Chapter 7: Service Processes

Extent of Contact

may be roughly defined as the percentage of time the customer must be in the system relative to the total time it takes to preform the customer service

High Degree of Customer Contact

more difficult to control and more difficult to rationalize, the customer can affect the time of demand, the exact nature of the service, and the quantity or perceived quality of service because the customer is so involved in the process

Low degree of Customer Contact

much easier to control due to lack of involvement of the customer

Infinite Population

the population is large enough in relation to the service system so that the population size caused by subtractions or additions to the population does not significantly affect the system probabilities

Pure virtual customer contact

where companies such as eBay and second life enable customers to interact with one another in an open environment

Mixed Virtual and Actual Customer Contact

where customers interact with one another in a server-moderated environment such as product discussion groups

Service Blueprint

A flowchart of a process emphasizing what is visible and what is not visible to the customer

Exponential Distribution

A probability distribution associated with the time between arrivals

Queuing System

A process where customers wait in line for service

Balking

Arrive, view and leave

Reneging

Arrive, wait awhile, then leave

Factors of the Queuing System

Length Number of lines Queue Discipline

Poisson Distribution

Probability distribution for the number of arrivals during each time period

Arrival Rate

The expected number of customers that arrive each period

Service Rate

The number of customers a server can handle during a given time period

High and Low degree of customer contact

a concept that relates to the physical presence of the customer in the system

Poka-yokes

procedures included in a service blueprint that block the inevitable mistake from becoming a service defect

Customer Contact

refers to the physical presence of the customer in the system

Creation of the service

refers to the work process involved in providing the service itself