毕业论文相关材料
毕业设计(论文)
相关材料
题 目基于提升竞争力的第三方
物流企业客户服务研究
专 业 物 流 管 理
班 级 2006级2班
学 生
指导教师
重庆交通大学
目 录
第一部分: 毕业设计任务书
第二部分: 开 题 报 告
第三部分: 文 献 综 述
第四部分: 外 文 翻 译
一、选题目的的理论价值和现实意义
服务已经成为物流企业确保拥有立于市场不败的核心竞争力的重要组成部分。向客户提供完善的服务,既是现代制造业和商业发展对物流服务商提出的客观要求,也是物
流服务商积极参入市场竞争的必然结果。
二、本课题在国内外的研究状况及发展趋势
更重大的作用,也使大多数物流领域围绕着产品有序流动的组织和治理来发展,服务存在于国际、国内市场中,存在于运输、仓储等物流服务之中,然而目前服务经济发展的服务不只是货物的流动,可能服务的提供者是要流动的,或者是被服务者是流动的。另外服务工厂概念的产生,企业柔性制造、小批量、多品种的生产方式及顾客对物流业快速反应的要求也迫使物流业的服务水平有了进一步的提高。而物流信息系统
和电子数据交换技术,以及Internet 、条形码、卫星定位系统及无线电射频技术在物流领域中愈来愈广的应用也都是为了满足物流国际化,服务形式多样化和快速反应的要
求。
洲地区建立生产基地。欧洲物流企业的需求信息直接从顾客消费地获取;采用在运输
链上实现组装的方式,使库存量实现极小化、信息交换来用EDI 系统,产品跟踪应用了射频标识技术信息处理广泛应用了互联网和物流服务方提供的软件,这种基于互联网和电子商务的电子物流在欧洲的兴起,也正是满足客户越来越苛刻的物流需求,从
而提高服务水平。
尤其是90年代日本泡沫经济的崩溃,使以前那种大量生产、大量销售的生产经营体系出现了问题,产品的个性化、多品种和小批量成为新时期的生产经营主流,这使得市场的不透明增加,在库排除的观念越来越强,其结果是整个流通体系的物流治理发生了变化,即从集化物流向多频度、少量化、短时化发展。在销售竞争不断加剧的情况
下,物流的客户服务水平作为竞争的重要手段在日本得到了高度重视,80年代后期日
本积极倡导高附加值物流,Just -in -time 就体现了这一点。 户服务中心、加工和维修中心、信息处理中心和金融中心。在最近召开的1999年亚洲
物流会议上,格雷厄姆说:“根据顾客需要而增加新的服务是一个不断发展的观念。”
中国:由于市场竞争的激烈以及成本持续下降的压力,企业家们纷纷把目标转移
到物流费用上,这使得第三方物流作为一⋯个新兴的产业日益受到人们的关注。但经过了十几年的探索和实践,我国的第三方物流并没有按照人们的美好愿望快速发展起来。据((2006—2007年中国物流市场调研及发展预测报告和((第六次全国物流市场供需状况调查报告 显示,2006年有74% 的制造企业在寻求新的物流代理商,52% 的制造企业选择物流服务商的首要标准是物流综合满足能力,实施物流外包的企业中,有超过30% 的客户对第三方物流企业提供的服务不满意。这些数据充分说明我国大多数物流企业还不能满足客户的需求,我国的物流企业仍有较长的路要走。目前阻碍和影响我国第三方物流发展的主要原因还是在物流企业本身,并不是市场需求不足的问题,而其中的关键又在于物流企业的客户服务水平无法满足客户需求。三、研究重点 论文从提升企业核心竞争力的角度分析了客户服务的重要性及影响因素,并利用波特的行业五力分析了我国的第三方物流市场环境,通过对基于提升竞争能力的第三方物流企业客户服务的理论模型的讨论及比较,结合丹马士环球物流有限公司客户服务模式,提出了我国第三方企业物流服务模式及我国第三方物流企业通过提升客户服务来增强企业核心竞争力的战略建议。
四、主要参考文献
[1]王鲜萍,基于客户服务的物流理念解读.[J].时代经济论坛2007.03
[2]周卫放,第三方物流客户服务问题研究.[J].科技成果-管理与研究2008. 05
[3]曲沛力,第三方物流发展现状及趋势. [J].现代物流技术。 2005.07
[4]迈克尔波特著,陈小悦译.竞争优势.[M].北京:华夏出版社,2003.07
[5]李海华,现代物流客户服务分析[J].集团经济研究2007·02
五、指导教师意见
指导教师:
六、学院毕业设计(论文)指导小组意见
负责人:
文献综述
