Implications of Technology for Service Design and Provision: a Case of a German Creative Agency in China

Successful service design and provision requires firms to understand client needs at a deeper level. However, exactly that represents a major challenge to many firms. Client involvement in the service design may offer a solution as knowledge may be best acquired from the clients themselves. This approach can be facilitated by technological measures such as digital interfaces that allow the clients to serve themselves. Previously research has focused on understanding customer behavior in technology-enabled environments. However, little is known about how to manage the service provision in this increasingly complex context. The aim of this study is to address this gap by conducting a case study research to understand client involvement in service design and provision in a B2B setting of marketing/communication services. Among other things, the study aims at identifying implications for organizational structures, required capabilities, and business models of the actors involved. More specifically, we seek to answer the following research question: How do technologically enabled measures affect the service design process and service provision? The study applies Customer Journey Mapping, Service Blueprinting, and draws on the Service-Dominant Logic as a framework for analysis and a basis for discussion.