Service Mapping and Blueprinting

Introduction

• Speaker: Vish Krishnan
• Topic: Fundamental techniques for understanding and improving service systems.
• Focus on service mapping and blueprinting.
• Importance: Valuable for generating innovative service ideas and enhancing existing service organizations.

Definitions

Service Map

• Diagrammatic description of an existing service system (e.g. theater, restaurant, bank).
• Depicts how the system works, interfaces with customers, fulfills needs, and captures value.

Service Blueprint

• Pictorial description of a proposed service system, used for design and construction of new systems.
• Similar to blueprints in architecture, helps in creating high-performing service systems.

Distinction Between Map and Blueprint

• Service Map: Describes existing service systems.
• Service Blueprint: Prescribes new service systems.
• Both depict layers separated by dotted lines indicating various boundaries.

Customer Journey

• Begins with the customer’s actions in the service setting.
• Interaction between customers and frontline employees occurs across the line of interaction.
• Frontline employees are those who directly interact with customers.

Lines of Visibility

1. Line of Interaction: Where customer and frontline employee actions occur.
2. Line of Visibility: Separates visible actions from those that are not visible (back office work).
3. Line of Internal Interaction: Differentiates back office work from enterprise-wide support infrastructure.

Components of Service Map/Blueprint

• Shows component steps or activities involved, customer experiences, support activities.
• Useful in design and redesign stages of new services.
• Helps align varying views of service delivery among stakeholders (customers, employees, managers).

Example: Dining Experience at a Restaurant

• Customer journey includes:
  • Arrival, check-in, seating, ordering, enjoying food, paying, leaving.
• Touch points: Interactions with service professionals (seating, ordering, payment).
• Importance of perfecting customer interaction for satisfaction.

Back Office Operations

• Involves tasks not visible to customers (e.g. food preparation, ambiance maintenance).
• Efficiency is key; operations should be smooth and swift.

Support Systems

• Infrastructure beneath the line of visibility includes:
  • Design concepts, menu creation, ingredient procurement, supplier relationships, financial systems.

Balancing Tangible and Intangible Elements

• Tangible elements: Quality of food and service.
• Intangible elements: Customer interaction and experience management.
• Importance of recovering from service failures to ensure loyalty.

Managing Customer Stress and Anxiety

• Recognizing fluctuations in customer anxiety levels during their journey.
• Implementing countermeasures (e.g. communication regarding wait times).

Designing New Service Experiences

• Blueprinting involves anticipating customer interactions and support tasks.
• Setting standards for frontline activities and defining lines of visibility.
• Choices made in the design process affect customer experience and business growth.

Examples of Design Choices

• Comparison of Chipotle vs. Rubios:
  • Chipotle: Food preparation visible to customers.
  • Rubios: Food preparation hidden from customers.

Importance of Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Successful service delivery requires teamwork across operations, marketing, HR, etc.
• Mapping and blueprinting facilitate alignment in service goals and performance.

Applications of Service Mapping and Blueprinting

• Quality improvement: Identifying weak points, recovering from failures, conducting root cause analysis.
• New service innovation: Developing service concepts and mapping customer journeys.

Summary

• Service mapping and blueprinting unify the customer front-line and service organizations.
• Helps visualize current operational features and formulate new service approaches.
• Contributes to improved customer satisfaction and organizational performance.