In the world of services, processes are everywhere. Any set of activities that takes inputs or resources from a supplier, transforms them through a series of steps, and delivers an output to a customer is a process. Everyday activities such as placing an order, making an airline reservation, contacting a customer service organization or being served a meal in a restaurant all rely on processes to ensure quick and trouble-free service.

Typically, services have two components: a transactional component, which are the activities that are needed to deliver the service and an interactive component which are the human relationships that are needed to enhance the quality of the service to the recipients. The transactional components are structured, analytical and broadly replicable; the interactive components are creative, intuitive and unique. Fulfilling both the transactional and interactive components is what makes the service successful.

Think about your last visit to a restaurant. The transactional components are the activities that are needed for you to place your order, receive your food and pay the bill. The interactive components are the knowledge and attitudes of the restaurant staff. You would certainly be dissatisfied if the staff were dour and rude, but you would be equally dissatisfied if the order was late, the food was uncooked, or the bill was wrong. The tools of process analysis are used to make sure that these transactional aspects of the restaurant service function well; the energies of the staff can then be employed to provide the special, individualized attention that contributes so much to the service experience.