Services are not afterthoughts. With a service-focused strategy, organisations are able to communicate innovative ideas in a more tangible and convincing way. This approach also enables organisations to offer the right services for customers and serve them at the right time. Together with a trial-and-error approach , organisations are able to offer services that are less risky and make customers come back for more.
Unleash the potential of your organisation
It is almost a universal phenomenon that organisations are under-investing in services, while spending tons of money in product development and brand communication. However, the service industry is the growth engine of most economies, powering the knowledge and high-tech sectors. Service development, therefore, offers huge and untapped potential for businesses. What organisations need is a well designed service strategy.
Service-focused mindset
Although the world has well passed the industrial age, many organisations are still stuck with product-oriented thinking. Organisations should instead migrate to a service-focused mindset, in order to develop services that are valued by and relevant to customers.
A service strategy should have at least three components: tangibility, timeliness, and a trial-and-error spirit.
Tangibility: storytelling brings concepts to life
Services by nature are more abstract than products, and are difficult to be communicated. However, like any business strategy, confusion within an organisation hinders success. A service strategy has to be well understood across the organisation, so that it can be successfully executed.
The most effective method to bring service concepts to life is storytelling. Stories put abstract services and ideas in a context that people understand. Good stories are tangible and are able to inform, excite and engage with everyone in the organisation.
A service strategy should not only provide strategic direction, but should clarify how service should be organised for customers across the organisation, instead of creating one more help-desk.
“90% of our communication with customers is when we service them, so our service IS our brand.”
- Brand and Communications Director, Global Pharmacy brand
Purpose and adventurous spirit
Many business leaders understand the potential for services and the demand from customers. Still, they struggle to decide what services to be offered and what the purpose should be. Services are so much more than fixing or preempting service failures.
Also, after you have a tangible vision of the new service, it’s time to be adventurous. Try your ideas and learn from any errors, so that your organisation will be well set on the path towards competitive advantage, equity and profits.
Strategic thinking about services
Services are not afterthoughts. They have the potential to increase customer loyalty through building and maintaining good relationship, while adding value and uniqueness to your products. A well defined service strategy guides an organisation to design a service that will deliver high profit margins at low risk, as well as appreciated by customers.
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