oboloo Glossary

Product Service System (Pss)

oboloo Glossary

Product Service System (Pss)

Product Service System (Pss) Definition

A product service system (PSS) is a combination of products and services that work together to achieve a desired outcome. It is a systems approach to delivering value to customers, in which the customer interacts with the system to receive the desired result.

The concept of a PSS was first introduced by Erik Sandelin in 1993, who defined it as ‘a system consisting of both physical and informational components, where the informational component provides information about the physical component, and vice versa’. The term has been further developed and refined by other scholars, but the basic idea remains the same: a PSS is an integrated system of products and services that work together to create value for customers.

PSSs are often used in complex, high-tech industries such as aerospace and defense, where there is a need for close integration between products and services. However, they can be used in any industry where there is a need to deliver an integrated solution to customers.

A key characteristic of a PSS is that it is designed around the needs of the customer, rather than around the technology or the product. This customer-centric approach means that PSSs are often more effective at meeting customer needs than traditional product-centric approaches.

There are four main elements to a PSS:

1. Products: These are the physical components of the system that are required to achieve the desired outcome.