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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/EUM0000000006109. When citing the article, please cite: Cindy Claycomb, Charles L. Martin, (2001), “Building customer relationships: an inventory of service providersʼ objectives and practices”, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 19 Iss: 6, pp. 385 - 39.

Faced with environmental volatility and increased competition, firms are turning to supply chain management and associated time‐based initiatives to develop sustainable competitive advantages. This research examines just‐in‐time (JIT) as one such logistics strategy. While prior research has focused on internal and upstream JIT (i.e., production and purchasing), the present research examines the extent to which exchange with downstream customers is just‐in‐time oriented. The results of the research show that JIT with customers is associated with organizational designs that are more decentralized, integrated, and formalized and with better performance in terms of less finished goods inventory and higher overall financial performance. The analysis controls for firm size, production technology, and tenure of the senior logistics executive and shows that the effects of JIT with customers on organizational structure and performance are, with a limited number of exceptions, relatively robust.

Public smoking bans are becoming more prevalent, but not without controversy. Consumer attitudes about the effectiveness of service provider imposed smoking/nonsmoking separation have changed. Arguments against bans often center on the belief that patronage at restaurants and bars will decline, leading to declining entertainment sector revenue and the elimination of privately owned establishments by public policy. This paper aims to investigate consumers ' beliefs and behavioral intentions concerning a proposed smoking ban.

The study presented involves a typical US city facing a vote by their city council for a public smoking ban (including restaurants and bars). In 2007 consumers ' beliefs and behavioral intentions concerning a proposed smoking ban were investigated. Current study findings were compared to a prior study about consumers ' beliefs that smoking/nonsmoking sections were effective at separation, and hence did not support public smoking bans. The authors applied logistic regression to determine if consumers ' beliefs about the effectiveness of smoking/nonsmoking sections influenced their support for public smoking bans.

The comparison clearly suggests that beliefs have changed. The majority of consumers in this most recent study do not believe in the effectiveness of separate smoking/nonsmoking sections. Consequently, this majority of newly enlightened consumers is in favor of public smoking bans in restaurants and bars. To further address the economic impact argument, the authors offer a conservatively based argument that restaurants and bars could expect economic gains.

There will always be some winners and losers with new policy, but it is found that the overall restaurant and bar sector can expect increased patronage and economic gains from a smoking ban.

Investigates the relationship between brand characteristics ‐ awareness level and image ‐ and their influence on consumers’ perceptions of retail image. Proposes a model of relationships between the number of recognizable brands carried by a retail establishment, the presence/absence of an anchor brand, and perceptions of retail image. Presents the analysis and results of a study designed to test the model. In addition, develops and tests a measure of retail store image. Indicates that one tactic for ensuring a favorable retail store image is a merchandise mix composed of a relatively high number of brands possessing high brand awareness, and one or more brands with a strong brand image. Offers recommendations for both brand and retail managers.

Despite anecdotal evidence of the performance implications of just‐in‐time (JIT) implementation, little empirical research has been conducted. Examines total system JIT’s empirical relationships with a variety of performance outcomes. Total system JIT encompasses JIT purchasing, JIT production, and JIT selling. In a mail survey of 200 logistics executives, total system JIT was found to be: inversely related to weeks of inventory (inclusive of inbound, in‐process, and outbound); inversely related to the number of layers in various functional areas (e.g. marketing); and positively related to three different indicators of financial performance (ROI, profits, and ROS). Results, managerial implications, and further research are discussed.

Challenges the idea of an unconditional and positive influence of knowledge on performance without regard to environmental uncertainty. Focuses on applied process knowledge spanning the supply chain (i.e. considers supplier, internal, and customer sources). A survey of 208 manufacturing firms found the association between applied process knowledge and firm market performance is positive and statistically significant when demand unpredictability is high (but not when low); statistically significant when product churning (uncertainty) is high (but not when low); and not moderated by core production or logistics process change. Firm size and production technology were also controlled. Firms that can determine the moderating effect of the different types of environmental uncertainty they face upon their knowledge‐performance relationship will perform better in terms of market performance indicators.

This research challenges the idea of an unconditional and positive influence of knowledge on performance without regard to environmental uncertainty. We focus on applied product quality knowledge spanning the supply chain (i.e. supplier, internal, and customer quality sources are considered). A survey of 208 manufacturing firms examined the moderating influence of product churning (uncertainty) and demand unpredictability on the association between applied product quality knowledge and firm performance. We also controlled for firm size and production technology. Firms that can determine a fit between their product quality knowledge application and the types of environmental uncertainty they face will perform better in terms of market and financial performance indicators.

In recent years, both management and marketing fields have emphasized the importance of a customer orientation. In this project, a different set of lenses is adopted to examine customer orientation from the customer’s point of view. Customers can enact four specific roles that enable them to create a partnership with human services firms. Customers can be important resources for the firm. They can actively participate in the firm’s activities as co‐producers of the service. As buyers, customers can develop a relationship with a service organization, and as recipients they register evaluations of their encounter. Analysis of an extensive survey of customer perceptions and investments in a firm’s activities provided an outside‐in look at customer orientation. The results present clear evidence that customers can influence the outcomes they experience. Avenues for future research and practical opportunities for managers to capitalize on their relationships with customers are discussed.

A study of 205 US commercial service providers, representing 31 two‐digit SIC codes, identified companies’ customer relationship‐building objectives and practices. Of 42 possible relationship‐building objectives, the four rated as top priorities were: encouraging customers to think of the firm first when considering a purchase; providing better service; encouraging customers to speak favorably about the firm; and encouraging customers to trust the firm. Answers to open‐ended, exploratory questions revealed 18 categories of relationship‐building initiatives. The findings suggest that “customer relationship‐building” means different things to different people and that practices to build such relationships vary considerably. By inventorying the range of relationship‐building objectives, quantifying their priority levels, and identifying specific practices used to build customer relationships, a greater understanding of current practices was achieved. Thus, the findings promise to benefit researchers, practitioners and consumers in terms of knowledge development, prescriptions for success, and enhanced value and satisfaction, respectively.