Collaborative decision making at the client interface: An exploratory case study of service co-production

Service co-production of a complex service is a type of collaborative decision making between a service professional and an individual client that necessitates high levels of interaction and information sharing between these two parties. This process culminates in a collaborative decision on an appropriate service to suit the individual needs and preferences of the client. These types of collaborative decisions are under-researched and this poses a significant constraint on organizations who are encountering a growing demand from clients to be involved in decisions about how services should be customized for them. In particular, there is a paucity of research on how information systems support these types of collaborative decisions. Our study involves an exploratory case study of collaborative decision making on complex financial services between service professionals and high-net-worth clients. The paper illustrates how such collaborative decisions are reached primarily through the service professional and the client learning from each other, building a trusting relationship and adjusting to each other-in a series of highly participative face-to-face service interactions. Our analysis exposes some limitations of information systems in supporting the type of learning, relationship building and adjustment that is required. We conclude by outlining the implications for IS research and practice.