TECHNIQUE: Long term service scenarios

LIFE MEANS LIFE

Too many of our life services don’t deliver over the long term. Life is a dynamic and changing experience, yet we seem to mis-sell products and experiences far too often in the service industries. As service providers we need to become better at thinking about the long term customer engagement and embrace the changes that life throws at our customers.

A good example of this has been the changes in the pension industry. 80 years ago employee would expect to work for one employer for life and in return receive a pension. Recent data from the Department from work and Pensions estimates we will work for 11 employers in our life time - 11 different Pension Pots. Findings by Age Concern, have suggested that as many as 1 in 4 pension pots goes missing. This is pretty shocking statistic and shows the difficulties in long term service delivery.

The Long term service scenario exercise helps designers, clients and product owners think about the long term delivery of services. It highlights the changing nature of a users life and the variety of disruptions that needs to be considered.

Workshop: Long term service scenarios

Duration: 30 mins People: Pairs

Method: Get the attendees in to pairs. Distribute pens, paper, post it notes

Attendee 1. Plays the customer. Map out your perfect life from 20 - death with 3 different services (ex: mortgage, pension, phone carrier)

Attendee 2. Plays the reality. Map out all of life challenges and success. Physical Health, metal health, divorce, death of loved ones, interest rates up. Employment rates down. Recessions and depressions. Fires and subsidence, loyalty wins, tax breaks. Life is full of challenges In your pairs, you have 5 minuets to..

Attendee 1. describe your first 10 years. 

Attendee 2. Describe 1 life challenge to over come.

Consider the service deliveries and changes Use post it notes to capture the issues and resolutions

Repeat to 80 or death

Share the scenario with the other workshop attendees