物流作为一个新兴产业,已成为新的经济增长点,第三方物流则是现代物流发展的主流模式。随着科学技术的进步和经济的不断发展,特别是随着网络技术的发展,物流市场的竞争开始加剧。
曲沛力在《第三方物流的管理与运作----第三方物流发展现状及趋势》中认为:面对中国第三方物流发展尚处干初级阶段以及国外物流巨头即将全面登陆中国的背景.中国第三方物流企业除了通过整合提高服务能力、增强竞争力之外别无选择:显然,机遇与挑战并存,在制定策略的过程中,物流企业应以全新的思考来解决企业的经营策略。应该强调建立在拥有快速反应能力、了解和贴近国内客户之上的竞争优势,以创造价值的理念来取代传统的 开源”,以避免成本发生和总成本最优的策略来取代“节流” 。同时还要拥有真正以客户为本的经营理念,利用现代物流科学管理.走出一条适合中国的第三方物流的新路[1]。
面对竞争的挑战,第三方物流企业培育自身的核心竞争力是当务之急。第三方企业物流客户服务已成为一种经营理念,重视和完善客户服务成为物流企业确保拥有立于市场不败的核心竞争力的重要组成部分。
买明军在《物流客户服务与企业竞争力》一文中提出:在现代商业社会, 市场竞争愈演愈烈.产品的差异和价格战的效果越来越小.核心产品和有形产品上的竞争优势已经不能对客户产生决定性的影响。目前的竞争是外延产品的竞争.这才是企业获得竞争优势、赢得市场的关键。客户服务的影响是外延产品中的重要方面,发挥客户服务的优势才能在竞争中取胜[2]。总之.客户服务正成为夺取竞争优势的重要战略。提供高质量服务的企业会在经营上越过不太重视服务导向的企业。
从物流的角度看,客户服务是所有物流活动或供给链过程的产物[3],它是营销和物流运作之间的重要连接面,表征着企业市场组合中的地点要素。客户服务水平是衡量物流系统为外部客户购买商品所创造的时间和空间效用能力的尺度。客户服务在发展和保持客户的忠诚和持续满足方面起着重要的作用。职能运作部门的服务水平,如市场营销、生产制造等部门,直接影响着企业满足客户需求的能力,并且将决定着这些职能在日常工作中能否与物流环节进行良好的沟通与交流。而直接提供给客户的服务水平则决定了企业能否留住现有的客户以及可以吸引多少新客户。
胡文娅在《第三方物流企业的客户服务》中指出:客户服务是发生在买方、卖方、第三方之间的活动,这一活动导致物流产品和服务的价值链增加。这种附加活动可以是短期,也可以是长期的契约关系。附加价值各方可以共享。客户服务是以成本最优
化的方法,为供应链提供显著附加价值的方法。客户服务是企业物流的输出活动,是企业强有力的竞争武器和企业战略。相比于产品、价格、促销方式容易被竞争者赶上,提供高水平的客户服务不容易被竞争者效仿。客户服务的投资回报率远高于用其他营销促销手段的投资回报[4]。
施全燕在《小议物流的客户服务》中提到客户服务是整个物流体系设计和运作的基础和必要组成部分。物流企业在市场竞争中需要确定自己的核心业务和核心优势,差异化的客户服务能给企业带来独特的竞争优势。[5]加强物流管理、改进客户服务是创造持久竞争的有效手段。此外,客户服务水平直接影响到企业的市场份额、物流总成本,进而影响到总体利润市场规模和经营范围扩大等因素的影响,物流业提供给各种企业的是物流服务,而绝不仅仅是单独企业内部的物流活动。从某种意义上说,“服务”是物流的性质,而一流的客户服务已成为高水平物流服务企业的标志。客户服务不仅决定了原有的客户是否会继续维持下去,而且也决定了有多少潜在客户会成为现实客户。因此物流的客户服务都要注重赢得新客户,留住老客户,这是客户服务最基本的要求。
客户对物流服务的体验来源于产品物流服务的各个方面,是企业基本可控的因素,具体包括以下内容:人员沟通质量一指负责沟通的企业或物流代理企业服务人员能否通过与客户的良好接触提供个性化的服务。服务人员知识丰富、体谅客户处境等有助于提高客户服务认知;订单释放数量一企业有时出于供货、存货或其他原因会按实际情况释放(减少) 部分订单的订货。尽管很多客户对此都有一定的心理准备,但是不能按时完成客户要求的订量会降低客户服务认知;信息质量一指企业或物流代理企业从客户角度出发提供的产品目录、产品特征、发货时间等相关信息。企业及时为客户提供足够多的可用信息可提高客户服务认知;订购过程一指企业或物流代理企业在接受客户订单、处理订购过程时的效率和成功率。订购过程越简捷越能提高客户服务认知;货品精确率一指实际配送商品和订单描述的商品相一致的程度,货品的精确率越高越能提高客户服务认知;货品完好程度一指货品在配送过程中受损坏的程度。货品完好程度越高越能提高客户服务认知;误差处理一指订单执行出现错误后的处理。若企业误差处理完全研究与探讨消除了客户的不满,则可避免客户的负面评价;时间性一指货品是否如期到达指定地点。货品能按客户的要求到达指定地点可提高客户服务认知。
