Elsmar.com
© 2004 The Elsmar Cove
Rev:  Pre-C
Rendered: Friday, February 13, 2004
Elsmar.com  --  The Cove!
Slide  22
Quality Management System Implementation
Service As A Product
•3.1 - product - result of a process
•
•NOTE 1: There are four agreed generic product categories:
• - hardware,
• - software,
• - services,
• - processed materials.
•
• Most products are combinations of some of the four generic product categories. Whether the combined product is then called hardware, processed material, software or service depends on the dominant element.
> I was just hoping that you could clarify this a little for me.  I have no
> experience with service based industries.  Do you treat their service as you
> would a product?
Yes. A tire dealership's main product is the installation of tires. But there are other products. If they do alignment, one product would be alignment. No different from a company which makes both air valves and electric motors. They have several products. List the specific services you provide and you have a list of your products.
> Their processes, I assume are how they carry out the
> service.  This is a tire shop I'm dealing with.
Their processes are many: Taking orders from customers. Installing tires. Balancing tires. Aligning front ends. Placing orders with suppliers. Training employees.
Most tire shops do a lot more now. The place I go does brakes and some other minor repairs and such. These are all processes.