly people amongst the upcoming youths, disintegrating Indian families, increasing selfishness, aggravating craze for an open sexual behaviour and developing temptation for material culture are a mute testimony to this proposition that we are moving in the wrong directions.
If scientific inventions and innovations start paving ways for negative developments in the socio-cultural areas, the development processes need a microscopic audit. The mass communication services need due attention of policy decision-makers.
The mass communication services include both the information media and the entertainment media such as telecasting, broadcasting and print media. The beginning of the decade 1980s initiated a new era and the credibility for the same goes to the satellite. The significant developments in the field of IT services have virtually revolutionised the mass communication services.
The mass communication considered to be a process of communicating to a very large number of people or masses need professional excellence. The instrumentality of communication organisations engaged in the process is considerably influenced by the quality of messages to be transmitted which rests on new generation of sophisticated technologies and the quality professionals.
We are well aware of the multi-faceted developments in the field of communication technologies reverberating the process of qualitative and quantitative transformation in the field mass communication. In an age of information explosion, the spread in the dissemination of information has proved to be an index of national prosperity.
In a democratic set-up, we assign due weightage to public participation which in a true sense rests on the transmission of right information on right time. This necessitates high degree of accessibility to mass communication. World- class professionals and new generation of communication technologies simplify our task.
The mass communication services have also been benefiting the corporate sector in different ways. We find new generation of print technology making available to them a number of benefits while promoting. Besides, the broadcast and telecast services also play a positive role in the development process.
Offering quality services is considered to be a crying need of the hour. Either we talk about social transformation or our focus is on cultural and economic dimensions, the contributions of mass communication are significant.
Services Sector in India # 19. IT Services:
With the increasing domination of corporatisation, the decision-making practices started diverting the attention of corporate big players. In this context, we find focus on the computer-driven or technology-driven decisions. Due to some regulatory barriers, it was not possible to develop the IT industry earlier and this trend continued till the late of 1980s.
But with the beginning of 1990s, the contours of development have undergone radical changes. The liberalisation, globalisation and increased pace of corporatisation opened new vistas for the development of IT industry.
Almost all categories of organisations realised the instrumentality of IT in the development process and this considerably affected the demand side. The liberal governmental regulations removed the barriers and a good number of organisations started making use of IT. The process of economic transformation was accelerated which made ways for the development of IT industry.
The modern product is found marketed with the help of traditional marketing. This necessitates innovative marketing practises for the IT product. In a true sense, we find three-tier developments in the field of information technology, first the development of a chip, second the development of satellite communication technology and a sharp fall in the cast.
It is in this context that we find almost a boom in the IT industry and whatsoever the developments that we find in the management and marketing activities in the IT industry are due to its demand side. The application of software, professional services, system integration, maintenance services, education and training, techno-driven application and software packages are found important in the very context.
Since we find multi-faceted uses of IT in all the three sectors of development, viz., primary, secondary and tertiary; it is natural that the boom that we find in this industry will continue even in the years to come. The sophistication in the information and communication technologies will keep on moving. There will be a significant increase in the demand side and this makes it essential that supply side is also given a new shape.
All the components related to the development of IT need professional excellence, managerial efficacy and marketing potentials. The innovative products of 21st century need innovative marketing. The liberal business regulations and the positive mindset of government make it essential that we make ways for professional excellence.
The IT services have been found gaining popularity in almost all the areas right from the manufacturing of goods to the generation of services. This trend will continue even in future. A large number of organisations are to be the potential customers. How to transform the potential customers into actual and habitual customers is found significant in the very context.
The managerial proficiency rests on professional excellence. The intensity of competition will be at its peak. The organisations marketing IT services in the face of professional excellence will be successful in excelling competition. It is against this background that we need to go through the problem of marketing IT services in the changing global business environment where both the demand and supply sides need professional excellence.
Services Sector in India # 20. Electricity Services:
A very important feature of the energy scenario in rural India is the predominance of non-commercial energy as against commercial energy like coal, petroleum products and electric power. Energy is the basic element of human activity and an indispensable input to energise the process of socio-economic transformation.
