Showing papers on "Service level objective published in 1999"

Principles of service marketing and management

Abstract: I. UNDERSTANDING SERVICES. 1. Why Study Services? 2. Understanding Service Processes. II. THE SERVICE CUSTOMER. 3. Managing Service Encounters. 4. Customer Behavior in Service Environments. 5. Relationship Marketing and Customer Loyalty. 6. Complaint Handling and Service Recovery. III. SERVICE MARKETING STRATEGY. 7. The Service Product. 8. Pricing Strategies for Services. 9. Promotion, Education, and Physical Evidence. 10. Service Positioning and Design. IV. SERVICE DELIVERY ISSUES. 11. Creating Delivery Systems in Place, Cyberspace, and Time. 12. Creating Value through Productivity and Quality. 13. Balancing Demand and Capacity. 14. Managing Customer Waiting Lines and Reservations. V. INTEGRATING MARKETING, OPERATIONS, AND HUMAN RESOURCES. 15. Employee Roles in Service Organizations. 16. The Impact of Technology on Services. 17. Organizing for Service Leadership. Cases. Glossary. Index.

The Service Provider Switching Model (SPSM): A Model of Consumer Switching Behavior in the Services Industry

Abstract: Building on Keaveney’s work and using related studies from the disciplines of marketing and psychology, a model of service provider switching was developed. It was empirically examined using struct...

Distinguishing between service relationships and encounters

Abstract: In 3 separate studies, the authors developed measures of different social mechanisms used in the interaction between a customer and a service provider and examined their effects. Service relationships occur when a customer has repeated contact with the same provider. Service encounters occur when the customer interacts with a different provider each time. Service pseudorelationships are a particular kind of encounter in which a customer interacts with a different provider each time, but within a single company. The 3 studies showed consistently that customers having a service relationship with a specific provider had more service interactions and were more satisfied than those who did not have one. These results held across 7 different service areas, 3 diverse samples, and 2 different ways of measuring a service relationship.

Service level management in a hybrid network architecture

Abstract: A Service Level Management system is provided. A notification of a service level problem within a combination packet-switching and circuit-switching hybrid network is received by the system. The service level agreement is retrieved and the problem is checked against the agreement to determine if the agreement has been met. The notification of the problem is prioritized with a second notification of a second service level problem based on a number of times the agreement has not been met. Next, a resolution for the service level problem within the hybrid network is determined. The resolution may include a status report, resolution notification, problem reports, service reconfiguration, trouble notification, service level agreement violations, and/or outage notification. The progress of the implementation of the resolution is tracked. Finally, the hybrid network is managed based on the future predicted behavior of the network.

Systems and methods for performing integrated financial transactions

Abstract: A system for a small business owner to manage a plurality of different financial accounts and services and to perform a number of different financial transactions wherein each of the transactions may involve multiple subtransactions which occur among different financial service providers. The system includes a network basedsystem which includes a plurality of client systems (12) connected through a network (20) such as the Internet IP network or server system (14) which can connect to financial service providers (18). Server (14) is also coupled to a database (16) that stores information representative of subscriber's accounts.

Accounting method and apparatus for communications networks

Abstract: An accounting framework is provided for a communications system (10) having a plurality of service providers, including cellular service providers (40, 42) and/or data network service providers, e.g., Internet service providers (36, 38). Accounting units (70) containing accounting information are exchanged between service providers to allow the service providers to charge for usage of services. The accounting units (70) have a predetermined format to allow them to be exchanged between different service providers. Each accounting unit (70) includes a plurality of fields, including a service type field (71), a usage of radio interface field (72), a usage of a visited or external network field (73), a usage of mobility management field (74), a quality of service field (78), a usage of a packet data protocol field (82), and other fields. Users may be charged for services based on these fields.

