Variability

Variability, also known as heterogeneity, describes the uniqueness of service offerings.

While products can be homogeneous and mass produced, the same is not true of services. The term heterogeneity describes the uniqueness of service offerings (also known as variability). In other words, services are generated, rendered, and consumed at one time. The service can never be exactly repeated as the same point in time, location, or circumstances, or with the same configurations or resources, even if the same consumer requests the same service.

Intangibility
A defining characteristic of a service is that it is intangible it is not something physical that you can see, touch, or taste.
Intangibility is used in marketing to describe the inability to assess the value gained from engaging in an activity using any tangible evidence. It is often used to describe services where there isn't a tangible product that the customer can purchase, that can be seen, tasted, or touched. This is the most defining characteristic of a service that differentiates it from a product. When a customer is buying a service, he perceives a risk related to the purchase. It is difficult for a customer to know in advance what they will be getting. To reassure the buyer and build his confidence, marketing strategists need to give tangible proof for the quality of service.
Marketers of services can reduce these risks by stressing tangible cues that will convey reassurance and quality to the prospective customers. These tangible cues range from the firms physical facilities to the appearance and demeanor of its staff to the letterhead on its stationery to its logo. In the airline industry transportation is the core product. Since it is intangible in nature a service company can distinguish itself from its competitors by providing several tangible clues like:

Food / Beverages Newspapers Movies Music Staff uniforms- Air Indias staffs always wears a printed blue sari. Logos Air Indias centaur is the logo and maharaja is the mascot.

Colour and design Jet airways have blue colour tickets. Seats and cushions Audio / Video facilities for work or pleasure Fax, laptops, etc. Baggage retrieval Flight bookings

Inseparability
Inseparability is a service characteristic that makes it impossible to disconnect the production of the service from its consumption.
Inseparability is a service characteristic that renders it impossible to divorce the supply or production of the service from its consumption. In other words, services are generated and consumed within the same time frame. Moreover, it is very difficult to separate a service from the service provider. They are inseparable.

Perishability
Perishability of services implies that service capacity cannot be stored, saved, returned, or resold once rendered to a customer.

An airline, such as Jet Airways, can only sell seats on an airplane prior to departure. This service is only available for that definite time period. An empty seat on a plane never can be utilized and charged after departure. Once the plane has left for its scheduled flight, that service cannot be offered for that particular flight. Unsold seats lose their inherent value.