20-01.

Service provider

Pattern description

A service provider (SP) provides organizations with consulting, legal, real estate, communications, storage, processing. Although a service provider can be an organizational sub-unit, it is usually a third party or outsourced supplier, including telecommunications service providers (TSPs), application service providers (ASPs), storage service providers (SSPs), and internet service providers (ISPs). A more traditional term is service bureau (esp. 1960s to 1980s).

Inventive problems

It is necessary to perform a lot of customer service operations in order to meet the expectations of the customers.

It is necessary to perform a few customer service operations in order to reduce costs.