Describes how certain segments of business are increasingly “turning into a service economy” but “customer service” is not treated as a priority. Cites several experiences of poor customer service, ranging from airlines to restaurants. Concludes that in customer service the marketing...

Purpose – This “viewpoint” article aims to chronicle the history and evolution of the Journal of Services Marketing from 1987 through 2011, from the vantage point of Professor Charles L. Martin, who served on the journal's Editorial Advisory Board from 1987‐1990 and as Editor from 1990...

Purpose By examining my personal development and career trajectory, I hope to share some insights into life as an academic. My particular path has contained, as most paths do, twists and turns. As I look back, they all seem somehow related to each other, but they were not all planned....

Discusses the problem of poor customer service. Asserts that the introduction of new technology into the system does not necessarily improve the process. The more common situation finds that the new technology is being misused in ways that mimic the failures of no‐tech services: toll‐free...

A documentary shown on UK television last year followed the fortunes of a group of Indian university graduates who were being trained to work in call centers catering for UK customers. The trainees had to work on being as accent‐less as possible and they also had to “bone up” on aspects of...

When Delta, one of Canada’s biggest hotel companies, appeared for the third consecutive year in a list of “The 50 best companies to work for in Canada” they knew they were doing something right. But being a place where people like to work did not just happen. Getting the right results...

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine US cinema audiences' reactions to advertising. Cinema advertising and other failures of customer relations management by movie exhibitors explains how consumers are discouraged from going to a cinema to see newly released movies. To avoid...

Purpose – This article discusses optimizing customer retention using customer relationship management (CRM) linked with social cause‐related marketing (SCRM). Establishing a socially responsible synergy between company and customer is targeted to managers seeking creative and innovative...

Purpose – This viewpoint article explores how companies can solve the problems of flat sales revenue and customer churn by conducting an honest self‐assessment of corporate culture, then reinventing or refocusing products and services to provide the value that customers want....

Purpose – To study the risks, and benefits, to companies or introducing new products to the market. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the findings in context. Findings – Ahn‐Sook Hwang...