Traditionally, manufacturers make products and fix products, and that's about it. However, many are now developing or already deploying new customer services to augment their traditional businesses. IBM Corp. and General Electric Corp. are two prime examples. For other manufacturers looking to develop the services side of their business, The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business, Columbus, Ohio, will hold a seminar June 2-4 called "Building Professional Services: Services Strategy in a Product Company." The university says participants will leave the seminar with a framework to define a successful services strategy for their company. Among the questions that will be addressed are:
- How do I know a strategy is viable?
- How do I identify the right services portfolio?
- Where are the most likely failure points?