System, method and article of manufacture of a proactive threhold manager in a hybrid communication system architecture

Abstract: According to a broad aspect of a preferred embodiment of the invention, telephone calls, data and other multimedia information is routed through a hybrid network which includes transfer of information across the internet utilizing telephony routing information and internet protocol address information. The hybrid network includes a Proactive Threshold Manager which forewarns service providers of an impending breach of contract. The Proactive Threshold Manager sends an alarm to the service provider when the current level of service will miss a service level agreement to maintain a certain level of service.

Methods and systems for service level agreement enforcement on a data-over cable system

Abstract: Methods and system for service level agreement enforcement on a data-over-cable system. One or more service level agreements are created including one or more class-of-service or quality-of-service parameters. A pool of Internet Protocol addresses is allocated for the one or more service level agreements. Configuration files including service level agreement parameters are used to initialize cable modems or customer premise equipment. When a cable modem or customer premise equipment requests use of a service level agreement, an Internet Protocol address from the pool of Internet Addresses associated with a desired service level agreement is assigned. The service level agreements are enforced using the Internet Protocol address from a cable modem termination system including an integral switch cable access router and a bandwidth manager. The cable modem termination system with integral components are duplicated to provide a “hot back” up in case of failure and increase reliability for using service level agreements. The cable access router enforces maximum rate limits for service level agreements. The switch switches data streams from external networks from the data-over-cable system. The bandwidth manager provides class-of-service or quality-of-service services with policy management and detects network trends, measures network response time and generates reports. The bandwidth manager also monitors, regulates and shapes traffic based on service level agreement requests at a data-link layer level. The methods and system allow service level agreements to be used on a data-over-cable system without adversely affecting performance or throughput on the data-over-cable system. The methods and system may also help provide service level agreements in a data-over-cable system in a more reliable manner.

System, method and article of manufacture for providing a customer interface in a hybrid network

Abstract: According to a broad aspect of a preferred embodiment of the invention, a Customer Interface Process is provided. First, a service level agreement is received for a hybrid network customer. Next, the service level agreement is stored after which inquiries are received from network customers reflecting occurrences related to the hybrid network. Thereafter, events are generated based on the customer inquiries and the service level agreement.

An Examination of Factors Affecting Service Recovery in a Restaurant Setting

Abstract: This study contributes to the literature on service recovery. As in prior studies, service recovery was found to have a significant impact on consumer satisfaction. However, the results of this stu...

Positioning services along the volume‐variety diagonal

Abstract: Draws on the service management literature to enhance understanding of the key operational differences in managing professional services, at one extreme, and mass services, at the other. Contributions are drawn together, developed and integrated into the service process model. This yields an understanding of the contingencies which render the design, control and improvement of different service processes appropriate. Strategic implications of the service process model are considered. It is contended that cost effective services will be positioned along the volume‐variety diagonal. It is proposed that the service process model can be used as a strategic tool in three ways. First, it can be used to evaluate possible strategic moves along the volume‐variety diagonal. Second, it can be used to analyse a competitive area and evaluate a service offering relative to the competition. Third, it can be used to analyse internal organisational processes with a view to identifying processes which have different volume‐variety characteristics and which should therefore perhaps be managed separately.

Waiting for service: the effectiveness of recovery strategies

Abstract: Two experiments examined the effectiveness of service recovery strategies in situations where the service firm made customers wait even though they had made a reservation. The recovery strategies ‐ apology only, assistance, compensation, assistance plus compensation ‐ which reflected industry practices, did not lead to positive future intentions towards the service firm. While assistance plus compensation was the most effective strategy, respondents still held negative future intentions towards the service firm. Other factors that had an impact included the type of hospitality service, restaurant or hotel, and the purpose for buying the service. The major implication was that current industry recovery practices were inadequate in mitigating negative intentions. When service firms break a promise, effective recovery requires considerable effort to overcome customers’ negative intentions.

