Since we are on inappropriate use of words, here's a philosophical question for you.
Some years ago we were told that British manufacturing industry had been destroyed, and we were now a service economy. Ever since then, very strange things have been happening in marketing.
In particular the financial services industry, which is called that because, er, it offers
services, keeps going on about its
products. Since when was a bank account a product? If the bank goes bust, it's not there any more. That's because they are selling you the promise of a service, rather than a product that (like a car) you have whether they are still there or not.*
Conversely, though, and more understandably, companies that do have
products will try to differentiate themselves on the basis that they offer better
service.
Is there anybody who has the confidence to admit what they really offer, instead of trying to be somebody else
*Actually, you don't care whether the so-called product is still there. It was always secondary. It's your money that you want.
