Abstract

REIS, João  and  MELAO, Nuno. Design and control of multichannel services: A case study of a Portuguese bank. Rev. Portuguesa e Brasileira de Gestão [online]. 2012, vol.11, n.4, pp.58-69. ISSN 1645-4464.

Although organizations increasingly use multiple channels to deliver services, little is known about how these services are designed and controlled in reality. The objetive of this paper is to explore the processes and practices of design and control of multichannel services. The methodology is based on a single case study, of qualitative, exploratory and representative nature, of a Portuguese bank, and draws on interviews, observation and internal documents. The results suggest that the design and control processes have a semi-structured and structured nature, respectively, and show that practices are employed to promote its continuous improvement. The main conclusion is that the consistency between channels is crucial in the design and control of multichannel services, and organizations should develop integration mechanisms as exemplified in this case study.

Keywords : Multichannel Services; Design; Control; Operations; Case Study.

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