Customer support: A cross-industry study of distribution channels and strategies

Customer support, such as equipment maintenance and repair, is an essentialelement in the successful marketing of a wide range of products, from computersystems to domestic appliances. Consequently, companies need to establish andmaintain appropriate channels for high-quality customer support; either as apart of their own operations or through third parties. This paper describes anexploratory investigation of the distribution channels and customer supportstrategies of five manufacturing businesses, using case study methodology. Theresults show the key role that customer support plays in various industries andillustrate the types of decisions companies make on how to provide high-qualitysupport for their customers. These findings have implications for managers inall industries where customer support is important, as they provide insights onhow different channels and strategies affect the quality and efficiency ofcustomer support.