dc.description.abstract | Given today's industry dynamics, new service development is becoming increasingly
important to the competitiveness, growth, and survival of organizations. Unfortunately,
new service development has proven to be a complex and difficult task. The overall
objective of this research study is to contribute to an increased knowledge of customer
involvement, i.e., the role of customers as contributors and co-creators in new service
development. By allowing customers to innovate on their own or by spending time with
them and actually taking part in activities with them, deep insights and new ideas have an
opportunity to emerge. Companies that engage in collaborative innovation with
customers can expect improved customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profit
margm.
The research is a descriptive survey carried out to establish the extent to which tyre
dealers integrate customer requirements in the design of their service processes. Given
the small number of major commercial road transporters in Kenya, a census study was
conducted on all fifty nine transporters. Primary data was gathered through in-depths
interviews using semi-structured questionnaires formed in part A and part B with
response rate of 81.35%.
Tyre dealers integrate commercial road transporters requirements to a very large extent
in service processes design that includes complaint channels, good responsive time to
complaints, fully backed product warranties, after sales technical backstopping,
consistent product features, just in time prompt product delivery and high professional
levels of service personnel. The results of this study contribute to the better recognition
of the importance of tyre dealers need to understand the needs of the market they
operate in and to adapt their service offerings around these needs to optimally fulfill
their customer's expectations. Some of selected respondents did not personally respond
to the questionnaires. Future research on similar studies incorporating all tyre market
segments need to be conducted. | en |