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Service Design Thinking
Service Design Thinking can be outlined along five basic principles.
User-centered refers to the participative character of services, for successful services the customer is the king. Thus, the service provider needs to be the flexible part in this relationship and adapt the service offer to individual customer needs. This would not work without a genuine understanding of the customer; hence gaining authentic user insights is a crucial presupposition for a successful service design process. Furthermore, user-centered design offers a common language all involved actors always can rely on as a least common denominator: the simple user’s language.
Co-creativity reduces the probability of missing customer requirements when designing service products. Therefore, service design tries to include all decisive stakeholders during the design process, using various inter-disciplinary methods and tools to gain vital input of all involved actors. Moreover, co-creativity refers as well to the later service product, since co-creativity evokes or at least supports co-ownership of customers with »their« services, causing trust, loyalty and recommendation.
Sequencing illustrates the timeline of service processes, since rhythm and timing are essential for customer satisfaction. Just like a movie consists out of a sequence of scenes, a service process consists out of a sequence of touchpoints, likewise including suspense and climax. However, what makes a good movie is simply a good story and customers tend building relationships to meaningful
stories. Thus, an appealing story beyond a service product, embodying itself through each touchpoint, supports building the important relationship between customer and product.
Evidencing reveals services occurring unnoticed in the background using symbols like folded toilet paper for completed room services. In addition, evidences prolong the timeline of services, like souvenirs or giveaways trigger the memory of service moments even long after the actual service product, or the integration of social network communication provokes curiosity and authenticity, like communicating the progress of event preparations on facebook or twitter. Evidences thus refer to both physical and virtual features and should be consciously designed according to the service product’s story and touchpoint sequence, resulting in sustainable emotional bonding.
Holistic not only relates to the service process, which should reflect the sequence of touchpoints before, during and after a service, as well as all involved actors and the environment in which services take place, but also relates to the activated senses during specific service moments. Services need to be designed including optical, acoustical, haptical, olfactory and gustatory aspects, and need to consider the mood and feelings triggered by this. Only a substantial understanding of the involved actors allows delivering meaningful services. This leads to the inter-disciplinary approach of service design, which includes the involvement of various disciplines and a process open to input from any resources.