5 It is holistic

Keep the big picture!

Although services are intangible, they take place in a physical environment, using physical artefacts and do in most instances generate some form of physical outcome. Subconsciously, customers perceive this environment with all their senses. We see, hear, smell, touch and taste the physical manifestation of services.

Which aspects need to be considered when designing services?

Genuinely working in a holistic way is an illusion, it is simply impossible to consider every single aspect of a service. However, the intention should always be to see the wider context in which a service process takes place.

At the level of individual touchpoints and service moments, the focus should be on the environment where the service takes place. The conscious awareness of what customers might otherwise perceive subconsciously with their senses can have a profound impact on the experience of the service itself.

At the level of the service sequence, there should be a focus on alternative customer journeys. There are always a number of alternative touchpoints and approaches, which need to be taken into account. Sequences change and need to be repeatedly reappraised from various perspectives to ensure a great customer experience. Hence, it is important to map the mood and feelings of all stakeholders throughout the service journey.

At the level of the service provider, the focus should be on the orga-nisation of the service provider. The system design of an organisation, its inherent culture, values and norms as well as its organisational structure and processes are important issues for the design of services. Disparities between the corporate identity embodied by the organisation’s management and staff and the corporate image perceived by the customers need to be ironed out. This can help promote a service mindset within the organisation and to articulate the importance of employee and customer motivation.

To summarise, service design thinking supports the co-operation of different disciplines towards the goal of corporate success through enhanced customer experiences, employee satisfaction, and integration of sophisticated technological processes in pursuing corporate objectives.