· Operations focused . This book has a clear operations focus and is concerned with managing operations. It explores operational issues, problems and decisions. It exposes students to the problems faced by service operations managers and helps practising managers deal with those issues. Each of the main chapters addresses 'how to' deal with a particular problem or challenge. · Frameworks and tools . Each chapter provides tools, frameworks and techniques that will help students and managers not only analyse existing operations but also understand better how they can deal with the issues that operations managers face. · International real world illustrations .

Each chapter includes a number of short illustrations from around the world that show how organisations have either identified or dealt with the particular issues being discussed. · Underpinned by theory . Appropriate theoretical underpinning and developments are included in an unobtrusive and accessible way. References, web links and suggestions for further reading are also provided. · Managing people . This book contains a significant 'managing people' element, including employees and customers, as well as managing and changing the culture of the organisation as a whole. · E-service . Information technology, e-service and virtual operations are integrated into the book and their operational implications explored.

· State of the art . The book contains some of the most recent ideas and information, covering in particular world-class service, performance management, service concept, the customer experience and service processes. · Summaries . Each chapter concludes with a bullet-point checklist summarising the key points structured using the questions at the start of each chapter. · Questions for managers . At the end of each chapter there are some questions aimed at practising managers, which they can ask of their/an operation. These questions encourage readers to apply the material in the chapter to their situation and allow them to understand better, challenge and improve their service operations. · Discussion question .

Each chapter provides general discussion questions to help students both assess and apply the material to a variety of situations. · Case exercises . Each chapter (with the exception of chapter 1) concludes with a case exercise suitable for class discussion. The cases are short but focused on the topic and are a rich source of material for debate and development. · Servops.net is the instructor's companion website for our textbook, containing the instructor's manual and a range of presentations in PowerPoint and Keynote formats to suit a range of teaching styles, experience and time constraints. The site also makes available a series of video screencasts in which the authors explain their approach to teaching each topic. Servops.

net also gives instructors a series of lesson plans and handout designs.