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| Process modernization |
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ABSTRACT
Author: Savolainen, Jyrki Heikki Juhani
Title: Service Improvement with Process Modernizations
Department: Industrial Engineering and Management
Year: 2007 Place: Savonlinna
Master’s thesis. Lappeenranta University of Technology.
97 pages, 4 figures, 27 tables, and 5 appendices.
Supervisor: Professor Timo Pirttilä
Instructor: Pasi Raikisto, M.Sc. (Eng.)
Keywords: service, industrial services, service process, improvement
The purpose of this thesis is to provide a management consulting company with a new work method that enables it to facilitate development projects wherein clients’ existing industrial service processes are improved. Process improvements should deliver visible benefits to service customers, the service provider’s personnel, and the management, soon after modernized processes are successfully implemented.
Creation of the method begins with a literature review addressing subjects such as services, industrial services, and business process reengineering. Requirements for the method’s development are specified, and the customer project serving to test the method is presented before description of the method itself – a facilitator guide. In its formulation, from top down, the main objectives were set first, then
sub-objectives. Next, work instructions were formulated to enable meeting the objectives set. Supporting tools were developed simultaneously. In the testing phase, preliminary work instructions and tools were refined, with the version of the method presented being the latest and most functional currently available. The method’s quality is assessed by means of perceived deviations between objectives set and results achieved after testing. Steps to be taken to further develop the method are presented.
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| Service Concept Development |
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ABSTRACT
Author: Taija Tuulia Turunen
Subject of the thesis: Service Concept Development - An Approach for Professional Service Firm
Department: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Date: 2008 Location: Savonlinna
Master of Science Thesis. Lappeenranta University of Technology.
96 pages, 15 figures, 8 tables, and 5 appendices
Supervisor: Professor Risto Salminen
Instructor: Pasi Raikisto, M.Sc. (Eng.)
Keywords: services, industrial services, service concept, consulting
Specific demand for service concept creation has come about from industrial organizations’ desire to find new and innovative ways to differentiate their offering by increasing the level of customer services. Providers of professional services have also demanded new concepts and approaches for their businesses as these industries have become increasingly competitive. Firms are now seeking better ways to understand and segment their customers, to ensure the delivery of quality services and strengthen their position in aggressively competitive markets. This thesis is intended to provide management consulting companies with a new work method that enables service concept creation in a business-to-business environment. The model defines the service concept as a combination of delivered value and the target customers; the third-dimension operating model is brought to the new system in testing of the service concept creation guidelines in the target organization. For testing, service concepts for a management consulting company are created. Service concepts are designed to serve as a solid foundation for further service improvements. Recommendations and proposals for further action related to service development in the target organization are presented, and recommendations to further improve the model created are given.
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| Developing Service Business in Industry |
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ABSTRACT
Author: Jaakko Kiukkonen
Subject of the thesis:
Manufacturers Becoming Service Providers – Developing Service Business in an Industrial Context
Number of pages: 154+19 Date: April 30th, 2009 Library location: TU
Professorship: Industrial management Code of professorship: TU-22
Supervisor: Jan Holmström, Professor of Industrial management
Instructor: Pasi Raikisto, M.Sc.(Tech)
Keywords: industrial services, service business, product-related services, transition from products to services
Industrial companies are tempted by the opportunity to venture into offering services alongside their products. However the service business requires different capabilities than manufacturing and thus, many companies fail to develop successful service operations. This thesis focuses on identifying the critical issues and respective best practices in service business development for manufacturing companies. The research problem is approached by a literature review that is complemented by interviews of company representatives. Based on the interviews, five service business development cases are presented and compared using cross-case analysis. Finally, the study is concluded by formulating a development process for service business within the industrial context. As a result of the study, the relationship with product business, knowledge of customers’ processes and value creation logic, separate service organization, adoption of service culture and effective back office were recognized as key issues in service business development. The suggested process includes a road-map type managerial tool to guide the development process and an implementation guideline to support decision making. The tool can be generalized to manufacturers of various industrial equipment because the challenges in service business development were found to be similar regardless of the end product. The study contributes to existing research by adding knowledge to the transition process of manufacturer becoming a service provider. It validates the need for separate service organization and procurement at the beginning of the development. However, later on, CRM, sales and R&D activities should be integrated to avoid alienation and suboptimization between service and new product businesses.
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