Mapping customers’ service experience for operations improvement

Abstract: The growing importance of the service sector in almost every economy in the world has created a significant amount of interest in service operations. In practice, many service sectors have sought and made use of various enhancement programs to improve their operations and performance in an attempt to hold competitive success. As most researchers recognize, service operations link with customers. The customers as participants act in the service operations system driven by the goal of sufficing his/her added values. This is one of the distinctive features of service production and consumption. In the paper, first, we propose the idea of service operations improvement by mapping objectively the service experience of customers from the view of customer journey. Second, a portraying scheme of service experience of customers based on the IDEF3 technique is proposed, and last, some implications on service operations improvement are given.

Customer-driven qos in hybrid communication system

Abstract: According to a broad aspect of a preferred embodiment of the invention, a Customer Quality of Service Management system is provided. First, a hybrid network event is received which may include customer inquiries, required reports, completion notification, quality of service terms, service level agreement terms, service problem data, quality data, network performance data, and/or network configuration data. Next, the system determines customer reports to be generated and generates the customer reports accordingly based on the event received.

Service contract for managing service systems

Abstract: A service contract system for providing a service includes a communication network, a plurality of parties coupled to the communication network and a service contract specifying unambiguous rules of interaction for the parties during transactions for the service. A method for managing service transactions between a plurality of parties coupled to a communication network, includes the steps of jointly developing a service contract having unambiguous rules of interaction between the plurality of parties regarding a service, registering the service contract in each of the plurality of parties and generating, from the service contract, enforcer modules consistent with the rules of interaction for managing transactions of the service.

Predicting Queueing Delays

Abstract: This paper investigates the possibility of predicting each customer's waiting time in queue before starting service in a multiserver service system with the first-come first-served service discipline, such as a telephone call center. A predicted waiting-time distribution or an appropriate summary statistic such as the mean or the 90th percentile may be communicated to the customer upon arrival and possibly thereafter in order to improve customer satisfaction. The predicted waiting-time distribution may also be used by the service provider to better manage the service system, e.g., to help decide when to add additional service agents. The possibility of making reliable predictions is enhanced by exploiting information about system state, including the number of customers in the system ahead of the current customer. Additional information beyond the number of customers in the system may be obtained by classifying customers and the service agents to which they are assigned. For nonexponential service times, the elapsed service times of customers in service can often be used to advantage to compute conditional-remaining-service-time distributions. Approximations are proposed to convert the distributions of remaining service times into the distribution of the desired customer waiting time. The analysis reveals the advantage from exploiting additional information.

Role Theory and the Management of Service Encounters

Abstract: In this article, the contribution of role theory to our understanding and management of service encounters is highlighted. In the first section of the article the focus on social exchange within role theory is identified and commonalities between relational approaches to marketing and a role theoretical perspective are outlined. Thereafter the article outlines the specific contribution of role theory to our understanding of service encounters. Role theory, it is argued, permits better management of the interactive features of service provider-client interface and a clearer focus on role performance and the interpersonal dimensions of service quality. Role analysis offers both focus on role consistency in service provision and a framework for dealing with the uncertainty and evolution in long term service relationships. In services marketing, role can be incorporated as a factor in successful service performance and form a central framework for good service encounter management.

System for provding services in real-time overthe internet

Abstract: The present invention is a service provider/customer matching system designed to provide customers with real-time indication of each service provider's state of availability and telephony connectivity. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes a web site, which stores, updates, and displays service provider information. A customer would, upon accessing this web site, conduct a search for a particular type of service provider and be able to tell immediately if one or more service providers matching the search criteria were available at that moment to provide services. After the customer selected a service provider, the customer would have the option of viewing more detailed information about the service provider, sending a message to the service provider if the service provider is not immediately available, or initiating a telephone conversation with the service provider if he or she is on call and available. While the call is taking place, the customer would accrue charges on a per minute basis. The service provider would later receive all or part of the accrued charges for that call.