[6]实际上,客户所处的行业不同对物流服务所关注的要素会有所差异。比如生鲜品行业的客户比较重视时间性和货品的完好程度,而建筑材料行业的客户则比较关心订购过程,因此企业需通过市场调查了解不同行业客户对物流服务的独特要求,使物流服务在客户关注的方面有出色的表现,从而使客户认知与客户预期达到一致,以有效地降
低物流客户服务成本。
第三方物流所提出的综合物流服务内容需要参与到了客户采购、生产、销售计划之中,通过协同预测和计划,从供应链物流的规划到物流运作过程的管理,为客户进行彻底的物流管理服务,这就在原来服务的基础上进行了大幅度的提升,从而导致了质量改进,在新的服务范围上建立新的服务标准,新的标准以新技术和客户需求为导向,能够产生更大的客户价值,这就为企业带来了新的利润增长。[7]在改进过程中,企业实现了自我的发展和完善,而不再是原有水平的重复,或者说,企业发展从数量规模上的扩张转向了质量能力上的提高,从而在市场上具备了更强的竞争力。
根据Paul S. Adler[2002]的定义[9], 其认为“社会资本是个体或群体可获得的善意(goodwill)”, 它强调的是 “我现在为你做, 因为知道在将来某一时候你也将为我做”。物流企业在处理客户服务时, 不应因暂时的利益 得失而失去潜在客户, 因此, 有必要根据客户对企业长远的合作关系进行权衡, 以获取客户满意, 提高客户服 务水平。总之, 客户服务是物流活动的重要内容, 是物流企业降低总成本的重要方面, 也是物流企业形成核心竞争能力的重要因素, 在进行物流管理决策中占有重要地位。
现在越来越多的物流公司开始重视客户服务,并急于将其引入到物流公司的经营活动中去,于是制定一大堆客户经理或市场营销的规章制度,强制员工去执行,结果却不尽人意。[8]问题在于:制定制度并不困难,关键是要让员工认可、内化服务理念、服务宗旨,这样员工才会主动地、绞尽脑汁地去想、去做他能为客户所做的事情。同时,物流公司在服务上的竞争,关键不是服务项目和产品的多少,因为这是很易模仿的,而在于服务文化。因为建立和改变物流企业文化,需要一段漫长的过程。在这个过程中,管理者起着决定性的作用。服务杰出的管理者,会不厌其烦地阐释其服务理念,并亲自到第一线为客户提供服务,这样做可以使高层主管接触客户遭遇的问题,体验第一线员工的辛劳,同时向所有员工显示客户服务的重要性。因为只有参与型的领导才能真正使员工体会到传播的“文化”的实质,而员工才可能有最大的投入。此外,建立以客户为导向的组织机构也是重要的一环。 这种组织结构应该向员工传递这样一个清楚信息:一线员工的职责是使客户满意; 而管理人员的职责是支援员工,使他们更好地为客户服务,要做到这样,一线员工应被充分授权,因为真正了解客户的是直接面对他们的一线员工,如果这些人没有权力根据客户需求决定自己的行动,就不可能让客户满意。为了保证一线员工正确地使用权力,物流公司要加强员工培训,管理层要由机械管理者转变为客户拥护者和教练,配合员工愉快地工作。同时,在缩短管理半径的同时,强调管理人员与员工的双向沟通:一方面,管理者必须让员工了解服务的目标,协助他们提供最优服务; 另一方面,一线员工应将客户的意见准确、快速地反
馈给管理层,并提供决策参考。
周卫放在《第三方物流客户服务问题研究》一文中讨论到:随着物流行业的进一步整合以及物流服务逐步走向一体化和系统化,客户服务质量水平的高低将是笫三方物流企业获取市场份额的关键因素,仅仅靠功能性的专业知识取得竞争优势将日趋艰难。第三方物流企业只有塑造个性化的核心竞争能力,提高客户满意度,使客户认同物流企业的价值,真正为客户企业的物流管理带来战略价值和管理效率,才能维持并增加市场份额[10]。
参考文献
[1] 曲沛力,第三方物流的管理与运作----第三方物流发展现状及趋势. [J]物流技术与发展2005.08.
[2] 买明军,物流客户服务与企业竞争力. [J]中小企业科技2007.07 .
