Abstract. Service co-production of a complex
service is a type of collaborative decision making between a service
professional and an individual client that necessitates high levels of
interaction and information sharing between these two parties. This process
culminates in a collaborative decision on an appropriate service to suit the
individual needs and preferences of the client. These types of collaborative
decisions are under-researched and this poses a significant constraint on
organizations who are encountering a growing demand from clients to be involved
in decisions about how services should be customized for them. In particular,
there is a paucity of research on how information systems support these types
of collaborative decisions. Our study involves an exploratory case study of collaborative decision
making on complex financial services between service professionals and
high-net-worth clients. The paper illustrates how such
collaborative decisions are reached primarily through the service professional
and the client learning from each other, building a trusting relationship and
adjusting to each other – in a series of highly participative face-to-face
service interactions. Our analysis exposes some limitations of information systems
in supporting the type of learning, relationship building and adjustment that
is required. We conclude by outlining the implications for IS research and
practice.