The visualization of the service path, i.e. the Service Blueprint , is an effective tool in service design, which can be used to visualize the entirety of the service and understand its complex phases and parts. The most important things to consider when visualizing the service path are the following:
1. Customer Journey
The customer’s point of view is at the center. The visualization should outline all the steps the customer goes through during the service. This covers all touchpoints where the customer interacts with the service before, during and after.
Examples of contact points are a website, telephone service, a store visit or using an application.
2. Frontstage and backstage functions
Frontstage functions are those that can be seen and experienced by the customer. This can be, for example, a conversation with a customer service representative or a user interface that the customer uses.
Backstage functions are hidden from the customer, but they enable the service to function. This can be, for example, technical support or internal processes that ensure that the customer gets the service he needs.
3. Interfaces (Interaction Points)
Interfaces describe the interaction between the customer and the service provider, either through people or technology. It is important to recognize where and how the customer is connected to the service and what kind of needs or expectations there are in these moments.
These interactions can be direct (e.g. customer service) or indirect (e.g. automated messages or hardware usage).
4. Support Processes
Support processes are the background activities that support frontstage and backstage activities. They may include, for example, maintenance of IT systems, logistics or warehouse management. The functionality of the support processes is critical for a smooth customer experience.
5. Physical and digital elements
The service path often includes both physical and digital contact points. In visualization, it is important to identify where the customer uses physical environments (e.g. store, device) and where they encounter the digital environment (e.g. application, website).
6. Timeline
The timeline helps to outline the course of the service’s phases and the duration of the different phases. This helps identify bottlenecks and potential problem areas that affect service efficiency and customer satisfaction.
7. Customer’s emotions and experiences (Emotions and Experiences)
It is important to take into account the customer’s experiences at different stages of the service path. For example, when the customer can feel joy, frustration or uncertainty. Mapping these experiences helps to identify areas for improvement in the service.
8. Division of responsibilities and roles
Visualization also helps to clarify who is responsible for which part of the service. This applies to both the actors of the customer interface and the underlying functions. Understanding roles and responsibilities improves service coordination and quality.
9. “Line of Visibility” of the service path
The Line of Visibility separates the functions that the customer can see (frontstage) from those that remain hidden from the customer (backstage). This helps to understand which parts of the service are critical for the customer’s experience and which are support functions.
10. Resources and infrastructure
In the blueprint, it is also important to consider what kind of resources and infrastructure are needed to implement the service. This may include technology, facilities, personnel or other key resources that enable the service to function.
When these areas are taken into account in the visualization of the service path, it helps to develop a clearer, more efficient and customer-oriented service.
