Author(s): Ricardo Silveira Martins | Wescley Silva Xavier | Osmar Vieira de Souza Filho | Guilherme Silveira Martins
Journal: Revista de Administração Contemporânea
ISSN 1415-6555
Volume: 15;
Issue: 6;
Start page: 1100;
Date: 2011;
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Keywords: operations management | logistics | transport service | factor analysis.
ABSTRACT
Transport management is traditionally addressed in the literature as a process with its flow contextualized in its operating performance and costs. In this paper, transport is considered as service management, seeking to understand the behavioral aspects of the demand of shippers. We conducted a survey of 400 small and mediumsized Brazilian industrial shippers. The differentiation of services, according to the customers, was obtained by Factor Analysis. The results indicated that the constructs of transport services most valued by shippers were, in order, Security, Reliability, Time, Price, Service for the special needs of customers and Customer Relations, i.e., the shippers showed greater interest in the effectiveness of service. Thus, shippers expect the performance of transport in itself to strengthen the relationship with their customers. Additionally, we detected differences in priorities, according to the groups targeted by the characteristics of customers. The importance attached to the constructs of Security and Reliability can also help understand why many companies maintain their own fleet or establish contracts for the transport of their products.
Journal: Revista de Administração Contemporânea
ISSN 1415-6555
Volume: 15;
Issue: 6;
Start page: 1100;
Date: 2011;
VIEW PDF
DOWNLOAD PDF Original pageKeywords: operations management | logistics | transport service | factor analysis.
ABSTRACT
Transport management is traditionally addressed in the literature as a process with its flow contextualized in its operating performance and costs. In this paper, transport is considered as service management, seeking to understand the behavioral aspects of the demand of shippers. We conducted a survey of 400 small and mediumsized Brazilian industrial shippers. The differentiation of services, according to the customers, was obtained by Factor Analysis. The results indicated that the constructs of transport services most valued by shippers were, in order, Security, Reliability, Time, Price, Service for the special needs of customers and Customer Relations, i.e., the shippers showed greater interest in the effectiveness of service. Thus, shippers expect the performance of transport in itself to strengthen the relationship with their customers. Additionally, we detected differences in priorities, according to the groups targeted by the characteristics of customers. The importance attached to the constructs of Security and Reliability can also help understand why many companies maintain their own fleet or establish contracts for the transport of their products.
