Service Customization Through Dramaturgy

Abstract

The customization of a service often depends on the “performance” delivered by front-stage service employees. Drawing on theories of dramaturgy and service marketing, we present a typology of four distinct and viable configurations for achieving different types of service customization. We explain how variations in the time pressure to customize a service, and the degree of customization required, combine to determine the characteristics of each configuration. With service organizations increasingly operating on a global basis, we discuss the fit between the preferences of different multicultural segments, the operational characteristics of a configuration, and the level of customization offered.