Showing papers on "Service system published in 2006"

Editorial Notes---The Growth of Interest in Services Management: Opportunities for Information Systems Scholars

Abstract: Across the global economy, we are witnessing a dramatic transformation toward a services economy. At the same time, advances in information technologies provide significant opportunities for digitization of services and the development of services management thinking within the information systems community. This note aims to stimulate attention toward the promising research and teaching opportunities for information systems scholars in the domain of digitized services innovation, management, and use.

Method and apparatus for internet on-line insurance policy service

Abstract: An Internet on-line insurance policy service system that facilitates real-time automated communication of policy information, adjustment of policy parameters, calculation and communication of resulting policy quotes, and implementation of policy changes, while obviating insurer personnel involvement and supervision of the communication. The system comprises a plurality of software modules relating to on-line real-time communication of existing policy information, testing of a wide range of variations in policy parameters, computing and communicating changes in policy premiums that would result from such variations, communicating desired changes in policy parameters and implementing desired policy changes. Other modules relate to communication of claims information and the providing of on-line forms.

Customer self-efficacy and response to service.

Abstract: The customers’ role is significant in the delivery and consumption of many types of services. This study examines customers’ beliefs about their ability to participate in a service (service use self-efficacy) and its effect on response to service. A theoretical model is proposed that explains how self-efficacy affects customers’ perceptions of service value and complaint intentions (“voice”). These factors, in turn, predict exit intentions and positive word of mouth. The model is tested on a sample of 444 members of a group insurance plan. The results of a structural equation model confirm the hypothesized relationships. The findings suggest that service managers should take steps to increase customer service use self-efficacy, such as providing training with feedback, vicarious experiences (e.g., print or video portrayals of successful service experiences), verbal persuasion (e.g., “You can do this”-type coaching), and a low-stress environment. It is also important to develop varied opportunities for cus...

Method and architecture to support interaction between a host computer and remote devices

Abstract: A method and architecture for enabling interaction between a remote device and a host computer. A service provided by the remote device is discovered, and a description pertaining to the service is retrieved by the host computer. A network communication link is the established between the remote device and the host computer based on connection information provided by the description. Host-side and client-side software service modules are run on the host and remote devices to enable interaction between the devices using a service protocol that is specific to the service. Various service protocols are provided, including a display service protocol and an input service protocol. Using commands provided by each protocol, the host computer is enabled to control the service remotely by pushing data and appropriate commands to the remote device, whereupon these commands are processed by the client-side service module to perform service operations that employ the sent data.

The Effect of Service Experiences over Time on a Supplier's Retention of Business Customers

Abstract: This paper examines the link between a supplier's marketing and service operations and its business customers' subsequent repatronage behavior. We develop a dynamic model of service contract renewal for an individual firm, at the contract level, recognizing interdependencies among service contract renewal decisions due to the firm's purchase of multiple contracts from the same supplier. The decision to renew a service contract is modeled as a function of service quality and price, where service quality is measured by the supplier's service operations metrics over time. By incorporating longitudinal data about the supplier's service operations, this study investigates how average service levels, variability in service levels (especially extreme outcomes), and timing of service delivery influence firms' service contract renewal decisions. The study context is support services for high-technology systems in business markets in Germany and the United Kingdom, where service operations metrics over time typically have skewed distributions. Firm behavior is represented by a binary choice model at the contract level, estimated as a binary response model with a complementary log-log link function incorporating random intercepts. The study shows that a firm that has a few extremely favorable experiences for a given service contract is more likely to subsequently renew that service contract, after controlling for average service levels. Firms weigh recent experiences (i.e., within the past year)---rather than earlier experiences---when deciding whether or not to renew, so the timing of service experiences may be critical to the survival of buyer-seller relationships. Overall, the study suggests that models of customer retention should incorporate the extent, variability, and timing of a supplier's service delivery over time at the contract/product level.

