What are the main characteristics which distinguish service from goods production?

The main characteristics that distinguish service from goods production include intangibility, inseparability, variability, and perishability. Services are intangible, meaning they cannot be touched or owned, while goods are physical items. Inseparability refers to the simultaneous production and consumption of services, which often requires customer participation, whereas goods can be produced, stored, and consumed later. Additionally, services tend to be more variable in quality due to human involvement, and they are perishable, meaning they cannot be stored or inventoried like goods.