[3] 王鲜萍,基于客户服务的物流理念解读. [J]时代经济论坛2007.03 .
[4] 胡文娅,第三方物流企业的客户服务. [J]中国储运2005 . 06 .
[5] 施全燕,小议物流的客户服务. [J]经营与管理2007.09 .
[6] 黄由衡, 韩霜,物流客户服务成本与物流服务水平关系探讨. [J]物流技术2007.02.
[7] admin,物流企业提升服务质量赢得客户. 互联网.
[8] admin ,中国物流业售后服务的五大途径. 互联网.
[9] 陈壁军,何海军,对我国物流业中客户服务的初步分析. [J]物流科技 2003.04.
[10] 周卫放,第三方物流客户服务问题研究. [J]科技成果-管理与研究2008. 05.
2003--2010年之间波兰的物流客户服务水平的变化
摘要:客户服务在中欧市场经济体中扮演一个全新的杰出且重要的作用。客户服务的评估是可以实现的,而采用反映该服务的各方面有不同的标准。本文介绍了2003-2010年期间在波兰公司的调查结果。这些调查表明,波兰制造商改变了对客户服务的态度和竞争优势方面。他们是不断增长的客户需求意识,采取不同的标准来评价该服务。但是,有几个缺点,可显示在对这些标准的实际应用领域,如低质量或零星报告和意外使用。
关键字:顾客服务,标杆的客户服务,绩效评估
1. 引言
在波兰的市场运作的经济几年来一直带来许多巨大的, 在波兰公司业务的深刻变化。利润和日益缩小市场细分,意味着在波兰公司的经理慢慢开始逐渐意识到一个事实,即一个企业在长期的成功,是一个用于提供其需要 比它的客户提供更好的竞争。因此,一个在不久的将来的主要问题是波兰的物流公司将关注战略和客户服务管理。它已经成为'' '' 制造公司的运作模式。然而,广泛的销售增长的愿望似乎占上风,而与需求约束问题。现代物流管理的原则越来越受欢迎,但具体的工具和方法,为有效管理的货物流动是不常见的知识管理人员大多数尚未。库存政策,库存控制和库存管理,以精确的关系需要 物流客户服务水平仍然更是在理论和实践这些制造业比 公司。 定期调查客户的服务水平和管理进行研究,提交了从2003年到2010年基本改变。该分析是基于在一个由在波兰南部的波兰公司经营的典型抽样的方式挑选制造业公司样本。在2003年的样本大小为52家公司(Kisperska - Moron ˜,1996年)和2010年公司87。样品从2003年和2010年不包括正是因为研究对象在同一个公司没有按照客户的公司在特定群体服务的变化。它的基本目的是要找出什么是客户服务水平在2010年的平均图片时相比,在20世纪90年代初期开始转型。然而,4特别是公司的分支机构进行整体样本进行了比较:金属,冶金,化工,轻工行业。在2010年接受调查的样本电子和工程业的尊敬,因为公司已经属于这些分支比2003年形成较大的数据组。
2. 客户服务的多个方面
客户服务是一个非常广泛的术语和变化从一个公司到下一个。此外,供应商和客户认为这一概念完全不同。如果没有走进崇高的理论之争,在此文件中的术语“客户服务”已被用在非常广泛的意义。它不仅是指一个函数或活动要进行管理,如订单处理,
发票和售后支持,但其总的企业理念,从而导致了该公司计划采取行动的态度和市场(主要经营股票和兰伯特,1987)。
在实践中,为了使有关客户服务使用一些诊断报表必须能够衡量的后勤系统的性能和如何清楚,系统创建一个产品的时间和地点效用。最流行的分类通常划分为三个组相关:本文提出前交易,交易和交易后的探讨与客户服务会考虑的一些内容的基本要素及客户服务的指标:
①可用性的一个项目,代表供应商的能力,以满足限期客户的订单(接受特定项目一般)。在缺货数是一个平常的产品供应的措施。
②交货时间,从收到流逝由一个命令和客户收到货物供应商的坚定承诺。 ③可靠性,这意味着供应商的承诺,承诺的交货时间保持。
④精度的数量和产品订购。作为一项规则,这些元素具有最重要的连接到交货时间和库存结构。这些指标已经分析了在过去撰文,以说明在波兰的客户服务管理的一般做法。
3. 当前制造商对市场环境的看法
客户服务水平和所需支持取决于多种因素,多元化的存货价值,然而,它是产生在市场上的买家和卖家之间的相互关系的现状为主。既然,所谓的卖主的市场中不存在任何更多的波兰目前制造业和贸易公司,具备更多的客户需求模式的认识。调查的公司报告说,他们的客户交付(表1)预期一定的要求。
表一列出了波兰公司必须考虑与他们的客户打交道,而不同的因素。根据市场意见,在2003年首先需要交付的所有货物,包括正是下令品种和分娩时有提示。在这种情况下,交付产品的质量似乎只有第三个重要因素,虽然调查的公司本身,从货物交付给它们的质量差,有时。额外服务一般被视为不那么重要。这种对客户服务的内容的重要性等级是波兰市场的不成熟,客户还没有学会还期望典型的服务完善和改进。在正确的时间交付正确的产品质量的基本权利的问题还造成了一些麻烦。
表1还表明,在接受调查的制造商认为市场需求显着变化从2010年的2003年。最大的变化问题提供更多的服务,然后导致双方都倍,成为重要得多。交付的分类精度得到了自觉接受调查的制造商少一点很重要,可能是由于这样的事实,这个领域的情况,自2003年以来提高。
人们可以看到不同行业之间的不同分支(表2)市场需求的看法。作者:交付和交付的产品质量迅速增长在2010年的重要意义已远远超过了评估于2003年由来自所有分支厂商提高审查。
大部分受访公司基础上的反馈信息,他们从顾客获取有关市场需求的判断。 2003
年,56%受访公司的客户系统或定期通报其收到的交付和服务(问题无意见的制造商。表3 2)。 2010年从客户的信息共享增长到77%。该公司的另一部分,即从收到客户的表现,只零星的意见,所以,实际上他们不知道他们是如何评价他们的客户(见表3)。这对减少到2010年的23%没有告知公司的一部分。
对客户的服务水平,以制造商提供的还取决于他们是如何看待市场上的竞争对手。 2003年,几乎42%的受访者声称,他们小心地跟踪和监视竞争对手的问题没有。三表3)和32.9%,取得了一些来自他们的客户(共74.6%)的信息。然而,三分之一的受访公司第四只能够得到传闻证据,或者没有在所有的信息。在2010年,公司获得了足够的信息对他们的竞争对手不是那种自己或由他们的客户份额下降到69%,而与传闻证据的满意公司的份额从14.2%上升到28.7%。只有1.8%的制造商声称,他们没有任何竞争对手的信息这是一个积极的变化。
