Script vs. Service Blueprint: Which Should You Use In Your Service Design Program?
A much-maligned script is a powerful tool with a bad reputation. It’s been misused, misrepresented, and misappropriated. So, what is a script exactly, and why use one? And what’s the difference between a script and a service blueprint? We have the answers.
Scripts get a bad reputation, from reality TV shows to lousy customer service speeches that sound flat and robotic. But this reputation is unearned because, in service design, scripts can be a necessary asset.
1) What is a script?
In the simplest of terms, a script is a written plan or sequence of action; instructions on what to say or do. Your script is your action plan put into the context of customer experience design, and it can go all the way down to the micro-level. It is what you do that enables, encourages, engages, and empowers your customers to do what they do.
We’re not advocating pulling a stack of cue cards out of your pocket to dictate each step of the customer experience. Still, a script offers a prepared approach for making the customer experience better. How? By guiding the internal processes that support your customer’s journey. It’s mainly about looking at your business’ role in the journey, and what you can do to create more meaningful interactions between you and your customer.
2) What’s a service blueprint?
On the other hand, a service blueprint is like the behind-the-scenes companion to the customer journey map. It captures all the things the company does to execute the customer experience design and make it happen, as well as the support processes that underlie each stage of their journey. Rather than splitting up roles into “customer-facing” and “behind-the-scenes,” the service blueprint views each action as customer-oriented, asking, “How exactly does this serve the customer experience?”
3) Which is right for me?
While the service blueprint should give you a clear picture of the objectives of the customer experience design and how it is orchestrated and delivered from the business perspective, the script works in apparent recognition of these objectives to create a customer experience that is meaningful and mutually beneficial.
The service blueprint is an excellent foundation for understanding the current state of your operations. What’s going on behind the scenes and how it is tied to the customer’s experience. But if you want to make an impact and work toward an ideal state, then it’s time to write your script. It is the how, providing tactics that can help you better support the customer journey and, if you are doing it right, your business’ bottom line.
Are you looking to partner with design research experts to guide you through the process? Contact THRIVE today to get started!
