Service Blueprints – How Do You Use Yours?
Have you ever looked at a toothbrush and considered what else you can do with it other than cleaning your teeth? A toothbrush can be a lot more versatile than you might think! Perhaps you have used an old toothbrush to clean the grout between tiles or to clean an intricate object such as a piece of jewellery or a tap? Maybe you have a hamster that loves nothing more than being groomed gently using a toothbrush?
As with the toothbrush, when considering the techniques available in the toolkit of a Service Designer, we can think broadly about their different uses. An example of this is the Service Blueprint. In this article we will explore:
What is a Service?
Heiko Wieland, marketing professor at California State University, defines a service as:
“The process of using one’s resources to create value with and for the benefit of another actor.”
This definition supports holistic thinking relative to the resources that underpin services and the beneficial outcomes obtained by ‘actors’. The definition also supports the idea that it is ultimately the customer of a service that determines its value.
What is a Service Blueprint and How is it Typically Used?
The Service Blueprint is often put together using the foundation of a completed Customer Journey Map. Within a Customer Journey Map, the stages in a customer journey are described from the perspective of a particular persona aligned to a specific goal. The customer’s emotions are plotted against each touchpoint with an indication of whether these are positive, neutral or negative.
In addition to showing the ‘front stage’ elements of the customer journey, the Service Blueprint shows the ‘back office’ resources required to fulfil the service. Resources include:
A Service Blueprint is usually a representation of the target state of a service and shows areas to focus on for improvement.
What are the Alternative Ways of using a Service Blueprint?
Now that we have learned the typical way of using the Service Blueprint, we can consider other ways to apply the technique. For example, you could use the Service Blueprint to:
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Service designers may elect to change the back-office resource categories to suit a specific context. Alternative back-office categories include:
Product: The products or services offered by the organisation.
People: The characteristics and skills of the people within the organisation.
Place: The physical and virtual locations that the organisation uses to conduct its work.
Physical evidence: Tangible elements of the organisations service or product offering.
Partners: The partners that the organisation engages with.
Processes: The processes of the organisation.
Promotion: The marketing and advertising activities of the organisation.
Price: The cost of the products or services offered by the organisation.
There are possible alternative uses that are still being explored as the use of Service Blueprints matures. For example, for a new service the Customer Journey Map would not usually be available but a Service Blueprint could still be produced.
What are the Potential Pitfalls with using Service Blueprints?
As with any technique, it is important to learn how to adapt its application to a given context. When using the Service Blueprint for the first time, try to avoid the following:
Reliance on anecdotal feedback - as opposed to comprehensive research
There may be a common assumption that the data held in a particular department or system is either of poor or high quality. In either scenario, if the assumption is not tested, we run the risk of either: working on an unnecessary improvement initiative if the data is in fact of high quality; or missing an opportunity for improvement if the assumption about high data quality turned out to be wrong.
Rigid focus on a narrow set of back-office resource categories
Some stakeholders may mistakenly focus on ‘applications’ in the belief that an IT solution will help enhance service delivery. We need to think holistically and make sure that we consider improvements that can be made using all of the back-office categories.
Focus on the “wrong” persona(s) or customer journey(s)
We may elect to focus on the demands of a particular segment of personas and their respective customer journeys. This would draw focus and attention away from a target customer segment or customer journey that is a higher strategic priority.
Fascination with detail
It can be easy to get caught up in detailed process maps, performance measures or role/skills profiles. While potentially useful, this level of detail can lead to Service Blueprints that are difficult to read and understand. Maintenance of the information contained within the Service Blueprint can also present a significant overhead. We need to maintain a balance between having a holistic view of the back-office resource categories and the level of detail.
Inconsistent standards
When service blueprints are developed without standards, their purpose and contents are at risk of being highly variable. A pro-active discussion on the content and structure of the Service Blueprint relative to the organisational context and stakeholders should take place. Any standards that are agreed should support creativity and be subject to continuous improvement.
Whilst reading this article, perhaps you have been considering how you could make use of the Service Blueprint in your organisation or where you can learn more about this technique? You might be interested to learn about the wider subject of Service Design and the A4Q Certified Service Designer qualification. To find out more, click here or email enquiries@assistkd.com
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