Question 1

The service-system design matrix identifies five alternative forms of service encounters.

Accepted Answer

The service-system design matrix typically identifies two dimensions: the degree of customer contact and the degree of customization, leading to various service designs but not specifically five alternative forms of service encounters.

Question 2

The central problem in virtually every waiting line situation is a trade-off decision balancing the costs of adding services with the costs of waiting.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately reflects the central problem in waiting line situations, which is balancing the costs of providing additional services (such as hiring more staff) with the costs of customers waiting in line (such as lost time or customer dissatisfaction).

Question 3

It is difficult to separate the operations management functions from marketing in services.

Accepted Answer

In services, operations management and marketing are interrelated and closely connected. The marketing function may influence the design of service operations, and operations management directly impacts the quality of service delivered and the customer experience. Therefore, it is difficult to separate these functions.

Question 4

The customer arrivals in a queuing system come almost exclusively from infinite populations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The customer arrivals in a queuing system...

Question 5

Poka-yokes are procedures that block the inevitable mistake from becoming a service defect.

Accepted Answer

Poka-yokes are techniques or devices that prevent errors from becoming defects by blocking or correcting the mistake before it can result in a problem.

Question 6

The customer arrivals in a queuing system come almost exclusively from finite populations.

Accepted Answer

Customer arrivals in a queuing system can come from either finite or infinite populations, depending on the context. Many models assume an infinite population for simplicity and because it often closely approximates real-world scenarios where the number of potential customers is very large and not effectively limited.

Question 7

The service-system design matrix identifies six forms of service encounters.

Accepted Answer

The service-system design matrix does indeed identify six forms of service encounters, including self-service, phone, internet, face-to-face, automated service, and personal contact.

Question 8

A service system with a high degree of customer contact is less difficult to control than a low degree of customer contact service system.

Accepted Answer

A service system with a high degree of customer contact requires constant monitoring and feedback to ensure customer satisfaction, which can make it more difficult to control compared to a low degree of customer contact service system.

Question 9

The term "encounter" is defined by Webster's Dictionary as "meeting in conflict or battle" and is used to also designate meetings between consumers and service systems.

Accepted Answer

The definition of "encounter" given by Webster's Dictionary does include the possibility of conflict or battle, but it is not limited to just those situations. The term is often used to refer to any type of interpersonal meeting or interaction, including those between consumers and service systems.

Question 10

Services often take the form of repeated encounters involving face-to-face interactions.

Accepted Answer

Services often require direct interactions between the service provider and the customer. These interactions can be face-to-face, over the phone, or through digital means, but they are typically repeated over time to provide ongoing support or assistance.

Question 11

Poka-yoke is roughly translated from Japanese as "avoid mistakes."

Accepted Answer

Poka-yoke is a lean manufacturing term that focuses on preventing defects and errors by designing systems or processes that are mistake-proof. The term "poka-yoke" translates to "mistake-proofing" or "error-proofing."

Question 12

Poka-yoke is roughly translated from Japanese as "quality management."

Accepted Answer

Poka-yoke is a Japanese term that means mistake-proofing or error-proofing, which is a technique for preventing errors from occurring during a process. It is a part of quality management, but it is not equivalent to it.

Question 13

Because little or no inventory is carried in a service operation, it is easy to separate the operations management functions from marketing in services.

Accepted Answer

In service operations, marketing and operations management are closely intertwined and cannot be easily separated. Marketing is responsible for generating demand and making promises, while operations management is responsible for delivering the service in line with those promises. Therefore, coordination between these functions is essential for the success of a service operation.

Question 14

The "service blueprint" is a classification of services.

Accepted Answer

A "service blueprint" is a tool used for service design and innovation, detailing the process, points of interaction, and the behind-the-scenes actions of service delivery, rather than a classification of services.

Question 15

An important aspect of service products is that they cannot be inventoried.

Accepted Answer

Unlike physical products, services cannot be stored or saved for future sale or use. Services are consumed or used up immediately as they are provided.

Question 16

Customer contact refers to creation of the service.

Accepted Answer

Customer contact refers to the interaction between the customer and the service provider during the delivery of the service, not the creation of the service itself.

Question 17

Ideally in waiting line or queuing analysis we want to balance the cost of service capacity with the cost of waiting.

Accepted Answer

Yes, ideally in waiting line or queuing analysis, we try to find the optimal balance between the cost of service capacity and the cost of waiting. This helps in achieving maximum customer satisfaction while minimizing the operational costs.

Question 18

The work process involved in providing the service must involve the physical presence of the customer in the system.

Accepted Answer

Some services can be provided remotely without the physical presence of the customer, such as online or phone consultations.

Question 19

Effective management of services requires a clear focus on understanding operations, so much so, that it may even require the exclusion of consideration of marketing or personnel.

Accepted Answer

Effective management of services requires a holistic approach that includes understanding operations, marketing, personnel, and other aspects. Excluding consideration of marketing or personnel would likely lead to suboptimal service management.

Question 20

A finite population in waiting line management refers to a population that is large enough in relation to the service system so that the change in population size caused by subtraction or additions to the population does not significantly affect the system probabilities.

Accepted Answer

A finite population in waiting line management refers to a limited number of potential customers or items that can enter the system, where changes in population size significantly affect system probabilities.

Quiz 7: Service Processes