Introduction
Target is one of the biggest companies in the United States, providing customers with efficient service systems and products of different categories. The company’s services have passed many changes, and managers are improving their performance every year. During COVID-19, Target has paid increased attention to service processes like delivery, customer assistance, and phone application development (A Bullseye View, n.d d.). To ensure that operations are efficient, the managers have followed the concept of a well-designed service system.
The Characteristics of a Well-Designed Service System
Alignment of Service System Elements with Firm Operating Focus
While building a delivery service, the company only had a choice to pay online. However, it became essential to focus on consistency and clarity in the process. Therefore, a new option for shop pick-up was introduced. Customers choose the products they want to buy and enter their details. When the purchase stage comes, they can pay in the nearest store or online and collect at the defined pick-up point (Target, n.d d.). The introduction of payment options allowed the company to increase customer loyalty.
User-Friendliness
It is also crucial to make it easier for an existing and potential client to make the interface more accessible. Chase (2006) proposed a user-friendly interface to increase sales and attract more people. Consequently, the business has invested in developing the application to make it easier for the clients to access personalized support from workers and set deliveries quicker from the individual’s account (A Bullseye View, n. d.).
Robustness and Structure for Consistent Performance
The external app helps to make the services more robust, as customers can always refer to the mobile system in case of the website shutdown. In this case, every worker knows their responsibilities, and the supply chain is not disrupted. Customer support stays in the office and replies to clients’ inquiries while warehouse workers merchandise and check products in the physical shops. Morning briefings and regular training sessions make employees more experienced in delivering effective services to those who make the company survive.
Effective Links Between Back Office and Front Office
The connection between departments is vital as it is essential to notify front workers about the issues received by back employees at the customer assistance office (Chase, 2006). The company avoids a bureaucratic system to ensure no hierarchy in the information delivery process. Therefore, each employee can be easily accessed from different departments.
Managing Service Quality Evidence for Customer Perception
Service quality is also defined through communication between workers and clients. Customers pay attention to the visible services, but most depend on internal operations unrelated to the client’s experience. While people request same-day delivery, the warehouse receives a direct message saying what products should be packed (A Bullseye View, n.d d.). When the box is ready, the delivery man should include the address in the day plan to calculate the most optimal route. The stability in these two processes builds the whole service experience, and workers must do their tasks with the highest level of responsibility.
Cost-Effectiveness
Some services require additional payment, and this aspect may not satisfy customers. Therefore, the business has included specific VAT on every product to decrease the price of deliveries and returns. Before purchasing the products, clients are notified about the additional costs added to their products, and the added value is explained to ensure the efficiency of the available services.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Target managers constantly improve the business’s operations and pay significant attention to the services. During COVID-19, people started using online systems more, and service delivery companies’ popularity has increased. Therefore, to maintain stability in sales. Target started developing new payment systems and invested a lot in the production of an application. By following the concept of a well-designed service system, the organization managed to achieve its goals and stay one of the most efficient companies in the US.
References
A Bullseye View (n. d.). Products & Services. Web.
Chase, R. (2006). Operations & Supply Management. McGraw-Hill Education.
Target (n. d.). Pickup & Delivery. Web.