An Information Stock Model of Customer Behavior in Multichannel Customer Support Services

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinshuk Jerath ◽  
Anuj Kumar ◽  
Serguei Netessine
Keyword(s):  
Support Services ◽  
Customer Behavior ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
Stock Model

Repositioning the customer support services: the next frontier of competitive advantage

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1787-1804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagdish Sheth ◽  
Varsha Jain ◽  
Anupama Ambika
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Profit Center ◽  
Support Unit ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
Cost Center ◽  
New Framework

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the present status of customer support services (CSS) and advocate the re-positioning of support services from an administrative cost center to a strategic profit center. Authors demonstrate how customer support or after sales services can be a source of competitive advantage and revenue generation for firms. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a conceptual approach grounded in theoretical foundations of service dominant logic, customer loyalty and customer centricity along with practical illustrations from the industry. Findings Following the tenets of theory, review of existing research and analysis of the industry practices, the authors propose a new framework to enable the repositioning of customer service function. The key propositions include establishing customer support as separate business unit and insights center, introducing a new role of a C-level chief customer support officer to lead the customer support unit, adopting a customer-centric culture and process, enabling frontline IT support and investing in frontline employee skills development. Research limitations/implications Academics should examine the potential of customer support, where the strategic importance is low at present, leading to customer dissatisfaction. The new approach and positioning of customer support calls for a new direction for research in this area focusing on enablers, challenges and further implications. To succeed in this competitive era, firms should be conscious of the value of customer service and undertake concrete actions to generate value for all stakeholders. Practical implications Industry can use the new framework and re-position CSS of the organizations. The CSS unit can be different from other business units in the organizations. The CSS would evolve and emerge from the live customer insights. CSS unit can be managed by the C level chief CSS officer. Customer-centric culture would be developed and front line processes can be made customer-oriented by the officer. Thus, this paper and framework would provide new customer-centric directions to the organizations for effective functioning. Originality/value This is the original piece that has emerged from the experience and expertise of the authors.

Marketing IQOS in a dark market

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalise Mathers ◽  
Robert Schwartz ◽  
Shawn O’Connor ◽  
Michael Fung ◽  
Lori Diemert
Keyword(s):  
Support Services ◽  
Regulatory Policy ◽  
Marketing Channel ◽  
Tobacco Product ◽  
Sales Representatives ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
Tobacco Marketing ◽  
Retail Outlets ◽  
The Government ◽  
Relative Potential

IntroductionPhillip Morris International (PMI) is pushing hard to promote IQOS heat-not-burn cigarettes in Ontario, Canada. Canada regulates IQOS as a tobacco product so that the robust tobacco marketing ban creates challenges to its promotion.MethodsWe collected data on IQOS promotion in 49 retail outlets, and through interviews with clerks and observations outside an IQOS store.ResultsThe dominant marketing channel is the visible availability of IQOS in a large number of tobacco retail outlets—1029 across Ontario. Several stores display the price of ‘heated tobacco’ on one of three price signs which are permitted despite Ontario’s total display ban. IQOS boutique stores are the locus of aggressive promotion including exchanging a pack of cigarettes or lighter for an IQOS device, launch parties, ‘meet and greet’ lunches and after-hour events. Outside the store, promotion includes a prominent IQOS sign, a sandwich board sign reading ‘Building a Smoke-Free Future’ and sales representatives regularly smoking IQOS. Membership services: Upon acquiring an IQOS device one can register to access the IQOS website store5 and receive customer support services, a map of retail locations and a product catalogue. Members receive regular email invitations to complete surveys with opportunities to win prizes.ConclusionsThese promotion activities have undoubtedly made substantial numbers of Ontarians aware of IQOS. Yet, the government has not provided guidance as to absolute and relative potential harms. Our observations of tactics to promote a new tobacco product in a dark market may inform government regulatory policy and non-governmental organisation efforts wherever heat-not-burn products are introduced.

scholarly journals Towards Real-Time Argumentation

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-58
Author(s):  
Vicente Julián ◽  
Martí Navarro ◽  
Vicente Botti ◽  
Stella Heras
Keyword(s):  
Technology Management ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Call Centre ◽  
Argumentation Framework ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
Public Organisations

In this paper, we deal with the problem of real-time coordination with the more general approach of reaching real-time agreements in MAS. Concretely, this work proposes a real-time argumentation framework in an attempt to provide agents with the ability of engaging in argumentative dialogues and come with a solution for their underlying agreement process within a bounded period of time. The framework has been implemented and evaluated in the domain of a customer support application. Concretely, we consider a society of agents that act on behalf of a group of technicians that must solve problems in a Technology Management Centre (TMC) within a bounded time. This centre controls every process implicated in the provision of technological and customer support services to private or public organisations by means of a call centre. The contract signed between the TCM and the customer establishes penalties if the specified time is exceeded.

Knowledge-Driven Customer Support Services

2011 ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
Itzhak Aviv ◽  
Meira Levy ◽  
Irit Hadar
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Relationship Management ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
A Company ◽  
Software Organization

A Customers Relationship Management (CRM) program aspires to manage the relationship between a company and its customers as a key to success, in view of the fact that good relationships with customers lead to higher customers’ satisfaction. Despite the importance of CRM programs, their failure rates are high, partly because CRM service providers cannot resolve customers’ claims on time, which often occur due to the difficulty to find valuable knowledge and reproduce solutions. Therefore, integrating Knowledge Management (KM) activities, and in particular social Web 2.0 applications, within a CRM solution suit may enable to significantly enhance the efficiency of the organizational CRM program and build a knowledge-driven customer support services solution. The proposed CRM solution is based on a research case study conducted within customer service department of a large software organization.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document