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The service concept: the missing link in service design research?
Author(s) -
Goldstein Susan Meyer,
Johnston Robert,
Duffy JoAnn,
Rao Jay
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of operations management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.649
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1873-1317
pISSN - 0272-6963
DOI - 10.1016/s0272-6963(01)00090-0
Subject(s) - service design , service (business) , service delivery framework , service level objective , service guarantee , service product management , process management , computer science , differentiated service , service provider , service system , customer service assurance , knowledge management , business , marketing
The service concept plays a key role in service design and development. But while the term is used frequently in the service design and new service development literature, surprisingly little has been written about the service concept itself and its important role in service design and development. The service concept defines the how and the what of service design, and helps mediate between customer needs and an organization’s strategic intent. We define the service concept and describe how it can be used to enhance a variety of service design processes. As illustrations here, we apply the service concept to service design planning and service recovery design processes. Employing the service concept as an important driver of service design decisions raises a number of interesting questions for research which are discussed here.