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Gustav Medberg, Anna Abramova, Robert Ciuchita, Henrik Virtanen, and Johanna Gummerus

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course would be particularly relevant to business professionals and managers interested in the potential of adopting a service-based strategy, whether their firms are currently operating in an industrial or consumer context, or a manufactured goods or services context. It is also relevant for business students wishing to specialise in service management and marketing.

Topics Covered

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Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course would be particularly relevant to business professionals and managers interested in the potential of adopting a service-based strategy, whether their firms are currently operating in an industrial or consumer context, or a manufactured goods or services context. It is also relevant for business students wishing to specialise in service management and marketing.

Topics Covered

  • Week 1 - Service as a perspective on business
  • Week 2 - The importance of service quality
  • Week 3 - Customer relationship management
  • Week 4 - A profitable service business
  • Week 5 - Productivity in the service context
  • Week 6 - Communicating a service brand
  • Week 7 - From manufacturing to service (logic)

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Reviews summary

Service management: a foundational overview

According to learners, "Principles of Service Management" provides a solid foundation in the field, often highlighted for its clarity and well-structured content. Many students found the concepts clearly explained and appreciated the relevance to professional roles, especially modules on customer relationship management. While some experienced professionals felt the course was too introductory or desired more advanced depth, recent feedback indicates the course material is updated, ensuring its continued relevance. The course is particularly beneficial for business students and professionals new to service-based strategies.
The course material appears to be regularly updated, maintaining relevance.
"The course material was updated, reflecting current industry trends."
"Some of the examples seemed a bit outdated, but recent additions improved the relevance of the content."
"I found the recent updates to the course content made it much more engaging and relevant to today's challenges."
Offers insights and strategies directly applicable to business roles.
"I found the course content highly relevant to my role as a manager. The module on customer relationship management was particularly insightful."
"I appreciated the practical tools and strategies shared, making it applicable to my work."
"I learned how to apply service management principles in my daily professional life, which was very useful."
Provides a strong, well-structured introduction to service management.
"Excellent overview of service management. The concepts were clearly explained and the real-world examples really helped solidify my understanding."
"A solid foundation. While some parts were introductory, it laid out the principles effectively. Good for those new to the service economy."
"The course was concise and well-structured; the weekly topics built upon each other logically."
May be too basic for experienced professionals seeking advanced topics.
"This course felt too basic for anyone with prior experience in business. It seemed like a rehash of common sense."
"I was hoping for more depth in specific areas like service design or advanced analytics, as this felt like a general introduction."
"I found the course largely covered theoretical frameworks rather than hands-on, in-depth practical scenarios."

Activities

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Career center

Learners who complete Principles of Service Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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Provides a global perspective on service management, exploring the challenges and opportunities of managing services in a global economy.
Provides a cross-cultural perspective on service management, exploring the different ways that services are managed and experienced in different cultures.
Provides a holistic approach to service management, emphasizing the importance of integrating all aspects of service management, from customer service to marketing to operations.
Provides a process approach to service management, focusing on the importance of understanding and managing the processes that deliver services.
Provides a systems approach to service management, emphasizing the importance of understanding the service system as a whole and how its components interact.
This is the official guide for the ITIL 4 framework, providing a comprehensive introduction to the key concepts, guiding principles, and practices of IT Service Management (ITSM). It's essential for anyone starting in ITSM or preparing for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam, and serves as a foundational text for understanding how ITIL can improve service management.
A market-leading textbook that analyzes and addresses organizational challenges in service operations using real-world examples. It provides a clear understanding of how service performance can be improved and is valuable for students and professionals seeking to deepen their knowledge of service operations from a strategic perspective.
Comprehensive guide on how to practically apply service design thinking to improve the quality of services and the interaction between providers and customers. It's highly relevant for those interested in the design aspects of service management and provides methods and guidelines for workshops and implementation.
Written as a business novel, this book provides an accessible introduction to applying DevOps principles within an IT service management context. It helps readers recognize common IT challenges and offers insights into improving workflows and achieving better business outcomes, making it a must-read for IT professionals.
Considered a seminal work, this book must-read for leaders in professional service firms. It covers crucial aspects like marketing, human resources, and financial management specifically tailored for service-based businesses, offering timeless wisdom on driving sustainable growth.
Offers a practical approach to service design, guiding readers from initial insights through to the implementation of services. It complements foundational service management knowledge by focusing on the customer-centric design process.
This guide focuses on fostering a company culture that prioritizes exceptional customer service. It provides practical steps and tools for transforming organizational culture to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, which critical component of effective service management.
A popular textbook that combines the unique challenges of operations management in service organizations with an overall view of service management. It's a comprehensive resource covering operations, strategy, and the role of IT in service delivery.
Serves as an essential guide for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam, covering key concepts and practices. It also includes practical tips for applying service management in the real world, making it useful beyond exam preparation for new practitioners.
This textbook provides a global perspective on service operations, integrating traditional theory with contemporary examples. It explores the challenges of managing operations in a service industry setting from a strategic viewpoint, suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
This guide explains how to apply agile software engineering principles to service management practices. It's relevant for understanding how to achieve end-to-end IT agility and is particularly useful in the context of DevOps and rapid change.

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