准则提出建议表4受访公司认为,他们一般在同一水平的竞争对手。人们也可以看到,一般公司都对他们的产品平均优质表示肯定,自尊一种生长在2010年与敬意,甚至几乎所有的标准考虑。一般来说,有可能有一个印象,企业意识到如何艰难的市场需求,不过这些公司也相当有信心,他们可以应付这些要求,以及他们的竞争对手。因此,下一个问题是:做什么活动,以便企业进行竞争,在客户服务领域,并连接到他们严格库存管理?
4.客户服务绩效评估
为了履行对客户的服务领域以及,公司不仅要制定正确的战略,而且还应该制定一个固定的,业绩衡量的习惯。因此,下一个问题,他们应该怎样衡量?业绩衡量的一些方面已列于表3
第一步将要求对公司的服务水平(问题没有一些评价标准的制定。表3 4)。 2003年,超过三分之一的制定一个或两个顾客服务标准(一半受访公司主要领导的时间和缺货的数字)。只有少数公司确定了这样的标准和一系列不幸的是,超过三分之一的公司第四没有任何明确的客户服务标准。在2010年的比例变化:35.6%的受访制造商对标准的基本工作,而只有26套这些固定%的公司只有一个或两个标准。然而,没有任何标准来衡量经营公司份额增长到38.4%。
在2003年几乎一半的厂家使用其客户意见的基础在不同的市场细分(问题没有一个标准。表3 5)。然而,几乎有五分这些标准已经通过了客户没有收到任何信息,因此对生产者任意依靠自己的判断。遗憾的是这一数字上升到了约30%的水平,于2010年。
表5列出在表3的基础上做了一些计算,描述了客户服务水平和厂家的样品检测其
变化。表5的计算表明,尽管越来越多的物流企业客户服务的重要性和作用的认识达到了冒险约所需的服务提供给顾客的知识水平缺乏竞争优势的公司股票上涨了15%。 几乎有一半的受访公司称,他们在2003年有系统地衡量客户服务水平的水平,并于2010年,这一数字大幅上升至63.5%。一些公司在这个问题感兴趣时,才接受他们的客户投诉。另一个之一的公司第四没有衡量的客户服务水平,在所有这些多数是这种衡量标准,公司没有明确。图。一列出有关性能在客户服务领域的测量调查的公司的更多细节。
图一列出了制造商行为的图片。几乎所有的生产商用于对2003年的水平和目前的库存结构数据,而在2010年公司成为如铅,交货时间和后期的客户服务方面的一些较为感兴趣。有没有明确的模式在这方面出现的,但是,一个可能的风险以下结论: ①冶金,化工等行业都多一点关于他们的产品在2003年其余时间效用意识,
②2003年,在轻工业公司似乎忽略了一个事实,尽管时间价值,他们注重顾客满意,
③2010年金属行业变得更加在其物流运作时间方面进行测量。
当客户服务的做法是对的测量,例如最重要的要素市场的要求相比:交付的品种和及时交货的(表1和2精度),可以得出的结论是交货及时,是不是声明审查公司的政策,因为他们往往忽略时间因素。
对客户的服务水平在不断地被用于数据17.7%的公司和每月一次或更很少在42个被调查公司在2003年(问题没有%。表3 6)。 2010年,尽管宣称对大客户服务标准,用较小的公司数目的关注和分析的标准。即使不断的基础上,每天和每周的报告和分析客户厂商份额在2010年的标准等于份额在2003年,6%的公司更宣布在该领域的使用在2010年完全放弃任何分析工具。这可能是重要因素,决定了与它之间的客户和开展,以满足客户需求调查的制造商活动的市场要求之间的差距。
5.结论
本文旨在尚未证明 关于具体的研究假说 客户服务的变化,period2003 - 2010。该文件旨在提出 一般的缺点和障碍要 必须面对的许多公司在波兰的方法高效率的客户服务。 在客户方面的主要缺点 服务如下:
①缺乏适当的知识生产 公司对他们的真正期望 客户由于缺乏信息系统 失察和适当的客户服务 数据基地,
②太多的信心,公司自己的成功 和排序的自然能力,以满足客户的需求, ③失踪传统和缺乏专业工具 为客户服务的管理,
④保守的管理方法和理念 或大理缺乏知识 现代物流管理理念。
一般来说,在客户的观念转变 在2003-2010年期间的服务报告调查公司显示正确的倾向。 制造商的不断增长的客户知道 要求,饱和的市场,不断复杂的方式实现竞争优势等,因此尝试繁殖更好地测量它们的努力目标客户服务能力。因此,一个更大的部分接受调查的制造商采用 不同的定义和测量技术客户服务的各个方面。然而,已通过的标准和质量的相关的实际客户需求的 市场可能是一个专业的讨论。另外一个不断分析失踪的习惯 报告建议客户服务指标缺乏连贯和复杂的客户服务 在许多公司的概念以及缺乏 在使用适当的现代管理技能技术和客户服务管理 分析。在这方面可以取得进展 通过强化培训和教育的作用 通过教育管理人员和计划准备他们的工作。
本文引自:Logistics customer service levels in Poland:Changes between 2003 and 2010
2003--2010年之间波兰的物流客户服务水平的变化
作者:Danuta Kisperska-Moron 丹穆塔·克斯帕尔卡·莫伦
international journal of production economics生产经济国际周刊
网址:www.elsevier.com/locate/dsw
Logistics customer service levels in Poland:
Changes between 2003 and 2010
Danuta Kisperska-Moron˜
