Manufacturers are transforming their business model from being a product dominant to a customer centric organization, in order to maintain competitive advantage, as well as deliver customer satisfaction thereby to build a long-term relationship with them. The management of complaint handling is regarded as a crucial contributor to its business performance. To identify key factors that influence the efficiency of complaint handling in manufacturing industry, it is important to start with an investigation of a company's internal complaint handling management. A multiple case study has been carried out in the form of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with managers from six different manufacturing companies. The studyreveals that four factors in complaint handling are to be paid attention to, which include complaint handling process, qualified complaint handler, complaint handling system and complaint handling policy. By comparing the companies' viewpoints as well as theoretical perspective on these factors, some differences and similarities are revealed. Finally, the study found that the complaint handler who possesses the adequate technical knowledge of the product and interpersonal skills is the most essential factor that affects complaint-handling efficiency. In the meanwhile, complaint-handling system is increasingly important in assisting companies with customer complaints.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2006. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

The invention of personal computers (PCs) brings a lot of convenience for many people¡¦s life. For a PC, its essential core is the operation system (OS) which is the most basic as well as important information system (IS). Because operation system is a requisite for each PC, many software companies have striven to develop and promote their own OSs. As well known, Microsoft is the most powerful company of OS and it dominated the market in the world. Microsoft is keeping designing new PC¡¦s OSs and promoting them with all its strength. It develops new version OS to fit the trade of information technology standard and users¡¦ requirements in specific product life cycle. In past, when Microsoft announced new OS version, they are quickly accepted and replaced to old ones. However, there is a strange situation for its latest OS Win 7 recently. Win 7 isn¡¦t quickly accepted to replace old version OS Win XP. The number of PC users whose platform is Win XP is still very large, and most of them have little willing to upgrade. It is a big problem for an OS company. However, this is also an interesting phenomenon and worth studying in academic. The issue is: why users would not like to upgrade a newer and more effective OS? This study focuses on the issue and tries to discover factors affecting upgrading intention and behavior. According to related research and actual observation, several critical constructs are applied such as switching costs, product qualities of relative advantages and over performance, and compatibilities. Moreover, environment factors like social influence and after-sales services expectations, and fashion effects. Demographic variables are included into the research model at the same time. Hypotheses are proposed after reviewing related studies and empirical survey. To verify this model and prove these hypotheses, PLS is applied to analyze and explain the result. On the other hand, discriminant analysis is also used to view the Win XP group and Win 7 group. The key discriminant function is made to distinguish and forecast these two kinds of groups. This study empirically validated and confirmed our research model by PLS and discriminant analysis. Furthermore, the relationships of factors those affecting upgrading intentions and behavior are verified and integrated. The findings are able to support OS suppliers to actually implement their product design. In academic, this study complement the field of IS switching about vertical upgrade to certain IS.

Aim: The objective of the study was to create knowledge on how supply chain management (SCM) can generate and impact satisfaction related to dealer - original equipment manufacturer (OEM) relationships. In this context, the after-sales market was investigated since it became the cash cow of the automotive industry after the financial crisis in 2008. The aims were to design comprehension of: Impact/importance of satisfaction Interrelations of SCM/relationship elements Recommendations for SCM strategies Method: The qualitative research focused on dealers and experts, who were questioned via structured interviews. Thereby relational content analysis was used to detect and categorize 15 codes, condensing the findings in a context model. Result & Conclusions: The research identified commitment, trust and communication to be substantial important within relationships. The OEM has to ensure a sustainable, transparent, adaptive and open relationship while guaranteeing satisfying experiences. The outcome is a “Relationship-Satisfaction Model”, where each element is placed in different importance groups, including adjustment recommendations. As a supporting concept for strategy adaptation, the “4S” model of SCM was deduced. Suggestions for future research: The limitations are related to the examination of a single industry sector and the derivation of theory from dealer experiences in one culture solely. Here diversification of the generated model will support and extend the findings. Contribution of the thesis: The model suggests different focus areas of SCM to improve future-orientated strategies for OEM’s. This conception can create competitive advantage in SCM, while contributing innovative knowledge to the current theories on satisfaction within dealer-OEM relationships.

Submitted by JOSÉ CARLOS MATA RODRIGUES (matarodrigues@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-12-13T21:52:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 VERSÃO FINAL - DISSERTAÇÃO JOSÉ CARLOS MATA RODRIGUES.pdf: 2368188 bytes, checksum: d9b4b19c4e0390e0d2917a3f912c6c5d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2015-12-14T15:30:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 VERSÃO FINAL - DISSERTAÇÃO JOSÉ CARLOS MATA RODRIGUES.pdf: 2368188 bytes, checksum: d9b4b19c4e0390e0d2917a3f912c6c5d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2015-12-17T17:29:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 VERSÃO FINAL - DISSERTAÇÃO JOSÉ CARLOS MATA RODRIGUES.pdf: 2368188 bytes, checksum: d9b4b19c4e0390e0d2917a3f912c6c5d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-17T17:30:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VERSÃO FINAL - DISSERTAÇÃO JOSÉ CARLOS MATA RODRIGUES.pdf: 2368188 bytes, checksum: d9b4b19c4e0390e0d2917a3f912c6c5d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-19 / The strategic role of an after-sale department in a benefit broker, like any other segment, is growing with great importance and thus the prioritization of its service is fundamental to the relationship, the retention and the loyalty of the clients. Therefore, this work has a main objective to build on indicator structure (strategic themes) in an after-sale benefits broker, in the health insurance segment, allowing for identify the strategic priorities and to promote the resources allocation more efficiently, aiming to obtain competitive advantage in relation to its competitors. The methodology initially comprised of a qualitative survey of experts in the segment, where it originated a four indicator structure (strategic issues) and eighteen factors of competition. The structure was tested by a questionnaire sent to all employees (internal customers) of a benefit broker, who were asked to answer on the degree of importance in a survey related to the indicators and the competition factors of the structure. At the end of the research, it was found that the indicator ‘Health Management’ presented the best result, while the ‘invoice submission within’ was the competition factor that deserved greater importance among respondents. It is hoped that the results obtained can be used as a basis for formulating closer relationship marketing strategies focused on the needs of the broker in its reality, respecting their limits and capabilities. / O papel estratégico do departamento de pós-venda de uma corretora de benefícios, assim como qualquer outro segmento, torna-se cada vez mais importante e, consequentemente, a priorização dos seus serviços é fundamental para o relacionamento, retenção e fidelização dos clientes. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo principal construir uma estrutura de indicadores (temas estratégicos) em serviços de pós-venda de uma corretora de benefícios, no segmento de seguro saúde, permitindo identificar as prioridades estratégicas e favorecer a alocação de recursos, visando obter vantagem competitiva em relação aos seus concorrentes. A metodologia compreendeu, inicialmente, uma pesquisa qualitativa com especialistas no segmento de seguro saúde, de onde se originou uma estrutura de quatro indicadores (temas estratégicos) e dezoito fatores de competição. A estrutura foi testada através da aplicação de questionário quantitativo respondido pelos colaboradores (clientes internos) da corretora, que foram convocados a responderem sobre o grau de importância com relação aos indicadores e os respectivos fatores de competição da estrutura. Após a execução da pesquisa, verificou-se que o indicador ‘Gestão de Saúde’ apresentou o melhor resultado, enquanto que ‘o envio de fatura no prazo’ foi o fator de competição que mereceu maior importância entre os entrevistados. Pretende-se que os resultados obtidos sirvam de base para formulação de estratégias de marketing de relacionamento mais próximas da realidade da corretora, respeitando seus recursos e limitações.

An increasing number of industrial manufacturing companies have made the transition to offer solutions, that include both its products and services for their customers rather than the products itself. Service is considered a lasting source of competitive advantage due to the difficulty to imitate by competitors. Today the field Service is a part of the aftermarket as companies traditionally offer them as a complement to their product. It is regarded to be difficult to manage, a necessary evil and despite investing a large amount of resources into it there are few that fully grasps its potential. Failing to manage the aftermarket and service is not only an economic risk, but it also risks worsening the relationship between the company and its customers. One reason the aftermarket is so difficult to manage is due to customers value services differently, thus complicate the definition of value. The different characteristics of products and services are contributing factors to why companies have difficulties to interpret and supply value to its customers. The concept of Servitization is the transformation that traditional manufacturing companies undergo to offer solutions of products and services. It is crucial that the companies understand the challenge they face. Moving away from the todays productoriented approach to instead take on a holistic perspective where service has an equal central role as the product is necessary, but often complicated. To begin this transformation, a first step is to develop a business plan for service alone, where the core is the company’s value offer. Previous research on what factors are crucial when developing a new business model within Servitization, as well what is valued by both companies and customers is lacking, therefore was this study conducted. The case study is conducted at a Swedish industrial manufacturing company, which manufactures complex products. The purpose is to examine what factors that are important, both internally and externally, when developing a business model for service. From this study three primary factors have been identified. The first is the necessity to separate services from other fields, to avoid the prejudice of a product-focused organization. Second, develop distinct packages of services to aid the company to demonstrate the value that services generate for its customers. The third is to regard the field of service as a part of its core market and not as an aftermarket. / Allt fler industriellt tillverkande företag övergår till att erbjuda sina kunder helhetslösningar bestående av varor och tjänster, istället för enbart fysiska varor. Tjänster betraktas som en varaktig källa till konkurrensfördel, då de oftast är svåra att imitera. Service är en typ av tjänst som idag anses vara en del av eftermarknaden, då tillverkande företag traditionellt erbjuder det som komplement till deras produkt. Eftermarknaden betraktas ofta som ett nödvändigt ont, och trots att företag lägger stora resurser på området är det många som går miste om dess fördelar. De företag som inte lyckas manövrera området Service riskerar att gå miste om ekonomiska fördelar, samt att relationen mellan företag och kund riskerar att försämras. En anledning till att eftermarknaden är svår att hantera kan bero på att kunder värderar servicetjänster olika, vilket försvårar definitionen av värde för företaget. De karaktäristiska egenskaperna hos varor respektive tjänster kan vara en bidragande orsak till att företag har svårt att uppfatta, samt förmedla värde till kund. Begreppet Servitization syftar till förändringen som traditionellt tillverkande företag genomgår för att erbjuda lösningar bestående av produkter och tjänster. Företag som vill genomgå en förändring behöver en medvetenhet om den utmaning de står inför. Att frångå det produktcentrerade synsättet och inta ett helhetsperspektiv där service anses ha en lika central betydelse som produkterna är nödvändigt, men ofta inte helt okomplicerat. Ett första steg i förändringen är att utveckla en affärsmodell för området service, där det centrala är företagets värdeerbjudande. Forskning på vilka faktorer som är viktiga vid utformning av en affärsmodell för Service, ur företaget och kundens perspektiv saknas, vilket gav upphov till examensarbetets syfte. Fallföretaget som studien har genomförts på är ett industriellt tillverkande företag, som tillverkar komplexa produkter till kritiska system hos kund. Syftet är att undersöka vilka faktorer som är viktiga, internt och externt, vid utvecklandet av affärsmodell för Service. Efter utförd studie har tre huvudsakliga faktorer identifierats. Den första är behovet av att lyfta ut området service för att undvika de förutfattade meningar som generellt finns i en produktfokuserad organisation. Det andra är att utforma tydliga paket av servicetjänster som underlättar för företaget att synliggöra för kunderna om vilket värde service genererar. Det tredje är att betrakta service som en kärnmarknad och inte eftermarknad.

This research adds to the literature and provides insight to practice via three essays that increase understanding about the applications and consequences of the two new approaches to the after-sales service governance: warranty contract and performance-based contracts. First, we attempted to enhance our knowledge of the modeling of the after-sales service process. In the first essay, the research papers with analytical models of after-sales services to present current trends, issues, and future research directions in the literature are classified. In the second essay, the effect of the warranty contract on the supplier's product quality improvement efforts in the context of capital goods is examined. Three sets of optimization models reveal that the existence of a warranty improves product quality. In the third essay, the performance-based contract is examined in the context of the warranty contract. The numerical experimentations conducted demonstrate that the performance-based contract is superior to the warranty contract in terms of the supplier's product quality efforts and the customer's total cost of after-sales services. The alignment of incentives based on the product performance tackles the issues presented in the traditional after-sales service contracting. Collectively, the three studies presented in this research expand our understanding of after-sales service contracts. Thus, the research presents managerial implications and adds to the existing body of knowledge in after-sales service research.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:40:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RONAN DA SILVA BUCAR.pdf: 2082408 bytes, checksum: 052986812b2303e4527290efa2c31d99 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-14 / The service sector has been the subject of many studies due to its expansive growth in terms of markets, and billing for its real renewal capacity and propensity for innovation. The automotive industry has aggregated various activities in its supply chain, dedicated to services, meeting every demand. Specifically with respect to the resale of vehicles, the aftermarket sector concessionaire has an important function in maintaining the customer relationship in the character of brand loyalty through service and zeal in service. Activities in concessions need to provide this type of service with maximum efficiency while maintaining the standard set by the automaker, so that conglomerates formed by groups with multiple units need to monitor their standards, and promote change as consistently as possible, that is critical to ensure continued market. In this context, this paper proposes to discuss issues incipient national literature, studying the processes of inputs and outputs of five units providing after sales service for a grant, applying the methodology DEA - Data Analisys Envelopement. The DEA is a nonparametric method based on linear programming and allows calculation of efficiency by comparison of decision-making units. The efficiencies of workshops on post sales were calculated assuming scenarios of interest, then to discuss best practices in an internal benchmarking, where the results were pointed efficient units, and targets needed to guide management in order to maximize the goals and design standards. Further work gathered information services and technical data for the application and use of the DEA, the results confirm that there was little more than 5% of the box were efficient, and such evidence contributed to the proposed methodology for measuring efficiency industry sales and after sales of automobiles is applicable as a tool for management of such business. / O setor de serviços tem sido alvo de diversos estudos devido ao seu crescimento expansivo em termos de mercados, faturamento e pela sua real capacidade de renovação e propensão a inovações. A indústria automotiva possui diversas atividades agregadas em sua cadeia produtiva, que se dedicam a prestações de serviços, atendendo toda uma demanda. Especificamente no que se refere à revenda de veículos, o setor de pós-vendas de uma concessionária tem função importante na manutenção da relação do cliente em caráter de fidelização à marca através do atendimento e do zelo no serviço prestado. Atividades em concessões necessitam prestar esse tipo de serviço com o máximo de eficiência, mantendo o padrão estipulado pela montadora, de modo que conglomerados de empresas formados por grupos com várias unidades necessitam monitorar seus padrões, bem como promover alterações da forma mais consistente possível, o que é determinante para garantir a permanência no mercado. Nesse contexto, este trabalho propõe-se a discutir temas ainda incipientes na literatura nacional, estudando os processos de entradas e saídas de cinco unidades prestadoras de serviço de pós-vendas em uma concessão, aplicando a metodologia DEA - Data Envelopement Analisys. A DEA é um método não paramétrico baseado em programação linear e que permite o cálculo da eficiência pela comparação entre unidades tomadoras de decisão. As eficiências das oficinas no pós-vendas foram calculadas considerando cenários de interesse, para em seguida discutir as melhores práticas em um benchmarking interno, onde nos resultados foram apontadas as unidades eficientes, e metas necessárias para orientação da gestão no intuito de maximizar os objetivos e conceber padrões. Além disso o trabalho reuniu informações de serviços, bem como dados técnicos para aplicação e utilização da DEA, nos resultados houve confirmação de que pouco mais de 5% dos boxes eram eficientes, e tais evidencias contribuíram para que a metodologia proposta para mensuração de eficiência no setor de vendas e pós-vendas de automóveis seja aplicável como ferramenta de gestão de tais negócios.

No intuito de melhor entender a situação atual, objeções, limitações e perspectivas de uso da internet na pós-venda de serviços business-to-business, este estudo objetivou avaliar por que e como a internet está sendo ou não utilizada nas atividades de pós-venda de serviços de impressão corporativa e propor sugestões de melhoria desse uso para o público acadêmico científico e para os praticantes de gestão. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa exploratória usando estudo de casos com duas revendas de serviços de impressão corporativa. Como síntese dos padrões das descobertas, tem-se que: a internet tem sido utilizada para obter maior agilidade na correção de problemas e na leitura dos contadores de impressão nos equipamentos; os recursos mais utilizados são o e-mail, o portal e o acesso remoto a equipamentos do cliente, o que representa um uso básico e, à medida em que se evolui na oferta de serviços de impressão, o uso da internet se torna mais complexo; a mídia social, incluindo as redes sociais, não é utilizada nem existe uma estratégia definida para seu uso; o estilo de venda voltado para a solução de problemas e o planejamento baseado em valor influenciam o uso da internet, enquanto que a venda pessoal gera no cliente uma expectativa de que a pós-venda também seja presencial; esse uso da internet pode impactar positivamente o composto de marketing, apesar de muitos dos benefícios não estarem sendo explorados; por parte dessas revendas, a internet não tem sido melhor utilizada por falta de conhecimento de seus benefícios e de suas restrições e por falta de enfoque estratégico e prioritário dos seus gestores; o próximo passo seria usar melhor o que já existe implementado e expandir esse uso para os demais clientes. Por fim, foram apresentadas sugestões de melhoria desse uso. / In order to better understand the current situation, objections, limitations and perspectives of internet use in the business-to-business after-sales services, this study aimed to evaluate why and how the internet is being used or not in activities of after-sales service in corporate printing and propose suggestions for improvement of such use to the scientific academic public and to the practitioners of management. For such, an exploratory study using case study with two resellers of corporate printing services was conducted. As summary of the findings of the patterns it follows that: the internet has been used to achieve greater agility to correct problems and to read the counters on the printing equipment; the most used resources are e-mail, portal and remote access to customer equipment, which represents a basic use and, as it evolves in offering of printing services, internet usage becomes more complex; social media, including social networks, is not used, nor is there a defined strategy for its use; the selling style oriented to problem solving and the value-based planning influence the use of internet, while the personal selling, used by such resellers, generates an expectation that the after-sales attendance is also a personal one. That use of the internet can positively impact the marketing mix, although many of the benefits are not being exploited; by those resellers, the internet has not been used for lack of better knowledge of its benefits and of its restrictions and lack of strategic and priority focus of its leaders; the next step would be to make better use of what is already in place and expand that use to other customers. Finally, suggestions have been made to improve such use.

In today’s world, globalization has increased the competition among companies and functioned as a factor for increased product variety, increased amount of customized products and shorter product life cycles. Supply Chain management is considered one of the most critical strategies for increasing organizational effectiveness and enhancing the customer service. Supply Chain needs to be evaluated based on its performance of how efficient and effective it is. Quality on products and processes has becoming even more critical to companies’ success. Zero defects on the components and parts that meet the customers’ needs are important for the quality of the final products and quality efforts can decrease the costs throughout the Supply Chain. Moreover, Supply Chain’s cost identification is getting even more important in order for the companies to evaluate the performance of their channel and realize the efficiency of their activities based on their supply chain processes. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how the implementation of a performance measurement system can assist companies to improve the Supply Chain based on the identification of the relation between the evaluation of the Supply Chain and the quality and service that is provided to the customer. Moreover, the cost of the production and the after-sales service is measured, in order to have a clear image of the Supply Chain performance. A case study company, Giraff Technologies, was examined and investigated further in order the author to be able to support the results and the analysis of the primary research combined with the analysis of the literature review. Based on the results of the research it can be said that the quality performance of a company and the service that is offered to the customers can be enhanced through the measurement and evaluation of the Supply Chain performance. Better collaboration with the suppliers and customers, customer focus and continuous improvements are ways to improve not only the Supply Chain but also the quality and the service that is offered. The production cost is considered as a factor that can be influenced positively or negatively by the Supply Chain performance, whereas the after-sale service cost is not clear if it can be affected immediately from the Supply Chain performance.