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design
for servicefor both service and manufacturing businesses
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contents
01 Introduction
02 Whyitisbenecialtoyourcompany
03 Howyoucanapplythistoyourcompany
04 Usingdesigntoimproveservices:examples
05 References
design
for service
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Everyone loves a great experience.Whether going to the grocers, orshopping on-line, people alwaysappreciate when things are easy andmake sense. This makes them happy,and happy customers are worth moreto every business.
This guide is intended to give anoverview of how you can use servicedesign as a tool to win the hearts andminds of your customers by providing
memorable experiences.
Introduction
Companies are under increasingpressure to provide personalised,customer-focused services. Welive in a world where products andservices are getting more and morecommoditised, and companies arestruggling to compete solely onprice. In order to stand out fromcompetitors, companies need torecognise themselves as serviceproviders and strive to make whatthey do more useful, usable and
desirable for their users.
01
Anewcompetitive
environment
2
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provider. These are usually calledtouch points, and include the brand,customer-facing staff, environments,sales and communications materialsand channels.
For this reason, design for serviceis a very practical approach toimplementing a wider, design-led
business strategy. Small businessescan use design as a creative andaccessible form of business planning
to align their strategy, brand andcommunications around propositionsthat enhance customers experiences.
Put simply, businesses can use designholistically to identify where, whenand how a service can be improvedand made more valuable to those whoprovide and receive it.
Products and services differ in anumber of ways. The main implicationof those differences is that services,as opposed to products, rely on theinteractions between the users andproviders of the service.
The design of services must includean analysis of all the points of contact
between the user and the service
Likeproducts,services
canalsobedesigned!
Introduction01
3
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those beans are roasted and packagedthe added value, potential price andopportunity for differentiation ismuch greater. Several steps beyondthis would be to offer a freshly
brewed cup of coffee, at which pointthe opportunities to add valuethrough service become even greater.Companies such as Starbucks takethis even further by employingexperienced baristas to serve a widerange of drinks (but still focused on
coffee) in a comfortable environment.They are no longer simply offeringa cup of coffee, but a consistentexperience to be shared with friendsthat will encourage customer loyalty,allow differentiation from thecompetition and increase prot.
Today 89% of SMEs in Europe operatein some form of service industry.Twenty million people in the UK workin service organisations. The serviceeconomy now accounts for 72% of theUKs gross domestic product (1). Theimportance of services to the economy
will continue to grow, especiallyin industrialised countries whereservices account for the majority ofGDP. For example, services comprise80% and 71% of the GDP (2) of the USA
and France, respectively.
In this new economy, the added valuecreated by services is far greaterthan that of products. As a simpleexample, when coffee beans are soldas an unprocessed commodity theyhave little value unless sold in bulk. If
Wearelivinginthe
service century
Whyitisbenecialto
yourcompany
02
source:(1) Ofce for National Statistics
(2) WP Carey School of Business 4
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the iPod and iTunes. IBM is also nolonger positioning itself as a hardwaremanufacturer, but rather as a serviceprovider by offering full IT solutionsfor its clients.
Because every organisation, like itor not, is a service provider, staffneed to realise that they are serviceproviders too. For example, thetelecoms engineer who goes up themast to make sure that everything is
working properly has an enormousinuence on the service experience
that customers have. Or a courier,whose manners and behaviour havea signicant impact on customers
experience.
The inclusion of good customerservice is becoming a keydifferentiator for any type ofcompany, be it product or service
based. In this new economy it is thewhole experience, before, during orafter the sale that really counts.
Customers are willing to pay apremium for products and servicesthat help make their lives easier,more enjoyable and exciting.
In the service century, even bigproduct brands like Apple and IBMare developing services for theircustomers, realising that theirproducts act as gateways or enablersof these services. The classic exampleis Apple and the integration between
Everyone,likeitornot,is
aserviceprovider
Whyitisbenecialto
yourcompany
02
5
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Services are delivered throughdynamic service systems of people,processes and things and oftenother services. This means they canappear complicated to improve butthey arent.
