Post-sales service

Several vendors manufacture liquid dispensers, plate storage and incubator devices, and plate detection instruments that are the three major components used in compound screens. Selection of equipment is usually based on several factors including need, previous experience, recommendations, cost, available funding, and quality of post-sale service provided by the instrument vendor. Many instruments from different manufacturers such as the photomultiplier tube (PMT)-based plate readers exhibit similar function and performance. Therefore, reliability, cost, and service quality become the dominating factors for purchase decisions. 

Du F, Evans GW (2008) A bi-objective reverse logistics network analysis for post-sale service. Cranput Oper Res 35 2617-2634... 

Section 5 we look at post-sales service. In Section 6 we conclude with general observations about research opportunities related to the marketing-operations interface in the world of e-commerce. 

A substantial portion of research on post-sales service is strategy oriented and empirical (survey and case-method based), and has focused on identifying effective service channels (Armistead and Clark, 1991, Bums, 1995, Loomba, 1996, Loomba, 1998, Goffin, 1999), and key drivers (Hull and Cox, 1994). For manufacturing firms in the early 1980s, fast and reliable repair was considered the most important aspect of support (Lele and Karmarkar, 1983) and received most of the research attention. Many relevant issues in this area lie on the marketing and operations interface. 

The 4-tier post-sale reverse logistics network presented in this study consists of production plants, repair facilities, collection centers, and disposal centers (Fig. 26.1). A third party logistics service provider (3PL) is responsible for providing... 

Service includes the post-sale contact with the customer in support of the product. A long-term contract, in which updates or repair service is offered, is one option. User groups in which customers can get information from the firm or each other is another. Information sharing (including promotional contacts) is a third. 

While shifting operations to the Web can lead to dramatic savings, around the clock availability, and reduced customer waiting, many questions remain about adopting these new customer contact modes. For instance Which are the most effective contact modes for a particular segment-task combination How does service variety affect operational requirements What incentives should be used to improve customer satisfaction and operational efficiency across contact modes What are the competitive implications of various types of post-sale support ... 

Casella CEL Inc. introduced a new dedicated pre-and post-sales online technical support service, accessible via http //helpdesk.casellameasurement.com. 

Post-transaction elements represent the array of services needed to support the product in the field, to protect consumers from defective products, to provide for the return of packages (e.g., returnable bottles, pallets, etc.), and to handle claims, complaints, and returns. These take place after the sale of the product, but they must be planned for in the pre-transaction and transaction stages. 

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