POST-SHIPMENT SERVICES: TURNING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS INTO ASSETS

Customer complaints can be used by a manufacturer to its advantage. Since manufacturing is not perfect, some of the output will be defective. There is a tendency for designers and engineers to make products more complicated than necessary. There will always be a need for some warranty or guarantee c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of business & industrial marketing 1987-03, Vol.2 (3), p.17-22
Main Author: Cooke, Ernest F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Complaints
Customer feedback
Customer relations
Customer services
Repairs
Warranties
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Summary:Customer complaints can be used by a manufacturer to its advantage. Since manufacturing is not perfect, some of the output will be defective. There is a tendency for designers and engineers to make products more complicated than necessary. There will always be a need for some warranty or guarantee costs. If customer complaints are handled from an adversarial position, warranty expenses still will be incurred, and customer goodwill will be lost. Using a positive approach to customer complaints can change warranty expenses into a strong sales promotional tool that can be used effectively by the sales force in customer dealings. Such post-shipment services as parts, repairs, and maintenance can provide a profitable business opportunity. If these services are not provided, customer complaints will be created either directly or indirectly. Positive resolution of customer complaints is both profitable and a good management technique.
ISSN:0885-8624
2052-1189
DOI:10.1108/eb006031