Measuring service quality trade-offs in Asian distribution channels: a multi-layer perspective

In international marketing channels customer service has become an importan t factor in supplier and purchase decisions. In evaluating supplier perform ance several trade-offs are taken into account by actors operating at vario us channel levels. These are trade-offs among customer service elements and between customer service elements and costs. With the help of conjoint ana lysis, these trade-offs were analyzed for different layers of the Asian dis tribution system of a global marketer of fast-moving consumer goods. Result s suggest that considerable differences occur with regards to the various p erspectives on customer service between channel members.