The characteristics that formally distinguish services from goods are intangibility, inseparability, ____________ and perishability.

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

When studying the distinctive characteristics of services versus goods, several classic attributes are highlighted. 
Option a: 'homogeneity' would imply uniformity across all service delivery, which contradicts the common understanding that services vary from one provider or encounter to the next due to human involvement and situational factors. That makes this option incorrect. 
Option b: 'benefits' is not one of the standard four distinguishing characteristics; while services can deliver benefits, this term does not serve as a formal contrast like the others. This makes it an inaccurate choice. 
Option c: 'heterogeneity' is the correct completion of the phrase because services are typically more variable and inconsistent in quality and performance across different service encounters. This variability is a core reason why services are described as heterogeneous. 
Option d: 'tangibility' refers to a property of goods being tangible, whereas services are intangible. Tangibility is already listed as a separate dimension in many frameworks, so using tangibility here would be redundant and incorrect for the blank. 
Thus, evaluating all options, heterogeneity best fits the standard quartet—intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity, and perishability—defining how services differ from goods.

The characteristics that formally distinguish services from goods are intangibility, inseparability, ____________ and perishability.

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