Command and control in emergency services operations: a social network analysis

Abstract: There is increasing interest in the use of social network analysis as a tool to study the performance of teams and organizations. In this paper, processes of command and control in the emergency services are explored from the perspective of social network theory. We report a set of network analyses (comprising visualization, a selection of mathematical metrics, and a discussion of procedures) based on the observation of six emergency service incidents: three fire service operations involving the treatment of hazardous chemicals, and three police operations involving immediate response to emergency calls. The findings are discussed in terms of our attempts to categorize the network structures against a set of extant command and control network archetypes and the relationship between those structures; comments on the qualities the networks display are put into the contexts of the incidents reported. We suggest that social network analysis may have a valuable part to play in the general study of command and control.

Dynamic Control of an M/M/1 Service System with Adjustable Arrival and Service Rates

Abstract: We study a service facility in which the system manager dynamically controls the arrival and service rates to maximize the long-run average value generated. We initially consider a rate-setting problem where the service facility is modeled as an M/M/1 queue with adjustable arrival and service rates and solve this problem explicitly. Next, we use this solution to study a price-setting problem, where customers are utility maximizing and price- and delay-sensitive, and the system manager chooses state-dependent service rates and prices. We find that the optimal arrival rate is decreasing and the optimal service rate is increasing in the number of customers in the system; however, the optimal price need not be monotone. We also show that under the optimal policy, the service facility operates as one with a finite buffer. Finally, we study a numerical example to compare the social welfare achieved using a dynamic policy to that achieved using static policies and show the dynamic policy offers significant welfare gains.

Bridging the divide between logistics and marketing: facilitating collaborative behavior

Abstract: Inter-functional collaboration can significantly improve service operations. Yet, despite the compelling need to increase collaborative behavior, our understanding of how firms' logistics and marketing departments view each other and of the behavioral factors that influence inter-functional collaborative behavior is limited. This study utilizes a descriptive, interview-based approach that draws upon the Critical Incident Technique to discover nuances and insights about logisticians' and marketers' often complex interactions.

Service is Front Stage: Positioning Services for Value Advantage

Abstract: Toward a New Definition of Services Services: The Front-Stage Experience The Service Triangle The Service-Intensity Matrix Finding and Keeping the Fit The Three Movements of Quality Balancing Supply and Demand From Industrial to Professional Services Managing the Change Process Conclusion

On-board datalogger apparatus and service methods for use with vehicles

Abstract: On-board datalogger apparatus and service methods for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed method of servicing a vehicle receives a non-volatile storage device containing vehicle data, couples the non-volatile storage device to a shared vehicle service system associated with a service facility, and conveys at least some of the vehicle data from the non-volatile storage device to the shared vehicle service system. The method also processes at least some of the vehicle data to generate corrective information configured to affect a repair of the vehicle, and stores the corrective information in the non-volatile storage device.

The Climate for Service: A Review of the Construct with Implications for Achieving CLV Goals

Abstract: SUMMARY We develop a framework in which internal employees' diagnoses of their firm's service climate determine their role behavior towards customers and, ultimately, customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention and shareholder value. Elements of the framework include: (1) foun dation issues (fundamental human behavior issues like the presence of necessary resources and the quality of leadership), (2) internal service (the quality of service employees report they receive internally from others), (3) service climate (the degree to which management emphasizes service quality in all of its activities), and (4) customer-focused service behavior. How this research is done is reviewed and research supporting elements of the framework is described. How the approach can be adapted for promoting CLV goals is explicated and answers to some frequently asked questions about change to an organization with a service quality and CLV focus are described.

