Scott B. Keller

Internal service quality: Determinants of distribution center performance

Purpose – This work seeks to examine how front‐line employee performance and interdepartmental customer orientation affect the service, supply chain, and financial performance of US distribution centers.Design/methodology/approach – The authors approached this subject by utilizing works from the supply chain management, services marketing, total quality management, and logistics personnel literature. Surveys were administered in 18 distribution centers across the USA and canonical correlation was employed to test the propositions that front‐line employee performance and interdepartmental customer orientation have a positive effect on distribution center service, supply chain, and financial performance.Findings – Findings indicate that high levels of front‐line employee performance and interdepartmental customer orientation a positive effect on distribution center service and supply chain performance. The relationship of the two independent variables to distribution center financial performance was only pa...

Shipper‐carrier partnership issues, rankings and satisfaction

Over the past decade, there have been a number of studies that examined either shipper or carrier selection and evaluation factors. However, there has been little comparison between how these two groups perceive these factors with regard to their partners. This study examines the similarities and differences with the rankings of factors between shipper and carrier groups. Furthermore, the results highlight the various levels of satisfaction between the two groups.

Internal relationship marketing: a key to enhanced supply chain relationships

Competitive market pressures within today’s contemporary business environments have encouraged the partnership of many supply chain members. Of particular interest is the development of successful relationships between firms in an effort to gain product and service quality and efficiency that would otherwise go left unclaimed. This research specifically identifies the need for supply chain members to foster healthier relationships within the firm in order to realize more fully success and obtain the benefits associated with external partnerships. The concept of internal relationship marketing is employed and a model is proposed to aid companies in identifying the variables associated with marketing to the internal customer. The motor carrier industry provides an appropriate service setting for the analysis, and implications for retaining the very best customer‐conscious frontline employees are outlined.

Improving chemical industry performance through enhanced railcar utilization

Purpose – The chemical industry is struggling to improve its supply chain performance, and improved asset utilization may help get the industry headed in the right direction. Since most chemical firms own or lease their rail fleets, rail utilization can have a substantial impact on overall asset utilization. The paper aims to focus on current managerial processes and situational factors that impact railcar asset performance.Design/methodology/approach – Rail car cycle data are analyzed, focusing on major sources of variation in transit inventory as railcars move from plant to customer and back.Findings – Findings include the importance of establishing and adhering to policies regarding supply chain practices; substantial differences exist between hopper and tank car performance; distance is not a major predictor of total cycle time variance; and vendor‐managed inventory relationships can operate with less customer inventory.Research limitations/implications – This paper addresses only one component of sup...