In order to design better services,companies can look at the ve
fundamentals of good service tounderstand where, when andhow things can be improved.
These fundamentals can help youunderstand how different parts of aservice system relate to each otherand how each aspect of a service canaffect a customers experience.
Fivefundamentalsofgood
service
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
03
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Services are provided andexperienced through systems andrelationships. Most services areproduced and consumed within, orrely on other services. Good servicedesign always looks holistically at theservice infrastructure. This involvesunderstanding how the differentparts of a service interconnect andhow the service relies on the supportof other services.
This means that to improve anexperience you may look to changethings behind the scenes, such asimplementing training programmesto customer-facing staff.
SystemsDifferent services create andmeasure value in different ways, butmost services try to provide the best
value for both users and producers.Good service design is often aboutaligning the sometimes supercially
different interests of producers andusers to create the best value for
both. Service design can be aboutcutting costs, but it is normally morefocused on adding value.
Companies like FedEx createvalue and save money by helpingcustomers help themselves. Byproviding an on-line tracking system,customers can check when theirpackages will be delivered. This helpsto avoid using a busy call centre todeal with customers enquires aboutdeliveries.
ValueAll services are experienced overtime. People also take different
journeys to, through, and froma service. Good service designrecognises these differences andexamines what happens before,during and after the central serviceexperience, for both producers andusers.
To provide enjoyable experiencescompanies need to understand how
each point of contact between theuser and provider affects the servicedelivery.
JourneysServices always involve peopleand rely on both the user and theproducer working together. Someservices are very product-centred,
but a service is never just a product,it is always about people. Goodservice design always puts peoplerst and should involve users and
producers actively participating inthe design process.
Ultimately, frontline staff are the face
of a company. In order to provideenjoyable experiences, you mightneed to ensure that your customer-facing staff are properly selected andtrained.
PeopleServices are generally packaged as aproposition for users to buy into. Aservice proposition is a useful termto describe competing service offersin a competitive marketplace. Goodservice design is about developingand designing valuable, innovativepropositions for users and producers,and creating exciting visions to takeexisting propositions forward.
This means that successful
companies usually translateintangible service propositions intotangible and desirable offerings. Forexample, Innocent, the fruit drinkmaker, was founded on the desire tomake it easier for people to maintaintheir health.
Propositions
7
Thevefundamentals
of good service
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We can learn a lot about how todeliver great service experiences
by looking at organisations who areexcellent at it. When you look at theseorganisations, they usually excelunder six headings:
Vision
Resources
Reliability
Responsiveness
Reassurance
Communication
The following guide can be used tostimulate discussions about how yourcompany can reveal areasfor improvement.
Sixelementsof
service design
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
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Element1:Vision
Excellent service organisationsexhibit a clear vision about their goalsand strategies.
A vision for the future has to be basedon an understanding of where the
business is now, who you are servingand how you came to this point.Questions to ask should include: What does your business offer your
customers?
How does it afford to operate? How did the business start?
What were the important
landmarks (difculties and
successes)? What is your turnover and how
protable is your business?
What are your core capabilities and
strengths?
Who are your customers and how
can you identify which ones providemost income?
Why do your customers do business
with you? What are your customers needs (in
addition to what you offer them)? Who are and how do you compare
to your competitors?Are there any legislative,
technological, market or culturaltrends that will impact on your
business?
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
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Element2:Resources
Excellent service organisationsensure that their appearance isappropriate and aligned with theservice proposition.
In order to get the appearance right,companies need to think about howthe environments, staff, equipmentand branding impact on thecustomers perceptions.
Questions to ask should include:
Does your organisation design theenvironments that staff work in andcustomers are served in?
Have you made any changes as a
result of customer and employeefeedback?
Are there appropriate training
programmes in place?
What are your brand values?
Can all employees articulate what
these values mean to theirindividual jobs and responsibilities?
