MKTG2509 Service and Relationhsip Marketing |
A2 Overview | Service Blueprint
Assignment 2: Service Blueprint
Submission: Preferably a Pdf document
Word limit: 1,500 words maximum (there is no 10% allowance) cover page and references not included
Format for blueprint: be creative, make it readable, check requirements (below)
Format for paper: Line spacing 1.5, font 11pt Times New Roman, standard margins
References: should be included for ALL works using APA style (APA 6th or APA 7th).
There is no set number of references needed, rather quality scholarly theory will be used to demonstrate
informed viewpoints and evidence.
Objectives:
1. To develop a thorough understanding of service blueprinting by analysing the service process for a
given service company and graphically capturing the process in an electronic document.
2. To use service blueprinting to map a service process
3. To recognize the value in spelling out the steps associated with providing a service and linking them
with customer expectations of the service
4. To understand the layers of a blueprint and how they connect with each other
5. To add service standards to the blueprint to assure that the service meets customer expectations
Directions: Each student’s assignment is to seek out a local service provider (or, alternately, a “goods”
business that has a significant service component) and develop a service blueprint. The project should focus
on a specific company/ branch and not just a typical firm in the industry. Students may need to read (and
study!) Chapter 8 of the textbook well in advance of the due date to complete this assignment. Students should
also read the following article:
Mary Jo Bitner, Amy L. Ostrom, and Felicia N. Morgan (2008), “Service Blueprinting: A Practical
Technique for Service Innovation,” California Management Review, 50 (Spring), 66-94.
The intent of the project is to construct a thorough, detailed service blueprint for the chosen service provider.
Students must also confirm that the provider will allow them to take pictures of the service process and/or
physical evidence. This approval is for your records only and it DOES NOT need to be presented to us nor
included in your assignment.
Restaurants (i.e., food service) are not an option for a service to blueprint, nor are firms/industries that
have blueprint examples provided in class and/or on the course web site. There are many service
businesses from which to select. The following are examples of service (or retail) firms that students have
blueprinted in past:
• Dentist/ dental practice
• Funeral Home
• Vet clinic
• Hospital Emergency Service
• Chiropractic and wellness studio
• Bike Shop
• Zoo/ theme park
• Student Legal Services
MKTG2509 Service and Relationhsip Marketing |
A2 Overview | Service Blueprint
Requirements
Graphical Portion of Service Blueprint. Demonstrate (a) an understanding of the blueprint concepts from class
and (b) an ability to apply them in looking at a specific service provider. Each blueprint should include the
components described in Chapter 8 (also see Bitner, Ostrom, and Morgan, 2008) and discussed in class,
including:
• all “separation” lines clearly labelled
• arrows to indicate the order of activities and how they are connected to each other
• at least four customer actions, four on-stage employee actions, four back-stage employee actions, and
four distinct support processes
• at least four potential bottlenecks or fail points in the service delivery process
• at least one decision (or option) by either a customer or an employee (depicted by a “diamond”).
Visual/Pictorial Portion of the Service Blueprint. To complement the graphical portion of the service
blueprint, each student is expected to visit the business chosen and to visually capture the different steps
(customer or employee actions) of the service.
This assignment allows students to analyse the delivery process and the various components of physical
evidence that customers experience. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to take pictures with a digital
camera/mobile phone. Students should secure permission to take pictures of the service process from
management of this service provider prior to constructing the blueprint. Ideally, hyperlinks should be included
in the graphical portion of the service blueprint to each digital image.
There is no fixed number of images required, but we believe that 8 images would seem reasonable for most
service blueprints; a larger number of images would certainly be encouraged. Images should be used within
the blueprint to depict:
- servicescape elements
- other physical evidence (tangible components)
- customer actions on-stage technology actions (if appropriate)
- employee actions (both on-stage and back-stage)
- fail points
- decisions to be made (by either customers or employees)
Written Assignment. In addition to the actual blueprint, each student is to write a paper (maximum 1,500
words) that addresses the issues listed below. Please include appropriate associated two- or three-word
Headings.
(1) describe what service(s) of this organization you will be blueprinting and why you selected it, as well
as the full company name, address, and website URL;
(2) describe what you believe to be the three key customer actions depicted in the blueprint and discuss
why they are so critical to a successful service experience;
(3) describe what you believe to be the three key employee actions depicted in the blueprint and discuss
why they are so critical to a successful service experience;
(4) describe three key elements of physical evidence revealed in the blueprint (photos/images of these
elements should be included in the visual portion of the blueprint) and discuss how they influence the
customer’s experience;
(5) identify, number, and describe three key potential fail-points (points in the process where problems
may occur) and/or bottlenecks (points in the process where backups or slow delivery may occur);
(6) as you discuss each fail point, suggest possible solutions/alternatives to address these (potential)
problem areas;
(7) briefly discuss how such a service blueprint might be used in this organization, for example, in
marketing, human resource management, and operations; and discuss what was learned in doing this
assignment and how it could be applied in the business world.
MKTG2509 Service and Relationship Marketing |
A2 Overview | Service Blueprint
Electronic Submission of Assignment. Both the blueprint and the paper should be submitted in electronic
format via the course website, they should be merged in one file. The visual part (Blueprints+ pictures) can be
(and have been) created using a variety of software products. The most commonly used tool for creating
blueprints is PowerPoint; however, occasionally students have used others softwares. We suggest students
save their work in a pdf format. Students must submit same final version of their work on both point A
(originality) and point B (marking).
Note: You must attend your tutorial to check your choice of service provider for your A2 Service Blueprint
with your Tutor. Your Tutor will approve your choice during the tutorial. It is up to you to seek and gain
this approval by week 6. Failure to gain approval from your Tutor could result in your service provider
choice being inappropriate for this assignment and therefore affect your grade.