Customer Service Research: Past, Present and Future

Although significant advances have been made in customer service research, a majority of this research has concentrated on defining and measuring the importance of customer service in isolation from the other components of the marketing mix. In order to achieve a competitive advantage from customer service, it is necessary to establish service levels as part of the firm′s overall marketing strategy. This monograph reviews the development of customer service; evaluates past customer service research; presents a methodology for integrating customer service and marketing strategy, and provides some suggestions for future research.