How do they want to develop the
brand going forward?How do staff request resources
needed to serve customers?How often is the equipment used to
serve customers re-evaluated?How does the organisation measure
its performance, and the
performance of individualswithin it?
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
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Element3:Reliability
To develop loyalty, customers andemployees need to trust that theservice is reliable and consistent being the same or better each timethey experience it.
Being consistent also includes makingsure that you dont over-promise andunder-deliver by raising expectationsthat cant be met in all aspects of the
business.
All interactions with a customerduring a single transaction shouldalso be consistent in terms of your
brand values and ease of use.
As an example, an airline that offerseasy on-line booking is not beingconsistent in offering convenience ifonce customers arrive at the airportthere is a shortage of check-in staff or
no facility for automated check-in.
Questions to ask should include:What does your organisation
promise your customers throughyour marketing andcommunications channels?
Do you deliver on these promises?
Are there any measures in place to
ensure that your organisation doesnot over-promise?
Can you ensure that your services
are consistent over time and acrossdifferent channels?
Does your organisation deliver
services that are easy for customersto use?
How usable and clear is your
organisations website?
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
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Element4:Responsiveness
Being responsive means offering aservice just when and where it isrequired by a particular customer.
Being able to respond to the specic
needs of a customer might bethe difference between offering amediocre or an enjoyable experience.In order to do so, employees mightrequire some level of autonomy andexibility at the point of delivery.
If this is the case, staff will need to
understand what their boundariesare and you will need to be aware ofpossible process barriers that mightprevent a customer being happy.
Questions to ask should include:Does your organisation provide
service when and where it isrequired?
How does your organisation measure
the speed and effectiveness of itsservices?
Does your organisation recognise
the needs of different customers?How well does it respond and react
to these differences?Do staff have the necessary
autonomy to deliver a personalisedservice?
What are the barriers to providing
more autonomy?
How willing are staff to servecustomers?
How willing are they to go out of
their way to ensure the customer ishappy?
How willing is the organisation to let
them do this?
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
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Element5:Reassurance
Everyone in your business shouldbe competent, credible, honest andcourteous.
These capabilities and values willreassure your customers that theyshould be doing business with you.
Getting this right will probablyrequire a training and developmentprogramme to ensure employeeshave up-to-date customer service and
technical skills. As well as offering acompetent and credible face to your
business, appropriately trained staffare more likely to take pride in their
work, be more enthusiastic and staywith you for longer.
Questions to ask should include:How courteous are your staff?
How does your organisation
encourage a courteous workingenvironment?
How does it train staff to be polite?
How secure and well managed
are your organisations sensitivedocuments and customerrelationships?
How effective are staff at managing
customers expectations of theservice?
How honest is your organisation
with its customers about what toexpect, and how honest is it whenthings go wrong?
What training programmes are in
place to ensure that your employeeshave the necessary, most up-to-dateknowledge to satisfy customersrequirements?
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
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Element6:Communication
In order to build long-termrelationships with both internal andexternal audiences, companies needto be able to communicate efciently.
Communication is a two-way channel:companies need to advertise theirofferings, but they also need tolisten. This means understanding thefears, concerns and expectations ofcustomers from different segments.For example, customer-facing
staff should be able to engage indialogue with customers and passon any potential concerns to themanagement team.
Companies also need to focus oninternal communication. Successfulcompanies have a participatoryculture in place, where staff can shareideas and discuss how the company is
progressing. This helps to keep staffmotivated and ensures that everyoneis clear about the companysobjectives.
Questions to ask include:Do all people in your organisation
understand the needs of differentcustomers?
How does your organisation
categorise its customers?How do staff engage in dialogue
with customers?What happens to the output of this
dialogue?Does your organisation build
long-term relationships with itscustomers?
Does your organisation regularly
meet as a team to discuss progress?
Howyoucanapplythis
toyourcompany
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Broadly speaking, design for servicecan help SMEs in six ways: Developing a service vision
and strategy Focusing on customers
Designing the new service
Developing internal processes
Creating better experiences
Creating and maintaining a brand.
