Assignment 2
The purpose of this assignment is to critically evaluate a service delivery process.
The assignment should provide:
1. An introduction, stating the purpose, scope and structure of the assignment
2. Context. This should include a brief overview of the organization providing the service; data might include basic market and operational data, e.g. size, sector, products, mission statement, customer segments and propositions, service guarantees etc and any customer or operational performance data e.g. awards, customer satisfaction data. Such data may be obtained through secondary sources (e.g. internet searches, promotional literature).
3. A critical review of relevant theories, models and tools which underpin your evaluation. The review should address the wider issues within service management, including the emergence of the service economy and the nature of service excellence as well as providing a rationale and details of specific tools used in subsequent empirical analysis. Students should look to extend basic course material through wider reading.
4. A range of empirical data which you can use to evaluate the selected service delivery process. This might be drawn from two or three of the following techniques:
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Customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopper etc
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SERVQUAL
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Process mapping
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Six Sigma analysis
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Walk through Audits
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Emotion mapping
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Service Blueprint
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Customer Experience Analysis
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Customer Journey Mapping
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MOT/Critical Incident Techniques
5. Analysis and critical evaluation of the empirical data. This should be objective and rigorous, based on the data collected. Evaluation should seek to provide original insights, and opportunities for improvement.
6. Conclusions and recommendations. These should be grounded in the analysis and evaluation.
7. Appendices. Where necessary, students should provide supporting data and analysis in Appendices. The 3,000 word limit excludes Appendices. Diagrams and charts are permitted
8. All work should be fully referenced and comply to the Harvard Referencing System
In terms of clarification, the process can involve any service activity and channel for example:
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Retail
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Food
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Transport
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Financial Services
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Communications
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Health
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Education
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Entertainment
Processes include
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Purchasing
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Returning goods
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Complaints
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Travel
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Consumption
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Enquiries
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Service
How you will be assessed.
The assignment will be assessed according to the following criteria:
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Scope & content: demonstrating a good understanding of relevant theories and concepts, supported by extensive bibliography; collecting and analysing a range of primary and secondary data (30%)
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Critical evaluation: of both theory and data (40%)
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Originality and justification of recommendations (20%)
Presentation: clear style, flowing, well argued, correct use of Harvard referencing (10%)
Assignments should be submitted electronically via TURNITIN and uploaded to BEMM147 ELE site
This individual assignment is worth 70% of the marks for this module
Assignment deadline: 12
noon Friday 2nd May 2014.