ABSTRACT :Customer service plays an important role in companies acting in new market economies of Central Europe. Assessment of customer service is possible while adopting different standards reflecting various aspects of that service. This paper presents results of surveys of Polish companies in the period 2003–2010. Those surveys show that Polish manufacturers changed their attitudes towards customer service and its competitive advantage aspects. They are aware of growing customer requirements and adopt sets of standards to evaluate that service. However, several drawbacks can be indicated in the field of practical use of those standards such as low quality or sporadic reports and accidental use.
Keywords : Customer service; Benchmarking of customer service; Performance measurement
1. Introduction
Several years of market economy functioning in Poland has brought about many tremendous and profound changes in operations of Polish companies. Narrowing profit margins and growing market segmentation meant that the managers in Polish companies slowly started becoming aware of the fact that a business that is successful in the long term is one that provides for the needs of its customers better than its competition. Therefore, one of the major problems in the near future of Polish companies would concern strategy and management of customer service. It has already become the “modus operandi ” of manufacturing companies.
However, the desire for extensive growth of sales seems to prevail while dealing with demand constraints. The principles of modern logistics management become more and more popular, but the precise tools and methods for managing effectively the flow of goods are not common knowledge to the majority of managers as yet. Inventory policies, inventory control and managing precise relations of inventories to required logistics customer service levels
still remain more a theory than practice in these manufacturing companies.
Periodical surveys of customers service levels and their management carried out by the author examine basic changes from 2003 till 2010. The analysis has been based on samples of manufacturing companies picked in a random manner from typical Polish companies operating in the southern part of Poland. The size of sample in 2003 was 52 companies (Kisperska-Moron′ , 1996) and 87 companies in 2010. Samples from 2003 and 2010 did not include exactly the same companies since the objective of the research was not to follow customer service change in a particular group of companies. The basic goal was to find out what is the average picture of customer service level in 2010 when compared to the initial period of transformation in the beginning of the 1990s. However, four particular branches of companies out of the whole sample have been compared: metal, metallurgical, chemical and light industry. In the sample surveyed in the year 2010 electronic and engineering industry have been distinguished since companies belonging to those branches formed larger data group than in 2003.
