Scholarly record
THE QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED TO CUSTOMERS IN THE B2B MARKET WITH CHEMICAL INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
Abstract
In the demanding competitive environment, manufacturers find it more and more difficult to differentiate physical products, and so they resort to differentiation of the offer through services and customer solutions. The thing is that the product level cannot be assessed according to the quality of its technical features only, but particularly according to the way how the clients are provided with it - services. Their importance is growing on a long-term basis, and their sufficient level is a critical factor of the companys success in the market. The problem of the quality of offered services resides in the fact how the supplier can actually deliver the service, whether the service quality is in compliance with the customer expectation, and how the customer finally perceives the provided service. At the same time, in the customer preferences, it is necessary to distinguish the customer types. For example, for an end consumer, a retailer, or a wholesaler, the level of customer services is as important as the product price, while for a customer in the area of manufacturing consumption it is more important than the price. The required level of services in the B2B market is significantly specific and varies within different industries and areas of business. However, the professional literature does not pay due attention to these problems within specific conditions of individual industries. Therefore, this paper specifies, on the basis of research outcomes and a primary survey, applied service quality indicators and service quality standards in the B2B market with selected chemical products. Finally, it specifies the importance of individual service quality parameters and the factors affecting it from the point of view of the service providers. The research was conducted using the method of personal interviewing of selected managers responsible for providing customer services at a selected chemical company. The benefits of the paper can particularly be seen in identification of the quality parameters of services that are important for customers in the chemical industry and that can significantly contribute to creation and maintenance of the customer satisfaction and loyalty in this market.
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