The brave new service strategy: aligning customer relationships, market strategies, and business structures

665 Pages·2000·1.65 MB·English

by  Barbara A. Gutek

The Brave New Service Strategy : Aligning
title: Customer Relationships, Market Strategies,
and Business Structures
author: Gutek, Barbara A.; Welsh, Theresa M.
publisher: AMACOM Books
isbn10 | asin: 0814405274
print isbn13: 9780814405277
ebook isbn13: 9780585317748
language: English
subject Customer services.
publication date: 2000
lcc: HF5415.5.G878 2000eb
ddc: 658.8/12
subject: Customer services.
Page iii
The Brave New Service Strategy
Aligning Customer Relationships, Market Strategies, and
Business Structures
Barbara A. Gutek and
Theresa Welsh
Page iv
Special discounts on bulk quantities of AMACOM books are
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AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601
Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Tel.: [phone] Fax: 212-903-
8083
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative
information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the
understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other
expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional
person should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gutek, Barbara A.
The brave new service strategy : aligning customer relationships,
market strategies, and business structures / Barbara A. Gutek and
Theresa Welsh.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8144-0527-4
1. Customer services. 1. Welsh, Theresa M.
HF5415.5.G78 2000
658.8'12dc21 99-054932
© 2000 Barbara A. Gutek and Theresa Welsh.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of AMACOM, a division of
American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY
10019.
Printing number
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Page v
Contents
Preface ix
Why This Book? ix
The Concept: Encounter vs. Relationship x
Pseudo-Relationships and Enhanced Encounters xii
The Plan of the Book xiv
Business Owners, Operations Managers, Consultants xvi
Need This Information
Chapter One 1
Service Businesses: Successful but Still Merely Adequate?
Why So Much Dissatisfaction? 1
Was Service Better in the "Good Old Days"? 11
Mass Produced Service in the Information Age 16
Conclusion 22
Chapter Two 25
Encounters and Relationships: Understanding the
Changing Structure of Service
The Structure of Service Organizations 25
The Differences 36
Planning for Peaks and Valleys 50
Worker Satisfaction 50
Profits 57
Conclusion 58
Chapter Three 60
Customers, Organizations, and Providers: Managing the
Links of the Brave New Service
What Is the Best Way to Structure a Service Business? 60
Page vi
Relationships and What They Mean 64
The Pseudo-Relationship 73
Businesses That Are Just Encounters, Nothing More 86
Conclusion 87
Chapter Four 89
Encounter Businesses: Devising Processes, Designing
Jobs, and Creating Encounters
Why Encounters? 89
Devising Processes 92
Designing Jobs 96
Turning Relationships Into Encounters 103
What Are the Drawbacks of an Encounter Business? 124
Conclusion 125
Chapter Five 128
Machine Providers: Managing the Automated Service
Process
Advantages of Automated Service 128
Computer as Information Provider 138
So Why Don't People Use Automated Service? 152
Conclusion 155
Chapter Six 159
From Pseudo-Relationships to Enhanced Encounters:
Forging the Customer-Organization Link
What Is an Enhanced Encounter? 159
Successful Enhanced Encounters 166
Winning Customer Loyalty 180
Conclusion 185
Chapter Seven 188
Relationship Businesses: Using the Original Service
Model
What Are Relationship Businesses? 188
Starting a Relationship Business 209
Conclusion 214
Page vii
Chapter Eight 217
Using Technology: Building Profits and Pleasing
Customers
Using Technology to Create Efficient Service 217
A Short History of Machine Service 231
How Relationship Providers Use Technology 236
Conclusion 243
Chapter Nine 246
Service Within, Outside, and Between Organizations:
Creating Ties That Bind
Service Within Business Organizations 246
Service Between Companies 259
Conclusion 270
Chapter Ten 272
Brave New Service Strategy: Creating Satisfied
Customers, Successful Organizations, and Effective
Providers
Revisiting Dissatisfaction 272
Service in the Twenty-First Century 275
The Future for Customers 281
The Future for Service Organizations 288
Service Success 293
Conclusion 296
Index 299
About the Authors 315