2. Multiple aspects of customer service
Customer service is a very wide term and varies from one company to the next. Moreover, vendors and customers view that concept quite differently. Without going into sublime theoretical disputes, the term “customer service” in this paper has been used in a very broad sense. It denotes not only a function or activity that has to be managed, such as order processing, invoicing and post sale support, but mainly deals with the total corporate philosophy and attitude leading to the planned action in the company and the market (Stock and Lambert, 1987).
In practice, in order to make some diagnostic statements about customer service one has to be able to measure the performance of the logistic system and how well that system creates time and place utility for a product. The most popular classifications divide the elements commonly associated with customer service into three groups: pre-transaction, transaction and post-transaction Discussion presented in this paper will take into account some of the basic elements and indicators of customer service:
1. Availability of an item, representing the ability of the supplier to satisfy customers ’ orders within a time limit (accepted generally for a particular item). The number of stock-outs is a usual measure of product availability.
2. Delivery time, elapsing between receipt by the supplier of a firm commitment for an
order and receipt of the goods by the customer.
3. Reliability, meaning the supplier ’s commitment to maintain a promised delivery schedule.
4. Accuracy of quantities and products ordered. Those elements as a rule have the most significant connection to the lead-time and structure of inventories. These indicators were already analysed by the author in the past in order to illustrate the general practice of customer service management in Poland.
3. Manufacturers’ perceptions of current market situation
The level of customer service and the value of the inventory required to support it depend on a wide range of diversified factors; nevertheless, it is generated mainly by the situation on the market and mutual relations between buyers and sellers. Since the, so-called, seller ’s market does not exist in Poland any more, at present manufacturing and trade companies have to be more aware of the patterns of customers ’ demand. Surveyed companies reported certain requirements that their customers expected from deliveries (Table 1).
Table 1 presents different factors that Polish companies have to consider while dealing with their customers. According to that opinion in 2003 market required first of all that deliveries include precisely the ordered assortment of goods and that deliveries were prompt. In that context, the quality of delivered products seemed to be only the third important factor, although the surveyed companies themselves suffered sometimes from poor quality of the goods delivered to them. Additional services were generally considered as not-so important. Such a hierarchy of importance of the elements of customer service was typical for immature Polish market, where customers have not learned yet to expect service refinement and improvement. The basic problems of right quality of right products delivered in the right time still created some troubles.
Table 1 indicates also that in the opinion of surveyed manufacturers market requirements significantly changed in 2010 from 2003. The largest change concerns availability of additional services and then lead times, both of them becoming much more important. The precision of delivered assortment has been perceived somewhat less important by surveyed manufacturers, perhaps due to the fact that situation in that field has improved since 2003.
One can notice different perception of market requirements between different branches
of industry (Table 2). The growing significance of promptness of deliveries and quality of delivered products in the year 2010 has been evaluated much higher than in 2003 by manufacturers from all examined branches.
Surveyed companies base their judgements about market requirements mostly on the feedback information they get from their customers. In 2003, customers of 56% of surveyed companies systematically or periodically informed the manufacturers about their opinion of received deliveries and services (question no. 2 in Table 3). In 2010 the share of information from customers grew to 77%. The other part of companies receives only sporadic opinions on their performance from their clients, so that practically they do not know how their customers evaluate them (Table 3). That portion of not informed companies diminished to 23% in 2010.
The level of customer service offered by manufacturers also depends on how they perceive their competitors on the market. In 2003, almost 42% of the respondents claimed that they carefully followed and monitored their competitors question no. 3 in Table 3) and 32.9% obtained some information from their customers (totally 74.6%). However, one-fourth of surveyed companies were only able to get hearsay evidence or had no information at all. In 2010, the share of companies that obtained sort of adequate information about their competitors either themselves or from their customers dropped to 69% while a share of companies satisfied with hearsay evidence grew from 14.2% to 28.7%. Only 1.8% of manufacturers claimed that they do not have any information about their competitors which is a positive change.
Criteria presented in Table 4 suggest that generally surveyed companies believe they are at the same level as competitors. One can also notice that generally companies are certain about the superior quality of their products.1 On average that kind of self-esteem grew even in the year 2010 with respects to almost all criteria considered. Generally, one may have an impression that companies realize how tough the market requirements are but those companies are also quite confident that they can cope with those requirements as well as their competitors. Hence the next problem arises: what activities do firms undertake in order to compete in the field of customer service and are they strictly connected to inventories management?
