Reimagining Service Marketing in the Age of AI: Insights from Dr. Vandana Tandon Khanna | Brandsnug

Introduction: The New Frontier of Service Marketing

In an era where AI, automation, and instant feedback redefine the customer experience, the traditional pillars of service marketing — intangibility, variability, and empathy — are being rewritten.

To explore this transformation, Brandsnug had the honor of hosting Dr. Vandana Tandon Khanna, Professor and Ph.D. Program Coordinator at K J Somaiya Institute of Management.

With over 26 years of experience in marketing education and research, Dr. Vandana has received numerous accolades, including:

• 🏆 Best Professor in Marketing (2017 & 2018)

• 👩‍🏫 Women in Education Leadership Award (2019)

• 🌟 50 Under 50 Educator – Making India Employable (2023)

Her expertise in Service Marketing, CRM, Customer Experience, and Tourism Management has influenced generations of marketing scholars and professionals.

1. The Challenge of Balancing AI and Human Empathy

“We must integrate AI-driven personalization without losing the human touch.” — Dr. Vandana Tandon Khanna

As businesses race to automate, a new challenge emerges: how to keep empathy alive in a digital-first world.
Dr. Vandana emphasized that while AI enables hyper-personalization, it often risks eroding human connection — a core component of service encounters.

She urged brands to adopt Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) — ensuring data privacy, algorithm transparency, and human-centric design — so that technology amplifies empathy instead of replacing it.

Key takeaway:
The future of service marketing lies in blending efficiency with emotional intelligence.

2. CRM: Beyond Software, It’s a Strategic Philosophy

“CRM isn’t a database; it’s a mindset.”

Many firms still treat Customer Relationship Management as a technical tool — a data storage system rather than a strategic philosophy.

According to Dr. Vandana, successful organizations treat CRM as a cross-functional culture, where every department — marketing, operations, HR, and sales — collectively nurture relationships.

She highlighted that CRM should link directly to organizational KPIs and customer health metrics, ensuring that the customer’s voice is embedded in every business decision.

Brandsnug Insight:
CRM succeeds when companies invest in training, empathy, and mindset shifts, not just software upgrades.

3. Loyalty Beyond Transactions: Building Emotional Resonance

“True loyalty is emotional, not transactional.”

Most loyalty programs today rely on discounts and points — but Dr. Vandana believes that’s not enough.

She introduced the idea of attitudinal loyalty, where customers feel emotionally aligned with a brand’s values.
Emotional loyalty grows when brands offer recognition, shared purpose, and belonging, not just financial rewards.

Examples include:

• Creating exclusive communities for loyal customers

• Celebrating surprise moments that evoke emotional delight

• Offering value co-creation opportunities, where customers feel part of the brand’s journey

SEO Keywords: Customer Loyalty, Emotional Branding, Brand Relationships, Attitudinal Loyalty

4. Emerging Economies: Redefining Global Marketing Thought

“Emerging markets are not just consumers — they are creators of innovation.”

Dr. Vandana discussed how India’s diverse consumer landscape offers lessons that can reshape global marketing theories.

From the Jugaad (frugal innovation) mindset to value-for-money consumption behavior, emerging economies showcase adaptability that Western models often overlook.

She argued that marketers should move beyond “one-size-fits-all” approaches and embrace localized storytelling, language diversity, and cultural authenticity.

Key Point:
Emerging markets hold the blueprint for affordable personalization and authentic differentiation in the global marketing narrative.

5. Tourism Marketing: Authenticity Over Commoditization

In an insightful segment, Dr. Vandana reflected on tourism marketing — a sector often caught between culture and commerce.

“Don’t freeze your culture. Let people live it.”

She explained that Indian destinations must move from static representations (“palaces and backwaters”) to living cultural experiences that honor sustainability and local communities.

Takeaway:
Authentic branding in tourism must be rooted in community profit-sharing, cultural preservation, and ethical storytelling — not just glossy campaigns.

6. Bridging Academia and Industry: The Relevance Revolution

“We face a relevance crisis — academia must connect back to the real business world.”

Dr. Vandana emphasized the urgent need for academic-industry collaboration in marketing education.

She advocated for:

• Joint industry-funded research projects

• Faculty sabbaticals in corporate settings

• Case study development from Indian contexts

• Reforms that make business education actionable, not just publishable

She also challenged students to move beyond PowerPoint slides and rote learning — encouraging them to embrace critical thinking, curiosity, and cross-cultural competence.

7. Lessons for the Next Generation of Marketers

As the session concluded, Dr. Vandana shared advice for the next generation of marketing leaders:

• 💡 “Don’t chase marks; chase mastery.”

• 💬 “Learn to connect across cultures and disciplines.”

• 🧠 “Curiosity and ethics will define the marketers of tomorrow.”

Her message was clear — the future belongs to marketers who blend strategy with empathy, analytics with understanding, and technology with trust.

Conclusion: A Conversation That Redefined Perspectives

Hosting Dr. Vandana Tandon Khanna on Brandsnug was more than an academic discussion — it was a masterclass in the philosophy of marketing itself.

From AI ethics to emotional loyalty, CRM transformation to education reform, her insights offered a roadmap for the modern marketer:
→ Lead with empathy.
→ Think beyond transactions.
→ Let authenticity guide innovation.

At Brandsnug, our mission is to create meaningful conversations that connect industry wisdom with academic insight, inspiring marketers, leaders, and students to rethink what marketing truly means.