Search results for "Service process"
showing 2 items of 2 documents
Potential and challenges in home care service process optimization : a route optimization approach
2016
Aging of the population is an increasing problem in many countries, including Finland, and it poses a challenge to public services such as home care. Vehicle routing optimization (VRP) type optimization solutions are one possible way to decrease the time required for planning home visits and driving to customer addresses, as well as decreasing transportation costs. Although VRP optimization is widely and succesfully applied to commercial and industrial logistics, the home care is a relatively new application area for it. This thesis examines what kind of distance and time savings would be possible to achieve if daily home care operations are optimized in the similar manner as typical VRP op…
Excellent products or servitisation? Analysing retailers’ preference before and after a loyalty programme
2016
This paper compares two manufacturer strategies focused on their retailers: (i) product strategy and (ii) service process strategy (before, during, and after selling). Additionally, the role of time in the manufacturer–retailer relationship is measured, testing the relevance of both strategies: before and after a loyalty programme. To this end, a sample of 51 international retailers who work with a furniture manufacturer throughout the time were contacted in two different periods of time: in 2009, before implementing a loyalty programme, and in 2012, after implementing a loyalty programme. Results probe the importance of the service strategy compared to product strategy to explain retailers…