Services Marketing

Chapter 15 : Process in Services

Characteristics of Service Process Design and Implementation

Types of Process

Line or Flow Operations
Job Shop Process

Planning a Service Process

Service Blueprinting

Elements of Blueprinting
Reading a Service Blueprint
Developing a Service Blueprint

Factors Influencing Process Efficiency

Planning
Service Personnel
Technology
Location and décor
Customer's Role

Service Positioning through Structural Change

Reduced Complexity
Increased Complexity
Reduced Divergence
Increased Divergence

Chapter Summary

Process is an important element of the marketing mix that determines how a service should be created and delivered to the customer. The characteristics of service process include complexity, divergence, service location, customer participation and the service itself –whether it is technology based or process based. The types of process include line or flow operations and job shop process.

The planning of a service process includes different elements like the conversion process, the equipment required, flow of process, quality of service personnel, service location, layout design and the organizational structure. Further, we discussed an important aspect of service process called the service blueprint that maps all the processes and elements involved in service creation and delivery including the service personnel and customers.

The elements of service blueprint include customer actions, onstage and backstage employee actions, and support processes to their minutest detail. Further, the interaction among these elements is explained through the line of interaction, line of visibility and line of internal interaction. These will help a service provider to clearly read a blueprint and identify the activities that add value to the customer so that he can concentrate on such activities.

Developing a service blueprint involves identification of the service, identification of the customer segments, mapping the service processes according to the customer's point of view, mapping the onstage and backstage employee actions, the identification of internal support processes, and finally the physical evidence involved in service delivery.

The factors that affect the efficiency of a process include planning, service personnel, technology, location, décor, and the customer's role. Further, a service positioning can be changed by structural changes by reducing or increasing divergence, or by reducing or increasing complexity of services. Finally, a service provider is required to know how to balance marketing and operation functions in a service organization for greater success, as both functions are equally important.

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