Outlined in the table on the rightare some specic activities which
companies can benet from. In orderto exemplify how service design can
be applied in practice, these methodsand activities are highlighted inorange on the side of each example.
These ctional examples are intendedto be inspirational, not exhaustive.Service design could exist in manyforms and be delivered in many waysdepending on the business context.In these near-future case studies wehave assumed that each SME worked
with an experienced service designconsultant or consultancy.
Each case study will start byoutlining the companys current
position and its business strengthsand weaknesses. It will then go onto outline what a service designconsultant might suggest so thecompany can capitalise on itsservice strengths, negate its service
weaknesses and push the businessforward in the service century.
Usingdesigntoimprove
service:examples
04
15
Assisting organisations to become
more service focusedDeveloping and communicating a
service-led vision and strategyDesigning-in service innovation
processes
Working with senior managers to
explore customer focus
Developing new insights into customersand the means to use them
Developing methods for customer-facing
staff to provide feedback to senior staffDeveloping customer-centred business
metrics and designing-in the means tomeasure
Helping organisations to visualise the
services they offer and how theyoffer them
Identifying new opportunities forinnovation by looking at the wholesystem of service delivery
Working with internal teams and
customers to innovate new servicesGenerating ideas, modelling,
visualising and specifying new servicesManaging risk through service
prototyping
Measuring customers experiences
across all the touch points of an
organisationDeveloping service values and
principles that can be applied acrossthe business
Designing the experiences that
customers have of customer-facingstaff
Working with customer-facing staff to
improve these experiencesDesigning the opportunities for
customers to provide feedback and toparticipate
Developing service brands
Helping internal teams to interpret
their brand into new services andcustomer experiences
Looking at what customers value most
as a means to organise resourcesFocusing internal processes around the
needs of customersDeveloping organisational structures
that support staff who have directcontact with customers
Identifying opportunities to reduce
overall costs to serve customers
Developingaservicevisionandstrategy
Focusing oncustomers
Designing thenew service
Developinginternalprocesses
Creatingbetterexperiences
Creatingandmaintainingabrand
Howdesignforservicecanhelp
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Using a better understanding of theircustomers to inform the design of theservice and to inspire new productsand services.
4.1TildaTech
Usingdesigntoimprove
service:examples
04
Businesscontext:Based in North Wales, TildaTech has 55 employees and a turnover of
14.8 million. At their factory they manufacture an electrical beautytherapy product. The equipment sells for 3,000 and requires annualservicing. Effective use of the equipment requires one day of training.Current customers of TildaTech are mainly beauty treatment salonsand boutiques. These range from very small hair or nail salonswanting to offer a broader service to established chains of privatesports and health spas.
Strengths:TildaTech promote their product via adverts in trade journals andattendance at key beauty therapy and health trade shows aroundEurope. The company have a website that is essentially an on-linebrochure with technical details and regional agent contacts awell- established network of distributors comprising 28 approvedsuppliers in 15 different countries. TildaTech were one of the rst
into the market and have an established presence. Their brand isknown and respected in the beauty treatment sector.
Weaknesses:Unfortunately for TildaTech, developments in technology are now
lowering barriers to entry meaning more competition. Until 18months ago TildaTechs product was one of only three productsavailable for this treatment. Now more companies are offering
inferior quality products at a lower cost that can achieve similarresults. So far, TildaTech have focused on getting the technology andmanufacturing quality right and developing a network of agents toaid distribution. The owners and senior management have all comefrom manufacturing backgrounds and consider TildaTech to be amanufacturing company.
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Through a workshop with TildaTechsmarketing team and three beautytherapists, the service design consultantshelped the company to develop a customersegmentation model. This allowed them tounderstand the attitudes and behaviourof end-users the people that actuallyuse their products. After checking thismodel with some of their larger long-standing customers, the service designershelped TildaTech put together a panelof experienced end-users who now meetonce a month. TildaTech use this panel tounderstand more about how, why, whenand where people use beauty and healthproducts and services.
