AI for Managing Services
Executive Diploma
AI for Managing Services
COURSE OUTLINE
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Term: I Faculty: Dr. A. Siluvai Raja
Batch: ED 2025 Period: November 25 to December 2025
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14 Sessions | 2 Credits
1. COURSE OVERVIEW
This course is built around Zeithaml, Bitner, Gremler, and Mende’s “Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm”, and examines how AI is transforming service organizations, operations, and strategy, emphasizing customer focus, service quality, and the integration of technology to innovate and streamline services. The course is ideal for executives aiming to manage, implement, or lead AI-driven transformation in service-driven firms.
2. Course Objective
a) Understand
and apply core concepts of services marketing—with a focus on the integration
of artificial intelligence and digital technologies to manage and innovate
service organizations.
b) Analyze
AI’s impact on service quality, customer experience, and operations using
frameworks from Zeithaml et al.'s "Services Marketing".
c) Design
service processes, strategies, and recovery initiatives that leverage AI
for efficiency, personalization, and responsiveness.
d) Lead and
manage service innovation projects involving AI and emerging technologies
in real-world contexts.
3.
Course Outcomes
a. To Explain the principles of services
marketing and the role of AI in service transformation.
b. Apply service quality and blueprinting
frameworks to analyze and redesign AI-enabled service processes.
c. Critically evaluate AI-driven customer
experience and relationship management strategies.
d. Assess and devise ethical guidelines and
service recovery mechanisms for AI-powered services.
e. Implement approaches for managing people,
change, and continuous innovation in AI-centric service firms.
f. Develop and present strategic plans for AI
integration in real-world service organizations.
4. COURSE CONTENT
a.
Introduction to Services &
the Role of AI
b.
Understanding Service Quality
in the Age of AI
c.
Designing and Automating
Service Delivery with AI
d.
AI, Customer Experience, &
Relationship Management
e.
Service Recovery, Ethics, and
Trust in AI-Driven Services
f.
Managing People, Change, and
Adoption of AI in Services
g.
Capstone – AI Innovation,
Strategy, and the Future of Services
5.
Session-wise Course Plan
|
Session |
Theme/Topic |
Subtopics |
Sample Case Studies |
Activities |
Book/Article
References |
|
1 |
Foundations of
Services & AI |
What are services?
IHIP characteristics, 7 Ps, the service marketing triangle; Role of
technology & AI evolution in services |
Starbucks digital
transformation; AI-enabled kiosks in fast food |
Map a familiar service
using the 7 Ps; Identify new AI touchpoints |
Zeithaml et al.: Ch.
1, Ch. 2, "AI and Service Robotics" ch. |
|
2 |
Service Quality,
Expectations & AI Impact |
SERVQUAL & Gap
Model; How AI changes service expectations and perceptions; Managing service
encounters |
HDFC "Eva"
chatbot; Service failures/recovery at Ola Cabs |
Critique AI customer
service using SERVQUAL; SERVQUAL gap analysis |
Zeithaml et al.: Ch.
5, Ch. 6, "AI and Service Robotics" |
|
3 |
Service Design,
Blueprinting & AI Automation |
Designing services,
blueprinting, co-production, AI transformation of service processes,
Self-Service Technologies (SST) |
McDonald's AI-powered
order kiosks; Healthcare appointment bots |
Draw a service
blueprint for an AI-enabled process; SST role play |
Zeithaml et al.: Ch.
8, Ch. 9, "AI and Service Robotics" |
|
4 |
Customer Experience
& Relationship Management with AI |
Omnichannel journeys,
AI personalization, CRM, loyalty & engagement with digital tools |
Netflix / Amazon:
AI-driven personalization; Uber: dynamic CRM |
Map your journey as a
customer in a digital service; Identify AI touchpoints |
Zeithaml et al.: Ch.
3, Ch. 11, "AI and Service Robotics" |
|
5 |
Service Recovery,
Ethics & Trust in AI |
Service failures and
recovery strategies; AI transparency, privacy, bias, regulations; Building
trust |
Airlines: AI chat for
disruption; Hospitality AI chatbots, GDPR |
Group debate on
"Should AI apologize?"; Draft a customer apology script as a bot |
Zeithaml et al.: Ch.
7, Ch. 13, "AI and Service Robotics" |
|
6 |
Managing Change:
People, Teams & AI Adoption |
Frontline service
employees, AI skills and resistance to change, Human-AI collaboration,
Service innovation culture |
Marriott Hotels: AI in
guest service; Banking sector digital upskilling |
Roleplay: Guiding a
team through AI adoption; Discuss "The Human Touch" vs. AI |
Zeithaml et al.: Ch.
12, "AI and Service Robotics" |
|
7 |
AI Strategy,
Innovation & the Future of Services |
Aligning AI to service
strategy; GenAI, trends, ecosystem partnerships, innovation cycles |
Financial services:
Chatbots and robo-advisors at ICICI Bank; Smart cities AI |
Capstone: Present an
AI strategy for a real service firm; Peer review, class wrap-up |
Zeithaml et al.: Ch.
15, "AI and Service Robotics" |
6. 5.ASSESSMENTS
Formative
Assessment (70 Marks)
o Quiz, Individual and group activity
Summative Assessment (30 Marks)
·
End-term
7. 6. REFERENCES
a.
Services Marketing: Integrating
Customer Focus Across the Firm (Latest Edition), Zeithaml et al.
- "Handbook of Services and Artificial Intelligence",
Edward Elgar
- "Incorporating AI Technology in the Service Sector",
Routledge
- "Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking
Humans" by Melanie Mitchell (background reading)
- "The AI-Driven Leader" by Geoff Woods
- Russell & Norvig, "Artificial Intelligence: A Modern
Approach" (latest edition)
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