Four ways to reinvent service delivery
Journal
Harvard Business Review
Subject
Management Science and Operations
Publishing details
Authors / Editors
Ramdas K; Teisberg E; Tucker A L
Biographies
Publication Year
2012
Abstract
Innovations that radically redefine how a service is delivered can create tremendous value for customers and for providers. But they require deep insight into clients' needs and the revising of basic assumptions. It's possible, for example, that a doctor can treat more than one patient at a time. Organizations can redefine service delivery along four dimensions. A change in one may unlock -- or block -- possibilities for innovation in the others. 1) The structure of the interaction. Sometimes the service becomes more valuable to clients if they share it with others or if multiple providers coordinate closely to deliver it. 2) The service boundary. If a segment of clients uses the same complementary services and has trouble accessing them, a provider might consider integrating them into its offering. 3) The allocation of tasks. Who actually delivers the service? Employees' expertise might not match their assigned tasks. 4) The delivery location. This should be defined by the client's needs, not the provider's.
Keywords
Innovation, Service Delivery
Available on ECCH
No