Services Marketing Management: A Strategic Perspective

Abstract: PART I: UNDERSTANDING VALUE CREATION IN SERVICES. 1. The World of Services. 2. Fundamentals of Services Marketing Management. 3. Buyer Behaviour and Segmentation. PART II: CREATING VALUE IN SERVICES. 4. Service Relationships and Brands. 5. Service Quality. 6. Market Strategies for Service Organisations. 7. Internationalising Services. PART III: DELIVERING VALUE THROUGH THE ACTUAL SERVICE EXPERIENCE. 8. Services and E-services. 9. Service Innovation. 10. People, Process and Physical Evidence. 11. Creating the Service Experience: Place, Promotion and Price. 12. Implementation, Performance and Control. Case Studies. References. Index.

Software-aided Service Bundling : Intelligent Methods and Tools for Graphical Service Modeling

Abstract: Services, such as insurances, transport, medical treatments and more, have been subject to extensive research business science for decennia. When services are offered, bought or consumed online, we refer to them as e-services. This PhD thesis focuses on an ontological foundation for service description and configuration. Such a conceptual modeling approach facilitates complex e-service scenarios, in which a customer can define a bundle of services, possibly supplied by multiple suppliers, based on his needs and requirements. The research can be used in two ways: 1. By marketing departments, business analysts and consultants, in order to develop new service bundles during a business analysis (especially involving networked enterprises). 2. To create e-service websites that enable customers define and buy service bundles based on their needs and demands.

Service integration and co-ordination: a framework of approaches for the delivery of co-ordinated care to children with disabilities and their families

Abstract: This article clarifies the nature of 'service integration' and 'service co-ordination' and discusses how these aspects relate to the fundamental goal of providing co-ordinated care for children with disabilities and their families. Based on a review of the service delivery literatures in the fields of health, social services and rehabilitation, a framework is presented that outlines the scope of the co-ordination-related functions and activities encompassed in three common types of approaches to the delivery of co-ordinated care. These are a system/sector-based service integration approach, an agency-based service integration approach and a client/family-based service co-ordination approach. The functions outlined in the framework include aggregate-level planning of services (designed to map out the scope and plan for service provision in a community or geographical area), administrative functions (designed to ensure wise and equitable access to resources) and client-specific service delivery functions (designed to link clients/families to needed services). The framework is a tool that can be used to support policy making and decision making with respect to the design of efforts to provide co-ordinated care. It provides information about commonly used approaches and the essential elements of these approaches, which can be used in making choices about the scope and nature of an approach towards service integration/co-ordination.

Service utilization in community health centers in China: a comparison analysis with local hospitals

Abstract: Being an important part of China's Urban Health Care Reform System, Community Health Centers (CHCs) have been established throughout the entire country and are presently undergoing substantial reconstruction. However, the services being delivered by the CHCs are far from reaching their performance targets. In order to assess the role of the CHCs, we examined their performance in six cities located in regions of South-East China. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the utilization and the efficiency of community health resources that are able to provide basic medical and public health services. The study was approved by Peking University Health Science Center Institutional Reviewing Board (NO: IRB00001052-T1). Data were collected from all the local health bureaux and processed using SPSS software. Methods of analysis mainly included: descriptive analysis, paired T-test and one-way ANOVA. The six main functions of the CHCs were not fully exploited and the surveys that were collected on their efficiency and utilization of resources indicate that they have a low level of performance and lack the trust of local communities. Furthermore, the CHCs seriously lack funding support and operate under difficult circumstances, and residents have less positive attitudes towards them. The community health service must be adjusted according to the requirements of urban medical and health reform, taking into account communities' health needs. More research is required on the living standards and health needs of residents living within the CHC's range, taking into consideration the users' needs in expanding the newly implemented service, and at the same time revising the old service system so as to make the development of CHCs realistic and capable of providing a better service to patients. Several suggestions are put forward for an attainable scheme for developing a community health service.

