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Creating Effective Customer Solutions: A Process-Oriented Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Ferdinand Burianek

    (TUM Business School, Germany)

  • Sebastian Bonnemeier

    (TUM Business School, Germany)

  • Ralf Reichwald

    (Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Germany)

Abstract

Global competition and declining margins have made enterprises in diverse industries increasingly aware that assuring low cost as well as high product performance and quality is no longer sufficient for long-term success. Integrating products and services into customized solutions can help firms to gain competitive advantage. Based on 11 in-depth interviews with managers from solution providers and an exploratory survey with 45 solution providers, this paper derives a value creation process as well as a set of critical activities and pitfalls within each step. Selling solutions requires relational processes between customer and supplier comprising analysis/consulting, design/configuration, implementation/delivery, and support/operation. To better understand the relational process, this perspective was adopted on creating solutions in order to identify crucial routines and activities. Two main capabilities within this process can be identified: customer interaction and project management. Both capabilities are required in order to deliver more effective as well as efficient solutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferdinand Burianek & Sebastian Bonnemeier & Ralf Reichwald, 2011. "Creating Effective Customer Solutions: A Process-Oriented Perspective," International Journal of Service Science, Management, Engineering, and Technology (IJSSMET), IGI Global, vol. 2(1), pages 15-29, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:igg:jssmet:v:2:y:2011:i:1:p:15-29
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    Cited by:

    1. Oana Madalina Popescu & Stelian Stancu & Alina Neamtu Idorasi & Paul Marinescu, 2019. "Customer solutions – new sources of sustainable competitive advantage in times of global economic crisis," Manager Journal, Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, vol. 30(1), pages 7-30, December.
    2. Alina Neamtu (Idorasi) & Stelian Stancu & Gheorghe Hurduzeu, 2020. "Creating Effective Customer Solutions – a Global Perspective," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 23(75), pages 38-69, March.
    3. Alina Neamtu Idorasi & Stelian Stancu & Oana Madalina Popescu & Ionut Constantin, 2019. "The customer perspective – an effective and efficient way to differentiate for companies in the globalization era," Manager Journal, Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, vol. 30(1), pages 31-51, December.

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