This article discusses what kinds of organisational and change processes take place when shifting to customer-oriented service concept, here called "third generation services". Our interest lies in the learning process that produces the development of services in cities and regions in new ways and how to develop services in practice so that the customer is at the centre. Our article is a comparative study with special focus on reforms implemented in social and health care services. The material consists of case studies from cities and regions in several different countries, including Barcelona, Glasgow and Melbourne. The material has been gathered from service development projects in which the aim has been a shift over to services with the customer in the centre.