The present energy scenario has diverted the attention of scientists, the planners and the public’s alike realising that the process of overall development can hardly be geared up in the right direction unless adequate energy supply is made possible.
The US has approximately 6 per cent of the world population but they use near about 40 per cent of the total energy in the world. When India became independent in 1947, the power generation capacity in the country was merely 1300 MW. Now after more than 50 years of the planned development of course we find an increase in the capacity to the level of 60000 MW but keeping in view the demand position, we find the supply position non-optimal.
This has been found generating numerous problems on almost all the fronts. The development-oriented welfare plans are hardly implemented in time, the masses fail in using the electric, power-based domestic appliances, the agricultural sector is adversely affected and we can’t negate the fact that due to the inadequate supply position, the speed of development slowed down. This makes it essential that the organisations engaged in generating and distributing the electric power think over the problem with a new vision.
We find almost all the government managed electricity boards and corporations in a depleted condition. On the other hand, the demand position is found increasing substantially. The private sector has been seen making sincere efforts but the regulatory barrier has been found standing as an obstacle.
This makes it essential that both the public and private sector organisations engaged in generating and distributing electricity practise marketing to deliver goods. It is against this background that we go through the problem of electricity marketing.
We find energy an essential input of economic development and an important source for improving the quality of life and the standard of living. But due to non-optimal supply position, the users fail in getting the required units. The industrial, agricultural, services and the domestic sectors find it difficult to initiate qualitative transformation.
The application of marketing principles would pave avenues for the generation of electricity. The process of generation would be cost effective which would minimise the cost of generation and would make the services economic. Of late, we find frequent use of electric power-based appliances, equipments, plants and machines. The productivity of all the assets used in the process would substantially be accelerated if the supply position is improved.
By and large almost all the organisations generating and distributing energy have been found generating losses which has been forming a vicious circle. The increased cost of generation and distribution has been instrumental in increasing the overall cost and masses find it difficult to Use the services in the required units.
The marketing principles would help in adopting a sound pricing strategy which sub-serves the interests of all. The organisations would be commercially viable and the masses vis-a-vis the primary, secondary, tertiary sectors would be benefited considerably.
Services Sector in India # 21. Automobile Services:
With the increasing pace of economic transformation, we find wider avenues for the development of automobile services. This is due to the fact that increasing level of income makes the ways for the development of public or private road transportation services. The automobile services focus our attention on the development of inputs by the servicing centres so that their services are commensurate with the changing technology and increasing levels of expectations.
Emerging trends in the lifestyles, increasing sophistication in the motor vehicle technology and mounting domination of corporate sector in the process of national economic transformation are some of important factors reverberating the movement of people from one place to another for diverse motives and reasons. With the development of a new culture in which comforts and luxuries get top priority, we expect a sizeable increase in the number of different categories of motor vehicles.
The emergence of corporate culture and growing prominence of material culture have fuelled the process resulting from which we find a number of new generation of vehicles on roads. It is in this context we find justifications for the development of automobile services.
The emerging trends indicate that a number of automobile servicing centres would be required to be developed and for that the supporting infrastructural facilities would be essential. To cater to the changing technology, the automobile centres would need a large number of skilled people. Managing technology and managing people and in addition, managing the supporting infrastructural facilities would be found essential in the changing perspective.
Since we find change both in quantitative and qualitative terms, the automobile services would require high degree of managerial proficiency. The organised and systematic development of automobile servicing centres equipped with new generation of technology in tune with the latest development m technology would be found essential.
Not only the big towns and cities but even the small towns and cities would have opportunities for the development of automobile servicing centres. How and in what way we capitalise on the existent opportunities would depend on our managerial excellence.
With the development of corporatisation as a major impact of globalisation, we find a number of leading auto manufacturing companies establishing their production units. It is natural that for providing after-sale services they also develop the automobile servicing centres. The dealers and private parties have a profitable market for the same.
The location point for the development of automobile services, the environmental conditions for the centres, service designing and service blueprinting, service encounters and the service quality gap are some of the key issues for the development of automobile servicing centres.
In addition to other dimensions, the automobile centres also need to study the behavioural profile of users because we find a basic change in their attitudes related to the frequency of change of vehicles.