This document provides guidance on writing service descriptions. It defines what a service is as an intangible product consisting of activities or benefits offered for sale. Services include banking, hotels, tax preparation, and home repair. The document outlines guidelines for writing service descriptions, including describing the organization, service content, and using passive voice. Sections to cover are the organization name, types of services provided, clients, hours of operation, service details, strengths, testimonials, pricing and offers. Examples given are descriptions for electricity and telecommunications companies. Passive voice is recommended over active voice for clarity.
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SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
Service oriented organisations differ from manufacturing organisations in that a
service organisation does not deal with goods or identifiable products, but
rather deals with customer participation.
Unlike manufacturing organisations such as factories, service organisations are
situated in different locations. This is to be near their customers as their service
cannot be stored and shipped, hence the need for branches.
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SERVICES
What is a service?
A service is a form of product that consists of activities, benefits, or
satisfactions offered for sale that are essentially intangible and do not result
in the ownership of anything.
Examples include:
Banking
Hotels
Tax Preparation
Home Repair Services
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SERVICE DESCRIPTION GUIDELINES
You may use the format below to guide you in
writing the service description.
a.Organisation
Identify the organisation, the types of services it provides
and the clients/consumers. State the working hours or
duration and days when the service is provided. The
organisation section of Tenaga Nasional may look like:
Tenaga Nasional is the sole supplier of electricity in
Malaysia. We have branches all over Malaysia. Our
offices are open Mondays Fridays from 8.00 a.m.
4.30 p.m. and from 8.00 a.m. 12.30 p.m. on
alternate Saturdays.
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SERVICE DESCRIPTION GUIDELINES
You may use the format below to guide you in writing the
service description.
b.Service Content
List detail of all the services and explain the scope and nature of the
service provided. State the strength of the service and provide
testimonials. Provide information on pricing and discounts/offers. For
example, a part of the service content section for Telekom Malaysia may
read like: i.Line Connection
New subscribers are provided telephone lines within a week of the application.
External lines are provided by us. Internal lines are contracted out. Faulty lines will
be looked into immediately after receiving complaints.
ii.Extra Services
When requested, subscribers are provided extra services with a minimum service
charge. The extra services provided are caller ID, call waiting and call transfer.
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PASSIVE FORM
Passives are frequently used in service descriptions.
Examples
Instead of saying:
Counter staff handle bill payments.
It may be written as:
Payments of bills are handled by counter staff.
Instead of saying:
The officer processes the application immediately.
It may be written as:
The application is processed immediately.
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PASSIVE FORM
Other common passive verb phrases used in service descriptions
are: