Managing the Service Mix: After Sale Service for Competitive Advantage

Abstract

More and more, customer service is proving to be a source of competitive advantage for manufacturing firms, enabling leaders to remain ahead of the pack and providing the added thrust to allow a challenger to attack and overtake the leader. The articulation of the role of service must take place during the formulation of business unit strategy. Defining the mix of services to be provided requires the understanding of customer needs throughout the entire life cycle of the customer/supplier relationship. To be successful in providing those services, management must recognize that service is a corporate‐wide activity, requiring careful cross‐functional coordination.