4. Performance measurement of customer service
In order to perform well in the field of customer service, companies should not only
formulate a proper strategy but should also develop a habit of constant measurement of that performance. Hence the next problem —what should they measure? Some aspects of performance measurement have been presented in Table 3.
The first step would require the formulation of some evaluation standards of company’s service level (question no. 4 in Table 3). In 2003, more than one-half of surveyed companies formulated one or two standards of their customer service (mostly lead times and number of stock-outs). Only few companies defined the whole range of such standards and, unfortunately, more than one-fourth of firms had not defined any standards of customer service. In 2010 those proportions changed: 35.6% of surveyed manufacturers have worked on basic sets of standards while only 26% of those companies fixed just one or two standards. However, the share of companies operating without any standards grew to 38.4%.
In 2003 almost half of the manufacturers used standards based on opinions of their customers in different market segments (question no. 5 in Table 3). However, almost one-fifth of those standards have been adopted with no information received from customers, thus relying on arbitrary judgements of producers themselves. Unfortunately that figure rose to the level of around 30% in 2010.
Table 5 presents some calculations done on the basis of Table 3, describing the level of customer service and its changes in the examined sample of manufacturers. Calculations in Table 5 suggest that despite growing awareness of the importance of logistics customer service and its role in reaching competitive advantages the share of companies risking the lack of knowledge about the desired service level offered to their customers rose by 15%.
Almost one-half of surveyed companies claimed that they systematically measured their levels of customer service levels in 2003, and in 2010 that figure rose significantly to 63.5%. Some companies are interested in that subject only when they receive complaints from their customers. Another one-fourth of firms did not measure the level of customer service at all and these are mostly the companies with no defined standards for such a measurement. Fig. 1 presents more details about performance measurement in the field of customer service in surveyed companies.
Fig. 1 presents a picture of behaviour of manufacturers. Practically all producers used to have current data on the level and structure of inventories in 2003, whereas in 2010 firms became somewhat more interested in some aspects of customer service such as lead-time and late deliveries. There is no clear pattern emerging in this area, however, one may risk the
following conclusions:
①metallurgical and chemical industries were little more conscious than the others about the time utility of their products in 2003,
② in 2003, companies in light industry seemed to neglect the time values in spite of the fact that that they paid attention to customers’satisfaction,
③in 2010 metal industry became more engaged in measurement of time aspects of its logistics operations.
When the practice of measurement of customer service is compared against the market requirements with the most important elements such as: precision of delivered assortment and promptness of deliveries (Tables 1 and 2), the conclusion can be drawn that promptness of deliveries is not a declared policy of examined companies since they often neglect time factors.
Data on customer service levels were used constantly in 17.7% of companies and once per month or even more seldom in 42% of surveyed companies in 2003 (question no. 6 in Table 3). In 2010, despite declared larger attention towards customer service standards, smaller number of companies used and analysed those standards. Even if the share of manufacturers reporting and analysing customer standards constantly on daily and weekly basis in the year 2010 is equal to the share in 2003, 6% more of companies declared complete abandonment of using any analytic tools in that field in 2010. It might be the important factor, which determines a gap between requirements of the market with its customers and activities of surveyed manufacturers undertaken in order to satisfy customer needs.
5. Conclusions
This paper has not been aimed at proving specific research hypotheses concerning the changes of customer service in the period 2003–2010. The paper intended rather to present the general drawbacks and obstacles that have to be faced by many of the Polish companies on their way to efficient customer service.
The major drawbacks in the area of customer service are as follows:
①lack of proper knowledge in manufacturing companies about the real expectations of their customers due to inadequate information systems and neglection of proper customer service data bases,
②too much confidence in company’s own success and a sort of natural abilities to satisfy
Customers ’ demand,
③missing tradition and lack of professional tools for management of customer service,
④ conservative management methods and philosophies or a simple absence of knowledge of modern logistics management concepts.
Generally, changes of concepts in customer service in the period 2003–2010 reported by surveyed companies show correct tendencies. Manufacturers are aware of growing customer requirements, saturation of markets, constantly complicated ways of achieving competitive advantages, etc., and therefore try to multiply efforts aiming at better measurement of their customer service abilities. Hence a larger portion of surveyed manufacturers adopt different techniques of defining and measuring various aspects of customer service. However, the quality of adopted standards and their relevance to actual customer requirements on the market could be a subject of professional discussion. Also a missing habit of constant analysis of reported customer service indicators suggest the absence of coherent and complex customer service concepts in many companies as well as lack of proper managerial skills in the use of modern techniques of customer service management and analyses. Progress in that area could be achieved through intensive training and education of acting managers and via education schemes preparing future managers for their jobs.