The relationship of service provider power motivation, empowerment and burnout to customer satisfaction

Abstract: Purpose – Burnout, which is caused by chronic stress, is common in the service professions and has a negative effect, both on the service provider's job performance and customer satisfaction Empowerment is a potential buffer against the stress involved in service roles, but its advantages may depend on the service provider's desire to be empowered The study examines several interactive effects of empowerment and seeking power on service provider burnout In addition, the study examined the relationship between service providers' burnout and customers' reports of their satisfaction with the serviceDesign/methodology/approach – Questionnaires were administered to 198 participants, comprising 99 service provider‐customer dyads coming from public service organizations, that is government offices, welfare services, health services, and education, and private services, that is banks and communication companies The dyads selected for the study were engaged in a “service relationship,” that is, the customer h

Service System Design with Immobile Servers, Stochastic Demand, and Congestion

Abstract: The service system design problem seeks to locate a set of service facilities, allocate enough capacity, and assign stochastic customer demand to each of them, so as to minimize the fixed costs of opening facilities and acquiring service capacity, as well as the variable access and waiting costs. This problem is commonly known in the location literature as the facility location problem with immobile servers, stochastic demand, and congestion. It is often set up as a network of M/M/1 queues and modeled as a nonlinear mixed-integer program (MIP). Because of the complexity of the resulting model, the current literature focuses on approximate and/or heuristic solution methods. This paper proposes a linearization based on a simple transformation and piecewise linear approximations and an exact solution method based on cutting planes. This leads to the exact solution of models with up to 100 customers, 20 potential service facilities, and 3 capacity levels.

Integrated Real-Time Capacity and Inventory Allocation for Reparable Service Parts in a Two-Echelon Supply System

Abstract: Two critical decisions must be made daily when managing multiechelon repair and distribution systems for service parts: (1) allocating available repair capacity among different items and (2) allocating available inventories to field stocking locations to support service operations. In many such systems, procurement lead times for service parts are lengthy and variable, repair capacity is limited, and operational requirements change frequently---resulting in demand processes that are highly uncertain and nonstationary. As a consequence, it is common to have many items in short supply while others are abundant. In such environments, integrated real-time decision-support tools can provide significant value by reducing the impact of inventory imbalances and responding appropriately to the volatile nature of the demand processes. By “integrated” and “real-time,” we mean (respectively) tools that simultaneously consider key aspects of the current state of the operating environment in deciding what items to repair, where to ship available units, and by what mode to ship them. In this paper, we develop an integrated real-time model for making repair and inventory allocation decisions in a two-echelon reparable service parts system. We formulate the decision problem as a finite-horizon, periodic-review mathematical program, we show it can be formulated as a large-scale linear program, and we develop a practical heuristic method for solving the problem approximately. By simulating the operation of a service parts supply chain, we demonstrate the value of employing integrated decision models over using separate repair and inventory allocation rules for a range of environments where inventory imbalances exist. We also show that our heuristic approach is highly effective and that its inventory allocation subroutine, used as a stand-alone tool for making distribution decisions, outperforms a commonly used inventory allocation rule in most circumstances tested.

Customer-perceived value of e-financial services: a means-end approach

Abstract: The financial services sector has recently undergone changes unprecedented in its history. Understanding customers' needs and values has become more important for financial institutions than ever before, not only due to the changing environment but also because of changed customer behaviour. This study explores the customer-perceived value of two e-financial services, namely electronic fund transfer service and internet brokerage service. This is done by using a means-end approach. It is a qualitative in-depth interviewing method that is used for explaining how product or service attributes facilitate consumers' achievement of desired end-states of being. The results indicate how different electronic services create value for customers in service consumption. The findings provide banking executives with a better understanding of what kind of value customers perceive in the consumption of different e-financial services. The results indicate similarities and differences in the customer-perceived value between the services explored.

A service perspective on modelling intentions of on‐line purchasing

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between behavioural intentions and its antecedent factors in online services settings.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from a national survey of Australians with experience purchasing online. A conceptual model linking behavioural intentions and its key antecedents was tested using partial least squares.Findings – The results suggest that behavioural intentions are directly influenced by online service quality, online service value and online service satisfaction. Online service satisfaction, in turn, is affected by online service value and quality; whereas online service value is determined by the online service quality and related sacrifice.Research limitations/implications – These findings suggest that existing services marketing models developed in offline settings can be adapted to online settings to explain behavioural intentions. Although the sample included a wide range of people, generalisations of the findings s...

