Designing the Service

Provider Gap 2 Customer-Driven Service Designs and Standards COMPANY Customer-Driven Service Designs and Standards Service Design and Standards Gap Company Perceptions of Consumer Expectations Part 4 Opener

Why this gap occurs Translating service expectations into service designs and standards Can’t seem to get it right… We mess up on staffing levels, provision of resources, design of systems and processes Lack of a customer perspective Other departments and areas not on side

Risks of Relying on Words Alone to Describe Services Oversimplification – there is much more to service than meets the eye Incompleteness – we often omit details that affect the customer Subjectivity – very difficult to view service objectively Biased Interpretation – we each have our own perspective on what is good service

How can we get it right? Not every customer wants the same level or design of service Service providers often impose their own view of what is good service Or, they implement a level of service that they think they can “get away with”

What is a New Service? difficult to define -- what is new and what is a slight modification? is it a new core product or a change in the systems or processes that deliver the core? where does one service end and another begin? (e.g. are ATM, telephone and Internet banking three services or are they delivery channels for a core service?)

New Service Strategy Matrix for Identifying Growth Opportunities 8-7

Service Blueprinting A tool for simultaneously depicting the service process, the points of customer contact, and the evidence of service from the customer’s point of view. Process Service Blueprint Points of contact Evidence

Service Blueprint Components Customer Actions line of interaction “Onstage” Contact Employee Actions line of visibility “Backstage” Contact Employee Actions line of internal interaction Support Processes

Service Blueprint Components

Blueprint for Express Mail Delivery Service Truck Packaging Forms Hand-held Computer Uniform Truck Packaging Forms Hand-held Computer Uniform PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Customer Calls Customer Gives Package Receive Package CUSTOMER Line of interaction (On Stage) Driver Picks Up Package Deliver Package CONTACT PERSON Line of visibility (Back Stage) Customer Service Order Line of internal interaction Airport Receives & Loads Fly to Sort Center Dispatch Driver Unload & Sort Load On Truck Fly to Destination SUPPORT PROCESS Load on Airplane Sort Packages

Blueprint for Overnight Hotel Stay Service Hotel Exterior Parking Cart for Bags Desk Registration Papers Lobby Key Elevators Hallways Room Cart for Bags Room Amenities Bath Menu Delivery Tray Food Appearance Food PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Bill Desk Lobby Hotel Exterior Parking Arrive at Hotel Give Bags to Bellperson Call Room Service Check out and Leave Go to Room Receive Bags Sleep Shower CUSTOMER Receive Food Check in Eat Line of Interaction Greet and Take Bags (On Stage) Process Registration Deliver Bags Deliver Food Process Check Out CONTACT PERSON Line of Visibility (Back Stage) Take Food Order Take Bags to Room Line of Internal Interaction Registration System Registration System Prepare Food SUPPORT PROCESS

Blueprint for DVD Rental Kiosk 8-13

Why are Maps Useful? provides an integrated view of service identifies fail points – where things go wrong communicates what contributes to service provision but, is it a sufficient view? it is largely a “technical” map and says very little about the interpersonal aspects

Building a Service Blueprint Step 1 Identify the process to be blue-printed Step 2 Identify the customer or customer segment Step 3 Map the process from the customer’s point of view Step 4 Map contact employee actions, onstage and back-stage, and/or technology actions Step 5 Link contact activities to needed support functions Step 6 Add evidence of service at each customer action step

Blueprints Can Be Used By: Service Marketers creating realistic customer expectations: service system design promotion Operations Management rendering the service as promised: managing fail points training systems quality control Human Resources Management empowering the human element: job descriptions selection criteria appraisal systems System Technology providing necessary tools: system specifications personal preference databases