CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background To The Study
Corporate competitiveness constitute the firm’s ability to provide products and services that meet and exceed local and international quality standard at prices that are competitive and provide adequate returns on the resources employed or consumed in producing them. Customer service is the process of meeting customer’s needs through the provision of professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer's requirements are met. One of the most important single factors affecting a business unit's performance was found to be the quality of its products and services. It is important to specify that quality was measured as relative to that of its competitor. The concept related to quality definition, measurement and delivery. The most successful quality programs define quality not in terms of products, but in terms of a total way of doing business, a total commitment to the customer. The company or the manufacturer must view themselves as partners with their customers. The partnership is based on a thorough understanding of the customer's processes and how they interact with the seller's processes, and careful management of their integration (Webster, 1994). The effort is focused on making the business partners more competitive in their markets and goes well beyond simply offering good products. Quality became a key determinant of company’s success. By definition, quality is solely defined by the perception customers have about the solutions provided, although there are other factors influencing the quality. Thus, quality is the ultimate measure of the value derived from the customer’s interaction with the firms or suppliers. This aspect of business has prompted companies to redefining themselves as services providers despite their core line of business. Through this redefinition, new main objectives and business strategies have come up. Businesses have shifted their objectives from profit maximization and creation of
Shareholders’ value to the creation of customer value.Customer service is meeting the needs and desires of any customer. Some characteristics of good customer service include: Promptness,.Politeness,Professionalism,.Personalization. The research seek to investigate the influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The advent of customer value precipitates the foundation of a firms competitive advantage. The real expectation of every firm is to remain on top in the industry among peers, maintaining competitive advantage. However this is not always an easy feat to achieve. Maintaining large customer segment, patronage and loyalty require providing superior service which is above the competitor that will always make your customer come back and attract new ones. Therefore customer care must proffer superior quality above the competitor. Many firms have realize the key to providing customer value but lack the competency,technology,staff,finances and environment to provide the needed customer care to maintain competitive advantage. Some other challenges to quality customer care include lack of Empathy, patience and consistency, inability to adapt, poor communication, poor work ethics. These factors contribute to the inability of the firm to maintain competitive edge through quality customer care. The problem confronting the research is to appraise the influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness
1.3 Objectives of the Study
To determine the influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness
1.4 Research Questions
What is customer care management and corporate competitiveness?
What is the influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study proffers an appraisal of the influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness
Corporate competitiveness constitute the firm’s ability to provide products and services that meet and exceed local and international quality standard at prices that are competitive and provide adequate returns on the resources employed or consumed in producing them. Customer service is the process of meeting customer’s needs through the provision of professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer's requirements are met. One of the most important single factors affecting a business unit's performance was found to be the quality of its products and services. It is important to specify that quality was measured as relative to that of its competitor. The concept related to quality definition, measurement and delivery. The most successful quality programs define quality not in terms of products, but in terms of a total way of doing business, a total commitment to the customer. The company or the manufacturer must view themselves as partners with their customers. The partnership is based on a thorough understanding of the customer's processes and how they interact with the seller's processes, and careful management of their integration (Webster, 1994). The effort is focused on making the business partners more competitive in their markets and goes well beyond simply offering good products.
Research Hypothesis
Ho The influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness is low
Hi The influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness is high
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study focuses on the appraisal of the influence of customer care management on corporate competitiveness
1.7 Limitations of the Study
The study was confronted by some constraints including logistics and geographical factors
1.8 Definition of Terms
CORPORATE COMPETITIVENESS
Corporate competitiveness constitute the firm’s ability to provide products and services that meet and exceed local and international quality standard at prices that are competitive and provide adequate returns on the resources employed or consumed in producing them.
CUSTOMER CARE
Customer service is the process of meeting customer’s needs through the provision of professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer's requirements are met.
