Product-service systems in a clinical laboratory: a case study

Abstract

Increasingly, companies offer complete solutions, which include products and services, to its customers. This change in organizations’ portfolios has been occurring for a number of reasons: strategic issues, customer demands, or even low environmental impact trends. This paper aims to add the customer´s perspective on such a scenario through a case study in the laboratories of one of the major Latin American public hospitals. The acquisition of clinical analysis equipment was investigated; the results show an evolutionary trajectory of PSS implementation during the last decades. As a customer, this laboratory went through three phases of evolution: first, as equipment buyer; second, when equipment was no longer laboratory property, changing to leasing contracts; and third, a new method of purchasing, called the PSS solution. In this third phase, the laboratory observed important advantages related to product use and internal demands. The changes in the purchase process brought important gains to the laboratory, such as a secure operating system, risks shared with the solution provider, and specialized technical support.

Keywords
PSS; Servitization; Operations service management; Manufacturing