Table 1 Examples of how resources,... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1

Examples of how resources, processes and operational routines can be servificated

Resources, processes and more	Means of servification
Products	While products are traditionally considered the outputs of production processes, when servificating products they are considered the inputs of customer processes. Mass customization, tailor-made products and engaging customers with design and production processes are typical examples. Other examples of servification involve ensuring that products are easily made operational and ready to use, making upgrading, maintenance and modernization easier, and making it easy for users to dispose of products. Depending on the context and customer requirements, sometimes this may also require some level of standardization
Services	Service firms' service concepts are sometimes productized in such a way that their service delivery resembles that of standardized products. Servificating services means that the several resources, processes, digitalized solutions and behaviors involved in the provision of the service concept are considered part of the service offering. For example, service delivery processes, training employees in service skills, making the service delivery process sufficiently and easily accessible, and informing customers about what is required of them to perform successfully in the process are treated as part of a flexible and adaptable service offering. Instead of standardized products, how customers are helped appropriately is considered ideal. To remain financially sound, the service process must probably be systematized, but not unnecessarily standardized, to ensure that the needed flexibility remains
Logistics	Just-in-time logistics is a well-known means of servification, where order-making, order-taking, deliveries and warehousing are aligned into one process, aiming to save time and costs for both the buyer and seller
Deliveries	Deliveries as part of the logistical system can be servificated, for example, by customizing timetables and by making it possible for customers to follow the progress of the delivery
Information	Documentation on how to use machines, software and other products and services can be servificated by making them customer-focused and using language that is user-friendly and facilities smooth application. It must be made easy for users to transform into useable knowledge the information provided through such documentation and the oral or written answers to their inquiries
Websites and other digital sources	Servificating websites and other digital sources of information involves making them easy to navigate and ensuring that relevant information is easily located and provided in such a format so that it can be retrieved and used without any problems
Managing quality problems and service failures	Problems with product quality, service failures or any type of mistakes occurring in customer relationships must be managed according to the principles of service recovery. To prevent unnecessary delays and avoid costs for customers, servification requires that complaints relating to such incidents are handled with the customers' best interests in mind
Product and service development	Engaging customers in the development and design of new products and service concepts and the design of resources and processes used in service delivery potentially enables product manufacturers, distributors and service firms to develop offerings that effectively fit the customers' life and work processes. By increasing customers' levels of satisfaction through such actions, servification may also strengthen B2B customers' revenue-generating capabilities and reduce their costs. This may also positively affect the provider’s cost level
R&D	Similar effects as above can be achieved by engaging customers with basic research and development processes
The management language and jargon used. “Talking service” instead of a product-based language	In product manufacturers and service enterprises alike, the internally used language and jargon – both at the managerial and operational level – is typically grounded in product management and, moreover, reflects “inward-out thinking.” By adjusting the language to the nature of service to help customers' important and necessary life or work processes, a “service language” emerges. This is a management language that enables effective service management and supports “outwards-in thinking.” Replacing inward-out expressions, such as “we deliver added value to our customers” with outward-in expressions, such as “we facilitate our customers' value creation,” also supports the development of a service culture
More	Depending on the context and the nature of the business, possibilities to servificate other elements of the relationship with customers probably exist, and these should be developed accordingly

Resources, processes and more	Means of servification
Products	While products are traditionally considered the outputs of production processes, when servificating products they are considered the inputs of customer processes. Mass customization, tailor-made products and engaging customers with design and production processes are typical examples. Other examples of servification involve ensuring that products are easily made operational and ready to use, making upgrading, maintenance and modernization easier, and making it easy for users to dispose of products. Depending on the context and customer requirements, sometimes this may also require some level of standardization
Services	Service firms' service concepts are sometimes productized in such a way that their service delivery resembles that of standardized products. Servificating services means that the several resources, processes, digitalized solutions and behaviors involved in the provision of the service concept are considered part of the service offering. For example, service delivery processes, training employees in service skills, making the service delivery process sufficiently and easily accessible, and informing customers about what is required of them to perform successfully in the process are treated as part of a flexible and adaptable service offering. Instead of standardized products, how customers are helped appropriately is considered ideal. To remain financially sound, the service process must probably be systematized, but not unnecessarily standardized, to ensure that the needed flexibility remains
Logistics	Just-in-time logistics is a well-known means of servification, where order-making, order-taking, deliveries and warehousing are aligned into one process, aiming to save time and costs for both the buyer and seller
Deliveries	Deliveries as part of the logistical system can be servificated, for example, by customizing timetables and by making it possible for customers to follow the progress of the delivery
Information	Documentation on how to use machines, software and other products and services can be servificated by making them customer-focused and using language that is user-friendly and facilities smooth application. It must be made easy for users to transform into useable knowledge the information provided through such documentation and the oral or written answers to their inquiries
Websites and other digital sources	Servificating websites and other digital sources of information involves making them easy to navigate and ensuring that relevant information is easily located and provided in such a format so that it can be retrieved and used without any problems
Managing quality problems and service failures	Problems with product quality, service failures or any type of mistakes occurring in customer relationships must be managed according to the principles of service recovery. To prevent unnecessary delays and avoid costs for customers, servification requires that complaints relating to such incidents are handled with the customers' best interests in mind
Product and service development	Engaging customers in the development and design of new products and service concepts and the design of resources and processes used in service delivery potentially enables product manufacturers, distributors and service firms to develop offerings that effectively fit the customers' life and work processes. By increasing customers' levels of satisfaction through such actions, servification may also strengthen B2B customers' revenue-generating capabilities and reduce their costs. This may also positively affect the provider’s cost level
R&D	Similar effects as above can be achieved by engaging customers with basic research and development processes
The management language and jargon used. “Talking service” instead of a product-based language	In product manufacturers and service enterprises alike, the internally used language and jargon – both at the managerial and operational level – is typically grounded in product management and, moreover, reflects “inward-out thinking.” By adjusting the language to the nature of service to help customers' important and necessary life or work processes, a “service language” emerges. This is a management language that enables effective service management and supports “outwards-in thinking.” Replacing inward-out expressions, such as “we deliver added value to our customers” with outward-in expressions, such as “we facilitate our customers' value creation,” also supports the development of a service culture
More	Depending on the context and the nature of the business, possibilities to servificate other elements of the relationship with customers probably exist, and these should be developed accordingly