A BIOLOGICALLY INSPIRED FLUID MODEL OF THE CYCLIC SERVICE SYSTEM

A deterministic fluid model in the form of nonlinear ordinary differential equations is developed to provide the description for a multichannel service system with service-in-random-order queue discipline, abandonment and re-entry, where servers are treated like enzyme molecules. The parametric analysis of the model’s fixed point is given, particularly, how the arrival rate of new customers affects the steady-state demand. It is also shown that the model implies a saturating clearing function (yield vs. demand) of the Karmarkar type providing the mean service time is much shorter than the characteristic waiting time.

Service quality in multichannel fashion retailing: an exploratory study

Purpose Consumer purchasing behaviour has changed substantially in the light of recent developments in E-commerce. So-called “multichannel customers” tend to switch retail channels during the purchasing process. In order to address changing consumer behaviour, multichannel fashion retailing companies must continue to learn how to provide excellent service to such customers. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the interpretation of multichannel service quality by explaining it from the perspective of the so-called “multichannel customers”. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on social influence theory, this paper aims to investigate these issues from the perspective of multichannel customers. In contrast with dualist and objectivist studies, this paper uses a constructivist epistemology and ethnographic methodology. Such an approach is associated with an interpretivist ontological worldview, which postulates the existence of “multiple realities”. The sample size for this research consisted of 34 in-depth interviews and 2 focus groups comprising 10 focus group participants. Findings The data analysis fundamentally found that multichannel customers tended to continually adjust choices regarding retailer and retail ckhannel when making purchases. The perspective of this paper is different from mainstream positivist service quality research which sees service quality as static, objectively measurable and dualistic. As an alternative, this paper acknowledges service quality as a dynamic, subjective and pluralistic phenomenon. Originality/value This paper contributes to the interpretation of multichannel service quality with a new concept that explains the phenomenon from the perspective of customers and thus considers it necessary for multichannel retailers to adopt strategies relating to customers’ changing behaviour.

Effect of multichannel service delivery quality on customers’ continued engagement intention

Purpose Drawing on the extant multichannel service quality literature and customer needs regarding the experiential value of online and offline shopping, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among multichannel service delivery quality (MSDQ), customer experiences, continued engagement intentions and customer involvement. Design/methodology/approach A research model with five hypotheses was proposed. Data were collected from 911 Taiwanese consumers who had a minimum of two years of multichannel shopping experience. The consumers were asked to complete a survey about their experience with MSDQ. Structural equation modelling was adopted to analyse the data. Findings The results of the analysis suggest that MSDQ positively impacts customer experiences, which in turn influence their continued engagement intentions. Furthermore, the analysis found that customer involvement positively moderates the effects of MSDQ on customer experiences. Research limitations/implications This study adopts the customer experience view to examine the effect of a holistic MSDQ design (including information transparency and accessibility and channel integration) on continued engagement intentions. By integrating a different conceptual lens, this study investigates the relationships among multichannel service quality, customer experiences and customer involvement, which adds alternative insights to the existing findings. Practical implications Managers must provide approaches to enhance the customer experiential values of utilitarianism, aesthetic appeal and playfulness; facilitate the information flow to be transparent and easily accessible; and provide different degrees of service based on customers’ experiences with their multichannel services to satisfy all consumers’ shopping needs. Originality/value The literature has focussed primarily on service providers’ technology capabilities and resources to design multichannel delivery systems. However, this study develops an MSDQ model and investigates its effects on customers’ experiences and continued engagement intentions.

Multichannel Service Delivery Architecture

System architectures that deliver real-time services to customers must be flexible, scalable, and support a wide range of communication channels. This chapter presents an architecture that was designed to support multiple delivery channels and was successfully used to implement mobile banking services. The considerations behind the design and the approach used to deliver SMS-based mobile services using service-oriented architecture principles are reviewed and some of the practical challenges that were encountered with the implementation are explored. The ability for this solution architecture to support other real-time service channels is also examined.