Service Innovation (Lance A. Bettencourt)
Problem
Customers reject services that fail to meet their most important needs.
Action
Identify the needs customers use to judge whether a service creates value.
Outcome
Service decisions reflect what customers value most.
Chapter: Customer Needs That Drive Service Innovation - How Do Service Customers Define Value?
Problem
A service provides little value if it does not help customers achieve better results.
Action
Design every part of the service to help customers complete their jobs more effectively.
Outcome
Customers gain more useful results.
Chapter: Customer Needs That Drive Service Innovation - How Can Services Create Value?
Problem
A service strategy loses focus without a clear understanding of customer priorities.
Action
Develop the service strategy around the customer jobs and needs with the highest value.
Outcome
Innovation efforts stay aligned with customer demand.
Chapter: Customer Needs That Drive Service Innovation - How Is a Successful Service Strategy Developed?
Problem
Service improvements miss the mark when the customer's main purpose is unclear.
Action
Define the primary job customers hire your service to perform.
Outcome
Improvements address the service's most important purpose.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for New Service Innovation - Discover Why Your Service Is Hired
Problem
Future growth opportunities remain hidden when only current use is considered.
Action
Look for new situations where customers could hire your service.
Outcome
New service opportunities become visible.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for New Service Innovation - Discover Why Your Service Might Be Hired
Problem
Innovation remains limited when only one customer job is examined.
Action
Identify the related jobs customers perform before, during, or after the core job.
Outcome
The service creates value across more customer activities.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for New Service Innovation - Discover Other Jobs of Customers
Problem
Customers become dissatisfied when completing the job requires unnecessary effort.
Action
Find ways to simplify the customer's experience throughout the job.
Outcome
The service becomes easier and more satisfying to use.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for New Service Innovation - Discover Experience Jobs of Customers
Problem
Customers remain unsatisfied when emotional needs are ignored.
Action
Identify and support the emotions customers want to experience.
Outcome
Customers develop a stronger preference for the service.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for New Service Innovation - Discover Emotional Jobs
Problem
Changing customer behavior creates unmet needs that are easy to overlook.
Action
Observe new situations that create new customer jobs over time.
Outcome
Innovation stays relevant as customer needs change.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for New Service Innovation - Discover New and Emerging Jobs
Problem
Innovation lacks direction when the core job is poorly defined.
Action
Describe the customer's core job in clear, practical terms.
Outcome
Teams focus on solving the right problem.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Core Service Innovation - Define the Core Job
Problem
Improvement opportunities remain hidden without a structured view of the job.
Action
Break the core job into the sequence of steps customers perform.
Outcome
Specific opportunities become easier to identify.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Core Service Innovation - Map the Core Job
Problem
Innovation becomes unfocused when desired outcomes are unclear.
Action
List the outcomes customers expect at each step of the core job.
Outcome
Development targets improvements that matter most.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Core Service Innovation - Uncover Outcomes
Problem
Customers often depend on multiple complementary solutions to complete a single job.
Action
Define the core job across complementary solutions.
Outcome
Broader innovation opportunities are uncovered.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Core Service Innovation - Define a Core Job Across Complementary Solutions
Problem
Customers can choose different solutions to accomplish the same job.
Action
Study substitute solutions that perform the same core job.
Outcome
The service becomes easier to differentiate.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Core Service Innovation - Define a Core Job Across Substitutes
Problem
Functional improvements alone do not fully satisfy customers.
Action
Relate desired job outcomes to the emotional results customers seek.
Outcome
The service delivers greater customer value.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Core Service Innovation - Relate Outcomes to Emotional Jobs
Problem
Customers encounter obstacles before receiving the service.
Action
Map every step customers follow to obtain the service.
Outcome
Service delivery barriers become easier to remove.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Service Delivery Innovation - The Universal Job Map for Obtaining Service
Problem
Weak service delivery reduces the value of a good service.
Action
Identify opportunities for improvement throughout the delivery process.
Outcome
Customers receive a smoother service experience.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Service Delivery Innovation - Discover Service Delivery Innovation Opportunities
Problem
Poor employee interactions reduce customer confidence.
Action
Improve how employees communicate with and assist customers.
Outcome
Customers experience more trustworthy service.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Service Delivery Innovation - Interpersonal Service Encounters
Problem
The core service alone may not meet every customer need.
Action
Develop supplementary services that help customers complete the core job.
Outcome
Customers receive more complete support.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Supplementary Service Innovation - Discover Supplementary Service Innovation Opportunities Related to the Core Job
Problem
Customers perform important work before and after using the service.
Action
Create supplementary services that support the entire consumption chain.
Outcome
Customers complete related activities with less effort.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Supplementary Service Innovation - Discover Supplementary Service Innovation Opportunities Related to Consumption Chain Jobs
Problem
Products lose value when customers lack ongoing support.
Action
Provide services that help customers successfully use and maintain products.
Outcome
Customers achieve better long-term results.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Supplementary Service Innovation - Discover Supplementary Service Innovation Opportunities Related to Product Support
Problem
Other participants influence whether the customer succeeds.
Action
Identify and support the people who help complete the customer job.
Outcome
The overall service experience improves.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Supplementary Service Innovation - Discover Supplementary Service Innovation Opportunities of Related Job Executors
Problem
Operational challenges reduce service quality.
Action
Examine how the provider performs and delivers the service.
Outcome
Operational improvements become easier to identify.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Service Delivery Innovation: The Provider Perspective
Problem
Hidden process problems reduce delivery performance.
Action
Document the sequence of activities required to provide the service.
Outcome
Operational improvements become easier to prioritize.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Service Delivery Innovation: The Provider Perspective - The Universal Job Map for Providing Service
Problem
Service improvements fail when provider needs are ignored.
Action
Design service improvements that support both customers and providers.
Outcome
Service delivery becomes more reliable.
Chapter: Discover Opportunities for Service Delivery Innovation: The Provider Perspective - The Service Provider Perspective
Problem
Weak performance in one delivery area lowers the overall service experience.
Action
Assess each major dimension of service delivery for improvement.
Outcome
Service quality becomes more consistent.
Chapter: Discover Ways to Differentiate Service Delivery - The Dimensions of Service Delivery
Problem
Customers overlook services that offer no meaningful differences.
Action
Improve the aspects of service delivery that customers value most.
Outcome
The service stands out from competing alternatives.
Chapter: Discover Ways to Differentiate Service Delivery - Discover Points of Service Delivery Differentiation
Problem
New service concepts lack direction without a guiding strategy.
Action
Create a clear service strategy before designing new service concepts.
Outcome
Innovation efforts remain focused and consistent.
Chapter: Define Innovative Service Concepts - Develop a Service Strategy
Problem
Customer insights create little value until they become practical service designs.
Action
Develop service concepts that directly address validated customer needs.
Outcome
New services are ready for development.
Chapter: Define Innovative Service Concepts - Define Innovative Service Concepts