How do you use design research to identify and leverage service recovery opportunities and strategies?

1 Define the service failure

The first step is to define what constitutes a service failure from the customer's perspective. A service failure can be anything that does not meet the customer's expectations or needs, such as delays, errors, poor quality, or rude staff. To identify the service failure, you need to conduct design research with your customers and stakeholders, using techniques such as interviews, surveys, observation, or feedback analysis. You need to understand the customer's journey, pain points, emotions, and expectations, as well as the root causes and consequences of the service failure.

2 Map the service recovery process

The next step is to map the service recovery process, which is the sequence of actions and interactions that occur after a service failure. A service design tool that can help you with this is the service blueprint, which is a visual representation of the service delivery system, showing the customer's touchpoints, the frontstage and backstage activities, the supporting processes, and the evidence of service. By mapping the service recovery process, you can identify the gaps, bottleneess, and opportunities for improvement, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the service providers.

3 Generate service recovery ideas

The third step is to generate service recovery ideas, which are possible solutions or actions that can address the service failure and restore customer satisfaction and loyalty. You can use creative techniques such as brainstorming, ideation, or prototyping, to generate and test different service recovery ideas, involving your customers and stakeholders in the process. You need to consider the customer's needs, preferences, and emotions, as well as the feasibility, viability, and desirability of the service recovery ideas.

5 Implement and monitor service recovery actions

The final step is to implement and monitor service recovery actions, which are the actual steps and measures that you take to execute the service recovery strategies. You need to communicate and coordinate with your customers and stakeholders, and ensure that the service recovery actions are timely, accurate, courteous, and empathetic. You also need to monitor and measure the outcomes and impacts of the service recovery actions, using indicators such as customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, referral, or advocacy.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?