Distributed adaptive computing

Abstract: A system and a method for managing, organizing, and allocating service providers in the operational environment of a distributed computer network by applying trade and price mechanisms to a plurality of resource allocation decisions. Local resource allocation rules are set forth for maintaining a near-optimal, global load distribution. The service providers are dynamically allocated based upon the supply of the providers and the demand thereof. An automated mechanism, based on service provider reputation, channels demand away from failing or broken service providers. Strategic load balancing rules cause the elimination of ineffective service providers, and also provide a dynamic replication of service providers that cannot handle the current demand. Further, a method for managing the overall system behavior utilizes administrative surcharges.

Method for allowing users to purchase professional services in a private chat room through a service brokerage via the internet

Abstract: A method for allowing a user to access a plurality of service providers through a service brokerage via the Internet. The service brokerage establishes accounts with the service providers and the user. Once a user logs in to the service brokerage, the user is presented with a set of private service provider chat rooms that are on on-line. The set can be chosen based upon a predetermined criterion. Once the user selects a chat room of a chosen provider, the service provider must allow the user access to that service provider's chat room. A user profile may be provided to the service provider to aid in the admission process. Once a user is inside a chat room, the chat room is closed and the user and service provider can privately interact in the occupied chat room via the Internet. The service provider can have access to, and modify, a user information file of the user during the session, and the user can have access to the file once the session is over. The user's account is charged with a user service fee, and the service provider's account is credited with a service provider fee, according to the length of time the user spends in the occupied chat room of the service provider.

Security service level agreements: quantifiable security for the enterprise?

Abstract: A popular business paradigm for information systems treats the information infrastructure as a corporate utility. In this model, a fixed Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is associated with a given workstation, the network infrastructure, user applications, and personnel required for operational support. Related to the TCO model is the Seat Management model, which exploits the economies of standardization and scale to reduce information technology expenses. In both of these models, a defined, measurable, service level is applied as a cost metric, For example, seven days per week, twenty-four hour help desk support is more costly than five clays per week, business hours support. These measurable service levels are defined as Service Level Agreements. Few security services have been specified in terms that are amenable to Service Level Agreements. This raises the question -- can security be adequately expressed in a Service Level Agreement context. This paper looks at a derivation of security related service level agreements for a large enterprise. The possible applications of this approach are presented, as is a discussion of the caveats an information technology organization should consider prior to adopting security service level agreements.

The strategic role of unused service capacity

Abstract: Services are by nature perishable. As such, managing a service firm’s capacity to match supply and demand has been touted as one of the key problems of services marketing and management practice. This paper advances an alternative perspective of unused service capacity. Based on a review of current literature and an exploratory study, this paper employs a theory‐in‐use methodology to map out a set of capacity strategy propositions. These propositions show a divergence between what literature suggests and what service firms actually practise with regard to reducing the occurrence of unused service capacity. The paper also demonstrates that capacity can be employed as a resource to achieve a series of strategic objectives that serve to improve the performance of the firm. Service firms should therefore approach capacity management not only from the standpoint of operations management, but also from that of marketing.

Service quality: perceived value, expectations, shortfalls, and bonuses

Abstract: Focuses on the perceived value of a service by a customer, the perceived quality and value of a service, and the role of expectations, shortfalls, and bonuses in the valuation process. Considers on the implications of key relationships in the marketing and delivery of services. Characterizes customer perception of the perceived value of a service and quality of service in multivariate space. This model yields a value vector that summarizes the perceived value of a service and service quality to a customer. The perceived value vector summarizes the aggregate effects of variables of influence on perceived value. Relates service delivery to customer expectations. In this context, illuminates important issues related to exante versus ex post expectations. Introduces the concept of expectations‐delivery variance (EDV). Examines the concept of delivery shortfalls as well as delivery excess, with excess leading to bonus fulfillment. Shortfalls and bonuses have residual effects. Asserts that shortfalls and bonus effects have asymmetric affects in terms of residual influence on future perceptions of customer expectations of service value.