Measuring the operational performance of intensive care units using the analytic hierarchy process approach

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this study is to develop a performance measurement model for service operations using the analytic hierarchy process approach. Design/methodology/approach - The study reviews current relevant literature on performance measurement and develops a model for performance measurement. The model is then applied to the intensive care units (ICUs) of three different hospitals in developing nations. Six focus group discussions were undertaken, involving experts from the specific area under investigation, in order to develop an understandable performance measurement model that was both quantitative and hierarchical. Findings - A combination of outcome, structure and process-based factors were used as a foundation for the model. The analyses of the links between them were used to reveal the relative importance of each and their associated sub factors. It was considered to be an effective quantitative tool by the stakeholders. Research limitations/implications - This research only applies the model to ICUs in healthcare services. Practical implications - Performance measurement is an important area within the operations management field. Although numerous models are routinely being deployed both in practice and research, there is always room for improvement. The present study proposes a hierarchical quantitative approach, which considers both subjective and objective performance criteria. Originality/value - This paper develops a hierarchical quantitative model for service performance measurement. It considers success factors with respect to outcomes, structure and processes with the involvement of the concerned stakeholders based upon the analytic hierarchy process approach. The unique model is applied to the ICUs of hospitals in order to demonstrate its effectiveness. The unique application provides a comparative international study of service performance measurement in ICUs of hospitals in three different countries. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

The moderating effects of information technology sophistication on services practice and performance

Abstract: Purpose – To investigate the relationship between service practices, service performance, business performance and information technology (IT) sophistication.Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework is developed, incorporating dimensions of services practice and service performance and structural equation modeling is used to test the model with data from 231 companies.Findings – This paper extends the basic service practice‐service performance relationship by incorporating the interaction effects of IT sophistication in a contingency framework. Previous studies found mixed support for the direct effects of IT sophistication on service performance.Research limitations/implications – Using single informants leads to common methods bias.Practical implications – Companies need to identify how IT contributes to service effectiveness from a customer perspective.Originality/value – This study adds to the emerging literature of the relationship between services management and information technology.

Coupon service system

Abstract: A coupon service system (1) is capable of reducing time and expenses needed for market research, making a correct and sure marketing plan, and providing customers with services that match their respective needs The coupon service system includes a store terminal (3) provided with a reader (5) When a cellular phone (2) is brought into a read area of the reader, the reader reads a coupon stored in the cellular phone and determines whether or not the coupon is valid If the coupon is valid, the reader provides the user of the cellular phone with a service corresponding to the coupon and transmits data related to the user to a management server (4) The management server stores the data in a customer database (6)

Local Domain Name Service System and Method for Providing Service Using Domain Name Service System

Abstract: Provided is a local domain name system for querying an external server for a client-requested domain name and providing desired data to a user. A determination is made as to whether a special policy is to be applied to a client-input query through a test task. When a special policy is to be applied to the query, the special policy is performed to provide additional service to the client.

System and method of managing real-time communications using context-based awareness states

Abstract: Described are a system and method for managing online communications by a user who participates in an awareness service system. A first awareness state associated with the user is published to a first participant of the awareness service system, while a second different awareness state associated with the user is published to a second participant of the awareness service system. Each published awareness state is based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.

What happens to integrated product development models with produc/service-system approaches?

Abstract: Integrated Product Development (IPD) has traditionally focused on the development activities relating to physical technological artefacts. With the advent of business approaches for manufacturing firms based on providing customers the utility of integrated products and services – a term dubbed ‘product/service-systems (PSS)’ – companies need to extend their activities to include new dimensions of development