In a parallel project the service designersworked closely with the productdevelopment team to understand howthey design and innovate products. Itwas essential that the user panel wasintegrated into the development process.The designers also helped the product
development team to commission acustomer insight programme that enabledthem to learn even more about the peoplethat use their products.
Although initially surprised by someof the ideas and opinions coming fromthe insight programme, the productdevelopment team came to see the valueof putting users at the heart of their
Working with service
designconsultants
Working with internal teams andcustomers to innovate new services
Developing new insights into customersand the means to use them
17creating the segmentation model
Designing-in service innovationprocesses
Looking at what customers value most
as a means to organise resources
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development strategy. After six monthsthe user panel was helping TildaTech toimpress their customers by suggestingnew service features and productfunctionality that the salons, spas andgyms had never considered.
In a further workshop the developmentteam looked at the sales processes thattake place in salons, spas and gyms.The team identied an opportunity to
provide more support to staff in theircustomers businesses. The designerswere commissioned to carry out a detailedanalysis of user journeys and to developsome simple support materials and webpages that helped to train staff whenand how to explain the benets of using
TildaTech products. The brief to thedesigners was aimed at helping everybodyto get the most out of TildaTech.
The success of the user insightprogramme gave the management team
the condence to hire service designersagain a year later to help identify newcustomers for new higher-value productsand services. Working closely withmanagement and the sales and marketingteams, the service designers ran a seriesof customer-spotting workshops wherethey invited a range of people fromdiverse sectors to help anticipate futureneeds and markets. TildaTech identied
cosmetic surgeries and other medical
18
discover
evolve
optimise
inform
excite
understanding the design process
Developing organisational structuresthat support staff who have directcontact with customers
Working with senior managers toexplore customer focus
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practices as a high growth, high marginsector. With their user panel alreadyin place TildaTech were able to testearly product and service ideas quickly,reducing risks and time to market.
TildaTech has now established a well-deserved reputation amongst itscustomers for its user-focused productdevelopment, and is now a regional leaderin the use of user insight and service
innovation in manufacturing.
19gaining user insight
Working with internal teams andcustomers to innovate new services
Managing risk through serviceprototyping
Developing service brands
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Remaining competitive by translatinga reputation for quality products intoquality services.
4.2 Brecon Furniture
Usingdesigntoimprove
service:examples
04
Businesscontext:Brecon Furniture manufacture high-end task seating for ofces
across Europe. Principal customers include corporate buyers of taskseating for the ofce, independent ofce furniture retailers, and
architectural and interior design speciers. Seventy-ve employees
work in modern premises in Mid Wales, and last year the companyreported turnover of 26.7 million.
Strengths:Brecon Furniture have a strong in-house design team. They havea clear design-led approach, with excellent attention to detail onproduct design and advertisements. They occasionally use high-prole external designers, and have effective ergonomic design
techniques and good brand awareness amongst customers. Theysell directly through their website, and they also have a singleLondon showroom. However, most sales come through a network of
independent, approved suppliers across Europe.
Weaknesses:On the downside, Brecon Furniture have high manufacturing costs as
all assembly and 50% of component manufacture is based in Wales.There is little scope for cost reduction on the UK manufacturingside of the business. Meanwhile competition is increasing as largermultinational manufacturers with foreign production bases aredriving prices down. In addition, Brecon Furniture faces a newcompetitive threat from ofce solutions provided by companies such
as IKEA, whose products are now of higher quality than before.
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Brecon Furniture have an established anddeserved reputation for quality that comesfrom the high standards they employ attheir manufacturing facility in Mid Wales.Quality in manufacturing can be mirroredby quality in service, but only if a companyunderstands and supports its customer-facing staff as Brecon Furniture foundout to their advantage.
With new and large competitors closing
in, Brecons management team knew thatthey had to avoid competing on price,and that they risked losing competitiveadvantage on quality as the standard oftheir competitors products increased.They identied service value as an
opportunity to remain distinctive, toevolve their brand in the light of newentrants and to retain share at the mid-volume, premium end of the market.