Service Level Management for Enterprise Networks

Abstract: From the Publisher: After Service Level Agreements (SLA) are made between IT providers and consumers, expectations and services to be rendered vary widely and standardization is often fragmented. This first-of-its-kind, comprehensive examination of IT Service Level Management provides a much-needed framework for implementing and evaluating Service Level Agreements and helps you avoid common pitfalls. Service Level Management of Enterprise Networks not only delivers new methodology and techniques to improve SLAs, through discussion of SLM processes and architecture, but also serves as a baseline against which to measure existing and future SLM programs. With a general knowledge of business processes, information management and technology, and networking equipment, IT professionals and clients will learn more about the challenging issues of SLM and the viable, real-world solutions available. Examining research challenges, using real-world case studies, and discussing current tools and applications, this up-to-the-minute book is essential for suppliers and consumers of IT in large organizations and suppliers serving multiple clients, vendors building tools to support SLM, and university professors interested in the application of SLAs.

Service transaction analysis: assessing and improving the customer’s experience

Abstract: Describes a service design technique that allows managers to systematically analyse the quality of their service processes at a detailed, or transaction level, from a customer’s perspective. Following a review of alternative approaches the author argues for an approach which combines four critical elements; the service concept, the service process, transaction quality assessment, and messages ‐ the customer’s interpretation of the service. Two case studies are used to illustrate the simplicity yet power of the technique. The key benefits of this technique are that it instils a “customer orientation” in managers and staff and encourages managers to “engineer” their service processes by identifying the root causes of transactions which do not accord with the organisation’s intentions.

RNAP: A Resource Negotiation and Pricing Protocol

Abstract: Network delivery services providing “better-than-best-effort” service over the Internet are being studied, and are particularly necessary for multimedia applications The selection and use of a specific delivery service involves negotiation between the user and the network; they agree upon specifications such as the type of service user packets will receive, the constraints the user traffic must adhere to, and the price to be charged for the service In this paper, we describe a protocol through which the user and the network (or two network domains) can negotiate network services We refer to the protocol as a Resource Negotiation and Pricing protocol (RNAP) Through RNAP, the network service provider communicates availability of services and delivers price quotations and charging information to the user, and the user requests or re-negotiates services with desired specifications for one or more flows RNAP protocol mechanisms are flexible enough to support multiple delivery service models, and allow dynamic re-negotiation of services during a session Two different network architectures are defined to support RNAP, a centralized architecture with a Network Resource Negotiator (NRN) administering each network domain, and a distributed architecture without any centralized controlling entity Mechanisms are proposed for local price and charge computation, formulation of end-to-end prices and charges across multiple domains, and communication of this information through RNAP messages Results of a prototype implementation are briefly described

Method of accessing multiple services from multiple service providers

Abstract: A server system provides a client system with access to a number of services. For each service, if a given service provider is overloaded (or if the client is unable to contact that provider), the client can contact any other of the service providers capable of providing the requested service. The server system provides information to the client system identifying a list of services that the server system provides. For each service in the list of services, the information includes a service name identifying the service, and at least one unique port identifying each service provider for that service so that one service name can be used in accessing the multiple service providers that provide the desired service. The request from the client includes a service name identifying the desired service provided by the server system, and includes at least one port corresponding to a service provider that provides the desired service, the port being selected from the ports provided by the server system.

Professional concern: managing knowledge‐based service relationships

Abstract: Research has shown that managing client participation can add value to the delivery of quality services. While several control mechanisms have been proposed in the literature for the management of complex service relationships, they generally fail to account for two realities of service provider/client relationships ‐‐ information asymmetry and uncertainty. This paper proposes a new mechanism, “professional concern,” and suggests that its various dimensions ‐‐ provider authority, social affiliation, client role accountability and objective attitude ‐‐ provide a framework for managing knowledge‐based service relationships and optimizing decision‐making processes for delivering quality services.