Designing services that deliver

Considering the extent to which the service industry contributes to our GNP, very little has been said or written about the application of rational management techniques to the development of new services. Many believe that good service results from the style of an individual entrepreneur or company and is therefore highly idiosyncratic.

As a result of her years of experience with service organizations, Ms. Shostack thinks it’s time that managers subject service development to more rigorous analysis and control. This very pragmatic article describes how the use of a blueprint can help a service developer not only to identify problems before they happen but also to see the potential for other market opportunities. While the blueprint is most useful to managers developing new services, others can apply the same principles to test the quality of services for which they contract.