What we do

We work to achieve our vision. 

We aim at working with the private sector and government with the only goal of recommending a system design that is capable of delighting customers while achieving world class efficiencies.

We do this through the application of scientific design principles to real life problems affecting  the service industry. 

 We utilize specific IE and OR tools for the improvement of systems in specific research areas.

The realization of ISSER's  vision will have vast benefit to all service delivery systems in Puerto Rico by providing decision makers with data and information that will facilitate the improvement of such systems to benefit customers –and ultimately everyone living in or visiting the island. Although broad in scope, this vision can be achieved by using today’s technology in data collection systems, paired with system dynamics research, predictive analytics and the use of performance evaluation models and other resource allocation and optimization models. These models provide a scientific foundation for creating a new infrastructure to build tomorrow’s efficient government, healthcare system and a world class private service infrastructure network.

We plan to export this vision to other Latin American countries through collaborations with foreign institutions and research contracts with  local governments, universities, research centers and private companies.

Research Areas

• service quality and customer satisfaction measurement and evaluation; 

• survey research and predictive analytics for business intelligence; 

• world class facilities design

• cost analysis, service/product and customer profitability analysis; 

• design of service enterprise performance measurement systems; 

• logistics of service enterprises; 

• assessment-based planning for performance improvement, 

• analysis of complex systems using systems dynamics; 

• systems engineering for service design, and

• systems thinking and critical thinking issues in engineering education

Our Tool Box

We use several OR and IE tools, techniques   and methodologies that have been proven to work in other sectors of the economy and in other countries:

A service system (or value co-creation system) is a configuration of technology and organizational networks designed to deliver services that satisfy the needs, wants, or aspirations of customers. Marketing, operations, and global environment considerations have significant implications for the design of a service system. Three criteria used to classify service systems include: customer contact, capital intensity, and level of customer involvement.

Systems Thinking and Systems Integration —A view of the big picture

Many times services are delivered as part of a network of service delivery units which is complex by nature, some others the service involves a number of tasks that make it complex. On top of this, the consequences of the decisions taken about the system can have a dominoes effect unless these consequences are identified and its effects on the whole studied. 

We use complex systems analysis methodologies to understand the system and the effects of the changes we are proposing to the whole and over time.  

Operations Research - The Science of Better

In a nutshell, operations research (O.R.) is the discipline of applying advanced analytical methods to help make better decisions. 

By using techniques such as mathematical modeling to analyze complex situations, operations research gives executives the power to make more effective decisions and build more productive systems based on:

• More complete data
• Consideration of all available options
• Careful predictions of outcomes and estimates of risk
• The latest decision tools and techniques

OR areas include: optimization, queuing theory and simulation, resource allocation, risk and decision analysis, data mining and predictive analytics, logistics.

Visit the science of better web site for more information on the power of OR

Facilities Design

Properly designed service systems employ technology or organizational networks that can allow relatively inexperienced people to perform very sophisticated tasks quickly -- vaulting them over normal learning curve delays. Ideally, empowerment of both service provider employees and customers (often via self service) results from well designed service systems.

We study your system and your alternative potential configurations to propose an integrated solution considering cost, customer service, and growth.

Performance Measurement:

How do you know if you have achieved your goals? If you are as efficient as you can? Whether your customers are happy? Whether you have delighted them enough so that they will return and recommend you to others?

Service Quality Measurement and Analysis

• What aspects of your service delivery are most likely to effect buying behavior?
  
  How do you evaluate service perceptions when customers interact with the company? 
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• What investments you have made have really had a significant impact on your operations? Which investments have been a waste of resources? Which investments have had a negative impact?

This involves the creation of surveys or scripts to evaluate your services, processing, analysis and reporting with concrete recommendations for improvement. 

    Data Envelopment Analysis

For multi-point service delivery networks such as fast food restaurants, hotels, banks, retailers and other service providers, knowing which of their branches is having trouble, and not achieving full potential is crucial. considering  the restrictions of differentiated markets is a struggle with so many other variables.

Data envelopment analysis or DEA is an analytical technique that allows us to pinpoint the branches that are excelling given their operational market conditions and those who are not. Our analysis gives room for providing strategies for improvement. It is appropriate for multi-point organizations with more than two products/services and a multiple of resources to deliver the service.

As long as each branch can be considered a system with inputs and outputs, DEA is applicable.

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