(4) The Service Encounter PDF

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The Service Encounter The service encounter = the meeting point between the service provider and the consumer. ! Czepiel (1985) - ‘one human being interacting with another’. ! Shostack (1985) - ‘a period of time during which the customer directly interacts with a service.’ ! Tangible Actions + People = People Processing, services directed at people’s bodies such as barbers and health care. ! Tangible Actions + Possessions = Possession Processing, services directed at physical possessions, such as refuelling and disposal or recycling. ! Intangible Actions + People = Mental Stimulus Processing, services directed at peoples minds, education and advertising or PR.! Information Processing + Intangible Actions = Services directed at intangible assets, such as accounting and banking. ! People Processing •

Most significant type of service encounter !

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Cannot obtain benefits remotely !

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E.g. operation, eye examination, dental check-up !

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Timing varies !

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Quality control = major issue !

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Just as concerned with process as end result !

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Location = important !

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Need to manage demand patterns !

Possession Processing •

Treatment for physical possessions !

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Do not necessarily involve simultaneous production and consumption !

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Post-service stages of great importance !

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Greater flexibility !

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However, still needs to be completed on time !

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Sometimes the customer may choose to be present !

Mental Stimuli Processing •

Customer is direct recipient, but not necessarily tangible benefit !

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Ethical concerns !

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Not present, but mental effort needed!

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Can be transmitted !

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Can be delivered to groups !

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May be inventoried !

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May be consumed more than once !

Information Processing •

Intangible services performed on intangible assets !

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Revolutionised by computing technology !

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Difference between mental and info, processing can be blurred !

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Info = doesn’t necessarily get mentally involved !

Service encounters range from high-contact to low-contact. !

Conceptual Frameworks of the Service Encounter •

Services = processes !

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Predicting the consumption experience is difficult !

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Service is difficult to replicate !

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Therefore, methodologies to ‘map out’ the service process !

- Blueprinting ! - Dramaturgical perspective ! - Servuction ! Blueprinting:! Shostack (1987) and Bitner (2008), allows a holistic view of mapping the service and process. There are three main elements: ! •

Principal functions identified !

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Timing and sequence of relationships !

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Acceptable tolerance levels for each function !

An excellent blueprint should also address failings in the system, for example show how customers, possessions, information etc are processed. !

Dramaturgical Approach: Service as Theatre:! Grove and Fisk (1992), metaphor of theatre is applied to the service delivery and encounter. Both theatres and services aim to create a favourable impression with their audience. Use of roles, scripts and stages. ! Roles: ! Roles = guide and direct behaviour in a given setting! •

E.g. roles of air strward/ess !

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Roles need to be performed as a team!

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Customers need to be educated as to their roles too!

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Expectations!

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