Customer contributions and roles in service delivery

Focuses on the roles of customers in creating quality and productivity in service experiences. Presents two conceptual frameworks to aid managerial understanding and focus research efforts on customer participation. The first framework captures levels of customer participation across different types of services. The second discusses three major roles of customers in the service delivery process. Two examples of the concepts are presented ‐ one in a weight loss context and the other in a mammography screening setting. Both are based on empirical research and illustrate specific applications of customers’ roles in creating the service experience

Services marketing : Integrating customer focus across the firm

xx, 668 hal; 25 c

Service Marketing Integrating Custumer Focus Across The Firm

668hal.;xx.;28c

Forthcoming, Business Horizons 50 th Anniversary Issue, 2008 The Service Imperative

Services dominate the world’s established economies such as the U.S., Germany and Finland and are becoming increasingly important in developing economies including China and India. Yet most companies, national governments, and universities do not put much energy into service research, innovation or education. This ironic juxtaposition of facts has led us, along with others, to promote a focus on service research and service innovation across companies and institutions. We call this the “service imperative. ” In this essay we present our view of the service imperative as a burning platform that is giving birth to many hopeful directions for the future of the global economy. We believe that companies, nations, and individuals who embrace the service imperative will prosper and benefit. We also believe that widespread embracing of the service imperative can lead to improved quality of life for individuals worldwide. 1 THE SERVICE IMPERATIVE Few would argue with the fact that services dominate the economies of the world’