Customized service solutions for project business

Project-based firms are supplementing their technology-based offerings with services, to build continuity into their customer relationships and add customer value. Project-related services can be offered using multiple business model options. Where different customers may require customized service solutions, suppliers need to consider whether and how they can customize service-related offerings efficiently. The purpose of this study to increase understanding on customization and the use of customer information in project-related service design and delivery processes. We employed a qualitative multiple-case research design, to explore the customization and use of customer information in project deliveries. The results show that companies engage in additive and subtractive customization in their project-related services, despite their increasing pursuit of standardization. They also engage in resource intensive search for customer information, while remote monitoring is foreseen as a strong option for the future. The results illustrate the need for different approaches towards customization for different types of services and during the different stages of the project life cycle.