The relationship between integrated logistics and customer service

Buyers' expectations regarding customer service have increased dramatically in recent years. Requests for tailored or customized service often represent standard business practice today. Survey research was undertaken to examine: (1) how well firms are doing in responding to customers' requests and (2) whether a proposed linkage between integrated logistics and customer service could be documented. More specifically, the research sought to determine whether firms that have implemented the integrated logistics concept can more easily accommodate customer requests. The results provide an indication of the respondent firms' relative abilities in the eight customer service areas examined. Further, strong support was found for a linkage between integration and customer service. Logistics executives at integrated firms reported significantly greater ease in accommodating service requests than the executives at non-integrated firms. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.