Through Design Wales they invited aservice design consultancy located in
the region to organise a series of openworkshops with Brecons employees toexplore how they could add service valueto their products.
Many of the staff that serve Breconscustomers directly were invited. Thefurniture delivery agents, not normallyincluded in management decisions,identied help and advice with
installation as a major customer need.
Working with service
designconsultants
21open workshops
Assisting organisations to become more
service focused
Developing organisational structuresthat support staff who have directcontact with customers
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Research with customers carried out by
the service designers after the workshopconrmed this. The management team
agreed that this was a real opportunity.
Delivery agents and the service designersworked to develop a training package and to train themselves in providingadvice to customers on installation. Thenew Total Delivery service was designedand prototyped through the Brecon
Furniture website with the help of thedesigners. This meant that managementcould carefully monitor and controlthe number of customers requestingthe service, and ask for their feedbackanonymously on-line.
With feedback from customers verypositive, and direct sales through thewebsite up, Brecon Furniture werecondent in the delivery agents as a
vital source of customer intelligence aswell as a means to add service value.
Brecon began to apply their own triedand tested approaches to quality to theTotal Delivery service. They integratedcustomer feedback from the deliveryagents into the service developmentprocess and heldbi-monthly meetings between designersand delivery agents.
In one such meeting the agents reportedthat customers, becoming used to help
22generating ideas
Identifying new opportunities forinnovation by looking at the wholesystem of service delivery
Managing risk through serviceprototyping
Designing the experiences thatcustomers have of customer-facing staff
Helping internal teams to interpret
their brand into new services andcustomer experiences
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with installation, were commentingthat they wished they had asked BreconFurniture more questions in advance ofplacing their order. As Brecon alreadyhad signicant expertise in ergonomic
and human factors design, they realisedthat they could also assist (and prot
from) offering customers ofce design and
layout services to match their furnitureproduct portfolio.
During the following year, sales anddelivery agents were trained to offeradvice to customers to determine theirrequirements. Brecon developed expertisein advising on storage, the design offurniture solutions for exible and
multi-use spaces, and in the commercialanalysis required to justify investing inquality.
With a reputation for manufacturingquality and a new reputation for service,Brecon Furnitures new Total Ofce
service proved very popular. Brecon
Furnitures expertise in translatinghuman factors research into ofce
environments, combined with theirability to design, supply and install ofce
furniture, has won them new, largercontracts. The company now plans toextend their Total Ofce service to a
growing number of smaller customers byopening retail stores in three of the UKsfastest-growing small-business districts,with customer service specialists asmanagers. 23planning environments
Generating ideas, modelling, visualising
and specifying new services
Developing service brands
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Using service innovation and designto overcome the barriers to entering a
well-served market with a new idea.
4.3GreenTaxis
Usingdesigntoimprove
service:examples
04
Businesscontext:Green Taxis is a very small start-up company in Cardiff, Waleslargest city. The company wants to operate Cardiffs rst eco-taxi
service with a eet of hybrid petrol/electric vehicles. They aim to
have 10 cars within 12 months.
Strengths:The companys principal target market are corporate clientsinterested in demonstrating their corporate social responsibilitythrough the use of environmentally-friendly services. It is intendedthat a relationship can be developed with corporate clients so thatthe majority of fares are paid for on account. In addition, Green Taxiswant to target the public who want to book a taxi for travel aroundthe city with the minimum impact on the environment.
Weaknesses:Due to the signicant cost for buying a licence to pick up from the
bus, train station and airport, all passengers will need to be pre-booked. There are 12 other well-established taxi rms operating in
Cardiff. Green Taxis is the only eco-taxi service in the city. This givesthem an advantage but also exposes the risk they are taking, asthere is no sustained demonstration of demand. As they cant pick uppassengers at the kerbside, they rely on word of mouth, their brand,and a well-designed experience for their passengers of booking GreenTaxis.
