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After-sales service competition in a supply chain: Does uncertainty affect the conflict between profit maximization and customer satisfaction?

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  • Kurata, Hisashi
  • Nam, Seong-Hyun

Abstract

After-sales services are a key strategic tool in the durable consumer product market. They allow a manufacturer and a retailer to capture more sales and profit. Less obvious, however, is how the uncertainty of the customer's needs for after-sales services influences after-sales service decisions. As an extension of Kurata and Nam's 2010 (International Journal of Production Economics 127 (1), 136–146) work, in this paper we explore the effect of uncertainty on after-sales service decisions by comparing several information structures in a two-stage supply chain. The model presented in this paper demonstrates that uncertainty may temporally alleviate the discrepancy between customers’ optimal service level and a firm's service decisions based on maximizing profits (referred to here as accidental outperformance). However, ultimately, uncertainty will never improve supply chain performance. We determine probabilities that such accidental outperformance may mislead the firm into making erroneous after-sales service decisions due to misunderstandings regarding uncertainty. In addition, our analysis shows that a firm's effort to provide efficient service operations will increase the chance of accidental outperformance. Based on the analytical results, we also provide several practical insights for business.

Suggested Citation

  • Kurata, Hisashi & Nam, Seong-Hyun, 2013. "After-sales service competition in a supply chain: Does uncertainty affect the conflict between profit maximization and customer satisfaction?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(1), pages 268-280.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:144:y:2013:i:1:p:268-280
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2013.02.014
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Yanfei Lan & Zhibing Liu & Baozhuang Niu, 2017. "Pricing and Design of After-Sales Service Contract: The Value of Mining Asymmetric Sales Cost Information," Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research (APJOR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 34(01), pages 1-25, February.
    5. Seyed Jafar Sadjadi & Hashem Asadi & Ramin Sadeghian & Hadi Sahebi, 2018. "Retailer Stackelberg game in a supply chain with pricing and service decisions and simple price discount contract," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, April.
    6. Kirkizoğlu, Zeynep & Karaer, Özgen, 2022. "After-sales service and warranty decisions of a durable goods manufacturer," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    7. Qinglin Luo & Jianwen Luo, 2024. "Financing equilibrium in an after-sales service supply chain," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1-30, September.
    8. Zhang, Shuguang & Dan, Bin & Zhou, Maosen, 2019. "After-sale service deployment and information sharing in a supply chain under demand uncertainty," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 279(2), pages 351-363.
    9. Yang, Yefei & Lee, Peter K.C. & Cheng, T.C.E., 2015. "Operational improvement competence and service recovery performance: The moderating effects of role stress and job resources," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 134-145.
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