The Little Book of Service Management

Book excerpt: Service is the up and coming discipline for the 22nd century. But exactly what is service? Many people think that service is what people do – no more, no less. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Then, if so, why is the service community in constant disarray. Startup businesses fail on a regular basis. Why? They simply do not provide good service. Many persons in responsible positions rarely give service even a brief notice. What they subconsciously think about service has to be the truth. How often do you hear exclamations like, I’ll never fly again, especially on that airline? What about, I’ve had it with fast food restaurants. Have you ever heard a student say, I’ll never take another course from that professor? Or, it’s a great car but the service stinks. What about, He may be a great doctor, but he treats all patients like thy are not human. So, what do you do if you own or manage a small business and want to start off right? That’s an easy question. You simply send new employees, or even experienced ones, to service school. You’ve heard of computer school, but have you heard of service school. There are books on computer, for example, all over the place. But, you probably have never seen one – a book, that is – about service. Is an automobile dealership the same as a pharmacy? At the service level, you can bet they are. This book will tell you all you need to know about providing great service. Have you ever heard of a 2-hour seminar on how to give good service? I bet you haven’t. Sometimes, a manager will give suggestions, but that is about it. This book is a service resource. Have you experienced a doctor’s office that calls a patient concerning what time his or her appointment is? Have you had a car dealer tell you they have lost your car? Has a doctor operated on the wrong leg? Maybe, even the wrong person. A service is a client/provider interaction that creates and captures value for both participants. We use service in several aspects of our lives, including business, government, education, health care, and religion. But, what exactly are the best practices, principles, and theories of service? The actual study of service is a relatively new field, but it is one that can open the door to a better understanding of the essential part of our lives. In this little book, Harry Katzan, Jr., founder and editor of the Journal of Service Science, offers a concise, readable examination of how managers can use information about services to construct a better customer environment. Harry Katzan, Jr. believes that the characteristics of a service process determine its efficacy in solving real-world problems. He disseminates these characteristics and provides a clear view of service to help managers pinpoint the exact issues they need to tackle. With a comprehensive bibliography, examples, and a highly engaging writing style, this little book on service provides is perfect for the professional and laymen alike. Discover how you can put information about service to work for you.