Focuses on the roles of customers in creating quality and productivity in service experiences. Presents two conceptual frameworks to aid managerial understanding and focus research efforts on customer participation. The first framework captures levels of customer participation across different types of services. The second discusses three major roles of customers in the service delivery process. Two examples of the concepts are presented ‐ one in a weight loss context and the other in a mammography screening setting. Both are based on empirical research and illustrate specific applications of customers’ roles in creating the service experience.