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Understanding the co-productive natureof service branding means workingclosely with customers. This is especiallyimportant for a service such as GreenTaxis where their core service offer isbased on selling a lifestyle choice ratherthan low prices or efciency. Service
design helped Green Taxis understandthis from the very beginning, makingtheir approach a model for many new eco-service companies across Europe.
Initially, the service designers helpedGreen Taxis research the environmentalposition of large local corporateorganisations. Once they had identied
the most progressive organisations in thearea, they contacted the personnel incharge of corporate social responsibility totell them about the new service.
Prior to the meetings they workedwith the service designers to developand visualise a range of marketingpropositions they could offer thecompanies. After the meetings they wentaway and developed unique, co-brandedservice options for the companies. Somerms opted to sponsor individual taxis,
some wanted a taxi outside their ofces at
all times, others decided to use their PR
teams to highlight the relationship to thelocal media.
Working with service
designconsultants
25customer thinking
Helping internal teams to interpret
their brand into new services andcustomer experiences
Developing new insights into customersand the means to use them
Helping organisations to visualise the
services they offer and how they offer
them
Generating ideas, modelling, visualisingand specifying new services
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This carefully co-produced servicebranding meant that Green Taxismarketing and PR budget was completely
nanced by their customers with plenty
of prot left over to invest in acquiring
more cars and drivers.
The publicity from the large companiesled new private customers to contactGreen Taxis through their website,asking how they could be sure of always
getting a Green Taxi. Working with theservice designers again, Green Taxisidentied two ways they could help these
new customers access the taxi service,whilst keeping overheads low for the newcompany.
First, Green Taxis knowledge of greenactivities and organisations in the areameant that they could set up a newwebsite to promote green initiativesin Cardiff. The website encouragedsmaller businesses to sign up to the siteto receive tips and ideas on going green(and proting from it). The site helped to
build awareness of Green Taxis. Data onsmaller rms was then used to identify
the greenest areas of the city, and GreenTaxis began to directly market theirservice in these neighbourhoods.
Second, working closely with severalvolunteer green users who regularlyhired the taxi service for private use,the service designers helped Green 26proposition development
Identifying opportunities to reduceoverall costs to serve customers
Working with internal teams andcustomers to innovate new services
Designing the opportunities forcustomers to provide feedback and toparticipate
Developing new insights into customersand the means to use them
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Taxis identify the barriers for privateindividuals using the service. Theydiscovered that although these customerswould prefer a Green Taxis to a normaltaxi, they werent prepared to wait morethan ve minutes longer for a Green Taxi
than a normal taxi. They also found thatcustomers resented having to wait on holdwhen booking any taxis by telephone.
Green Taxis worked with the service
designers to design and implement aservice for customers allowing them touse SMS to indicate their approximatelocation to be picked up from (a streetname or a postcode). Provided thecustomer is near the city centre, GreenTaxis can then reply by SMS immediatelyto reassure them that they will not haveto wait more than ve minutes. Green
Taxis can now dispatch a car and call thecustomer back withinve minutes.
27proposition specifcation
Generating ideas, modelling, visualisingand specifying new services
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The list opposite details those whoare developing and working withservice design and where to nd more
information and guidance.
References05
Academic
Dr Bill Hollins
http://www.wmin.ac.uk/wbs/page-228
Prof. Birgit Magerhttp://kisd.de/mager.html?lang=en
Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmarkhttp://www.mci.sdu.dk/m/GenInfo/GenInfo.htm
Design Innovation Education Centre (DIEC)
http://www.onenortheast.co.uk/page/diec.cfm
Emergence Conference, Carnegie Mellon Universityhttp://www.design.cmu.edu/emergence/2007/
Design Management Institutehttp://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
EstablishedServiceDesignConsultancies
Enginehttp://www.enginegroup.co.uk
Ideo
http://www.ideo.com
live|workhttp://www.livework.co.uk
28
This project has been commissioned by Design Walesand produced by Engine Service Design.
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designb
yengineservicedesign
www.en
ginegroup.co.u
k
service design