Service blueprint & Service process explained with example

Summary

This video script from Marketing 91 Comm explores the concept of service blueprinting, a tool used by service firms to visualize and manage the service delivery process. It breaks down the components of service blueprinting, including physical evidence, customer and employee actions, and support processes. Using the Oberoi Mumbai as a case study, the script illustrates how these elements come together to create a seamless and luxurious customer experience, from arrival to departure.

Takeaways

• 📘 Service Blueprinting: A tool used by service firms to manage service encounters and visualize the service process.
• 🏢 Components of Service Blueprint: Includes physical evidence, customer actions, employee actions on stage, backstage actions, and support processes.
• 👥 Customer Actions: The steps customers take during the service delivery process, depicted chronologically in the blueprint.
• 👩‍💼 Onstage Employee Actions: The face-to-face interactions between customers and frontline employees, visible to the customer.
• 🔍 Line of Interaction: The boundary between the customer and the employee, crossing which leads to 'moments of truth'.
• 👨‍💻 Backstage Employee Actions: Invisible to the customer, these actions support the service delivery, such as phone calls or preparations.
• 🔧 Support Processes: Activities by non-contact employees necessary for service delivery, like internal processes and systems.
• 🤝 Line of Internal Interaction: The interaction between backstage employees that support the service delivery.
• 🌆 Oberoi Mumbai Example: A case study illustrating how service blueprinting helps understand and manage the service delivery process in a hotel setting.
• 🛍 Physical Evidence: Tangible elements like decor, staff appearance, and amenities that influence customer perceptions of quality.
• 🍽️ Moments of Truth: Critical points in the service delivery where customer interactions occur, impacting their overall experience.

Q & A

What is the purpose of service blueprinting in service management?

Service blueprinting is used to better manage service encounters by providing a clearer visualization of the service processes, helping service firms to understand and improve the procedures, mechanisms, and flow of activities involved in delivering a service to the customer.

What are the components of a service blueprint?

The components of a service blueprint include physical evidence, customer actions, onstage employee actions, the line of interaction, backstage employee actions, support processes, and the line of internal interaction.

How do customer actions influence the service delivery process?

Customer actions include all the steps that customers take as part of the service delivery process and are depicted chronologically across the top of the blueprint. They influence the service delivery by showing the customer's involvement and interaction with the service.

What is meant by 'onstage' employee actions in service blueprinting?

Onstage employee actions refer to the actions of frontline contact employees that constitute a face-to-face encounter with the customer. These actions are visible to the customer and are depicted in the service blueprint.

Can you explain the concept of 'moments of truth' in service encounters?

Moments of truth occur every time the line of interaction is crossed via a link from the customer to a contact employee or the company's self-service technology. These are critical points where the customer directly experiences the service.

What role do backstage employee actions play in service delivery?

Backstage employee actions include those actions that involve invisible interaction with customers, such as telephone calls and other activities undertaken in preparation to serve customers. They are crucial for the smooth operation of the service delivery process.

How are support processes depicted in a service blueprint?

Support processes are depicted below the line of visibility and include all the activities carried out by non-contact individuals and units within the company that are required for the service to be delivered.

What is the significance of the line of visibility in a service blueprint?

The line of visibility in a service blueprint marks the boundary between what is visible to the customer (onstage) and what is not (backstage). It helps differentiate between customer-facing and internal service activities.

Can you provide an example of physical evidence from the script?

An example of physical evidence from the script is the Oberoi Mumbai's hotel building exterior and infrastructure, which creates an impression of luxury and grandeur for the guests.

How does the Oberoi Mumbai utilize service blueprinting in its operations?

The Oberoi Mumbai uses service blueprinting to understand and manage the processes involved in delivering services to customers, from the moment they arrive at the hotel to their departure, ensuring a high-quality service experience.

What is the importance of the line of internal interaction in a service blueprint?

The line of internal interaction represents the interaction that occurs between backstage employees and the internal activities that support service delivery. It is important for understanding how different parts of the organization work together to provide service.