Evaluation of digital platform to enhance value cocreation in customer support ecosystem
Garcia Amor, Argentina (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025112730504
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025112730504
Tiivistelmä
This thesis is a case study in a B2B multinational technology company with a worldwide presence, referred to as Company E. The focus is on the customer support organization that for the purposes of this thesis, is described as a service ecosystem based on Service-Dominant logic.
The actors of the ecosystem are mostly teams, scattered around the globe within the large and complex organization of Company E. Their strong and smooth collaboration is required to provide customer support. One key actor of the service ecosystem aims at creating a digital platform with the objective of improving collaboration, and consequently, enhance value cocreation. In this thesis, it is evaluated in what capacity a digital platform can support that objective.
The research was guided by a service design approach to ensure actor, or user centricity. In addition to desk research, two sets of in-depth interviews were conducted to better understand the ecosystem, actors’ needs and challenges. The interviewees of each set were part of two different types of actors (teams), each one with different roles and located in different countries. Based on the responses, a set of problem statements, or problems for the digital platform to solve, was defined for each need and challenge.
The findings show that a digital platform is perceived as beneficial and can enhance cocreation by easily connecting actors and resources in the ecosystem, improving communication and reinforcing institutions. However, for maximized value cocreation, or value cocreation in the long term, the platform should address the needs and challenges that have not been solved. To achieve this, the following factors are key: institutions that are legitimized by all actors, a common understanding of expectations and benefits of cocreating value and a common purpose for the ecosystem.
The actors of the ecosystem are mostly teams, scattered around the globe within the large and complex organization of Company E. Their strong and smooth collaboration is required to provide customer support. One key actor of the service ecosystem aims at creating a digital platform with the objective of improving collaboration, and consequently, enhance value cocreation. In this thesis, it is evaluated in what capacity a digital platform can support that objective.
The research was guided by a service design approach to ensure actor, or user centricity. In addition to desk research, two sets of in-depth interviews were conducted to better understand the ecosystem, actors’ needs and challenges. The interviewees of each set were part of two different types of actors (teams), each one with different roles and located in different countries. Based on the responses, a set of problem statements, or problems for the digital platform to solve, was defined for each need and challenge.
The findings show that a digital platform is perceived as beneficial and can enhance cocreation by easily connecting actors and resources in the ecosystem, improving communication and reinforcing institutions. However, for maximized value cocreation, or value cocreation in the long term, the platform should address the needs and challenges that have not been solved. To achieve this, the following factors are key: institutions that are legitimized by all actors, a common understanding of expectations and benefits of cocreating value and a common purpose for the ecosystem.