The Service Blueprints to Determine the Services Level - Essay Example

The blueprint is a process that is used to ensure that services carried out within an organization are undertaken in the right way. A detailed system specification is normally created in order to ensure that services provided are rolled up in the appropriate manner. The objectives of a service blueprint that are implemented within an organization include; provision of enough time to market a new service into the market, increase service delivery, reduce cost of delivering services and alignment of an organization to facilitate it to achieve a breakthrough in the service performance within a specified period of time. The fundamental concept of marketing that is used to model the service marketing involves the philosophy of customer orientation. In this case, the customer is considered to be a useful in determining what the organization's activities are and their purpose in life. The principle states that all activities carried out within an organization are basically for the good and benefit of the customers (Srinivasan 2004). The philosophy of service marketing involves taking into consideration the interests of the customers, maximizing and satisfying their needs and wants .The purpose of service marketing is to generate profits that can enable the company to run its operations in the right manner. The blueprint of a service is based on facts such as illustrating the actions and time involved when undertaking different actions of a service for an individual or an organization. The actions involved in service delivery have an execution time that is allocated to it in order to enhance a certain level of tolerance within an organization (Srinivasan 2009). This process entails the determination of the customers' needs and later on looks for factors aimed at ensuring that internal objectives of a business are met within a stipulated period of time. It also involves describing the activities that are used to design and manage services such as schedule, project plans, detailed representations, design plans and service platforms for an organization. The importance of the process in the marketing mix is that it determines how a service should be created and how it will be delivered to the customer to meet their needs and requirements. The major characteristics of service process in the marketing mix include: divergence, complexity, service location, customer participation as well as the service itself which may be technology or process based (Srinivasan 2004). Service blueprint helps the management of an organization to map up all the processes and elements that are involved in the creation of a service and the delivery of services to the customers. The major elements of service blue print involves actions of the customers, onstage and backstage actions of the employees as well as the support processes that are undertaken within an organization. These service blue prints are developed through identifying the services, customer segments, charting service processes as per the customers instructions, identifying internal support processes and physical evidence of delivering services to the customers. Example of blueprint of one-man gents bar Onstage actions involves greeting customer on arrival, back stage action describes the opening hours of the business and provide a visitors book for signing. Onstage actions indicate whether the services of the barber are free or not. They then direct a customer to the waiting area while the backstage action select orders to be used and then takes the order papers. Onstage actions indicate hair cuts needed by the customers while backstage actions conducts training and updates on styles Onstage actions have customer's hair cut, backstage actions involve order take, laundry and disposing off the hair. Onstage action makes the customer ask for more products. Backstage actions involve meeting the sales representatives. Onstage actions ensure the customer pays for their services. Backstage actions prepare the cash float and ensure that they bank the takings. Onstage actions involve thanking the customers on their departure. The service blueprints can be used to determine the services level of divergence and complexity. Complexity refers to the number of steps and sequences and the relationship that exists between them. In case the number of steps and intricacies are high, then the level of complexity is also high. The degree of divergence is determined by the extent of the planned scope that a contact person or customer is given by the management of an organization. The presence of low divergence rate shows a state of standardization within an organization. Where there is change in divergence and complexity, then it reflects the service providers' judgment about their customer's base within a stipulated period of time (Srinivasan 2004). The structural changes that can change the positioning of a service involve increasing divergence or reducing complexity of the services within an organization. Process and divergence complexity refers to the number and intricacies of steps that are needed in order to enhance proper assignment of tasks to the customers. The level of complexity that a customer experiences results from the stage experiences while the level of divergence results from both the front and back stages. Divergence refers to the degree of freedom that is allowed or inherent in the process step. It can be reduced through implementing a volume oriented positioning strategy ,imposing strict operating controls, reducing the cost of running the operations of an organization and also widening the potential market of a business. The level of divergence can be increased through utilizing a niche positioning strategy, personalizing a service, increasing cost of production, narrowing the potential market as well as ensuring that there is high profit margin within the company so that the activities of an organization are carried out in the right way. The importance of having a low divergence rate within an organization assists in; reducing the cost of running the operations of an organization, saving time required of completing tasks and having a wider distribution of resources within an organization (Srinivasan 2004). For instance, the florist can observe the rate of divergence and complexity within their organizations. When undertaking their tasks, they can reduce costs of running the operations of the organization in an effective manner. When a florist has low divergence, they save time that would have been used while running and managing the business transactions within a specified period of time. The florist also can access more resources for their organization. References Srinivasan, R 2004, Services marketing: the Indian context, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd, United States of America. Srinivasan, R 2009, Services Marketing - the Indian Context, 2nd edn PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. United States of America. Read More