Core service values
It is important to examine the types of value that services deliver to customers to better understand what sets them apart from products. According to the authors of Service Design From Insight to Implementation, services can be grouped into 3 primary spheres:
- Care: This type of service is focused on caring for people or things. Examples of care services for people include hospitals, law firms, nurseries, accounting firms, dry cleaners, and car workshops.
- Access: Access services provide customers with temporary use of something, or a part of something, that they could not obtain on their own. This includes services like railways, schools, and cinemas, and utilities like water, gas, and electricity. It also includes the internet and subscription services like Spotify and Netflix.
- Response: Response services are those that respond to people's needs. This type of service is usually a mix of people and things that are able to assist customers. Examples include a store assistant helping you find something or an exterminator helping with a bug problem. Response services can also be anticipated, and people may buy the right to them in advance through insurance policies, social welfare, or by choosing a brand experience that provides responsive service.
These 3 values frequently intersect in various fields. For example, a food delivery service not only provides the convenience of ordering and speed of delivery but also ensures the quality of the food being delivered. It is important to note that a service may not fit exclusively into a single category. Rather, its core values may shift depending on the situation or need of the customer.[1]
