Intro -- Service Management -- Preface -- Service Imperative in Retailing -- Implications for Retail Management Theory and Practice -- The Purpose of This Book -- The Content of This Book -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- About the Authors -- Contributors -- Chapter 1: Service as the New Paradigm in Retailing -- The Challenge of a Changing Retail Environment -- Service as the First Pillar in the New Paradigm of Retailing -- Technology as the Second Pillar of the New Paradigm -- Summary of the New Paradigm in Retailing -- References -- Chapter 2: The Service Imperative in the Retailing Industry -- Introduction -- An Overview of the Retail Industry -- US retail industry -- E-commerce -- Multichannel Retailing -- Growing Influence of "Baby Boomers" and "Generation Y" on Retailing -- Impact of Technology and Internet on the Retail Industry -- Supply Chain Management -- Self-Service Technology -- Market Intelligence -- Multichannel Sourcing, Distribution, and Sales -- Supply Chain Management in Multichannel Retailing -- EDI, QR, and VMI -- Radio Frequency Identification -- Courier Services -- A New Service Paradigm in Retailing -- Discussion Questions -- References -- Further Readings -- Chapter 3: Customer Service: Does It Matter? -- Introduction -- The Customer Service Model -- The Relationships in the Model -- From Questions to Answers -- Sample Descriptives: Good Versus Bad Customer Service -- Measuring Performance Variables -- Measuring Customer Service -- Answering the Research Questions -- Summary -- Conclusions -- Managerial Implications for Retailers -- Questions for Discussion -- Case example -- Customer Service in a Virtual World -- References -- Chapter 4: A Framework for Applying Customer Insight and Context to the Development of a Shopping Experience Strategy -- Customer Experience -- The Retail Customer Experience -- The Research.

Insight into the Shopping Experience -- Typology of Shopping Contexts -- An Insightful View of the Shopping Experience -- Connecting Context and Experience: Fitting Trip Purpose to Experience -- Applying Contextual Intelligence to the Shopping Experience -- The Multichannel Challenge -- Strategic Direction and Implications -- Conclusion -- Points for Discussion -- Case Examples -- Running Room -- Commentary -- IKEA -- Commentary -- References -- Chapter 5: Why Loyalty Matters in Retailing -- Complimentary Loyalties: Employee and Customer -- The Why of Employee Loyalty -- Making the Employee Link -- The Why of Customer Loyalty -- What Is Customer Loyalty? -- Does Loyalty Equal Profits? -- Step One: Identifying Profitable Loyals -- Step Two: Differentiating Profitable Loyals -- Getting to the Destination -- Conclusions and Managerial Implications -- Discussion, Questions and Further Reading -- Suggested Further Readings -- Case Example: Toys "R" Us -- References -- Chapter 6: Strategic Service Innovation Management in Retailing -- Introduction -- Competitive Advantage and the Strategic Importance of Retail Service Innovation -- Intermezzo: Porter's Five Forces -- Intermezzo: What Is Competitive Advantage -- Intermezzo: Customer Value -- Different Categories of Service Innovation -- Advantages and Disadvantages of Radical Innovation -- Imitability of Service Innovation -- A Portfolio of Service Innovation Projects -- The Role of Technology -- The Role of the Competition -- The Changing Role of the Customer -- Intermezzo E-tailing Portals: Distinguishing Core and Complementary E-services -- The Role of Ecology -- The Uniqueness of Retailing Services from an Innovation Point of View -- The New Service Process -- Creativity in Retailing Services -- The New Service Proposal -- New Service Screening and Selection in Retailing -- Designing Retailing Services.

Organizing and Managing the New Service Development Process -- NSD Team Composition -- NSD Team Management -- Launching and Implementing New Services -- New Service Success Factors and Evaluation -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Further Reading -- References -- Chapter 7: Electronic Retailing and Service Quality -- E-Commerce, E-Retailing, E-Service, and E-Service Quality -- Literature Review -- E-Service Quality and E-Satisfaction -- E-Service Quality and Loyalty -- E-Satisfaction and E-Loyalty -- Various E-Service Quality Scales -- Suggestions for Future Research -- Managerial Implications -- Case Study 7.1 Sears.com Gets Personal* -- Case Study 7.2 Consumers Hesitant to Buy Clothes Online, Gallup Says* -- For Discussion and Review -- References -- Further Readings -- Chapter 8: Using Multichannel Marketing Activities to Build Customer Relationships: As Pertaining to the Consumer Electronics Retail Sector -- Importance of Relationships and the Power of the Internet Within the Retail Industry -- More than Just the Quality of Goods and Services: The Concept of Relationship Quality -- Internet's Domination -- Multichannel Marketing as Pertaining to the Consumer Electronics Retail Sector -- Multichannel Consumer Behavior -- Internet as the Primary Information Source -- Online Power of Retailers -- Online Versus Offline Sales -- Multichannel Marketing Activities -- Social Marketing Activities and the Building of Customer Commitment -- Simplifying Information Search in Order to Improve Customer Satisfaction -- Managing Offline Contacts to Build Customer Trust -- Concluding Remarks -- IKEA's Short-List of Multichannel Activities -- Best Buy's Short-List of Multichannel Activities -- Discussion Questions -- References -- Further Reading -- Chapter 9: Reinventing the Customer Experience: Technology and the Service Marketing Mix.

The Technology Challenge in the Retail Industry -- Technology Opportunities -- Changing the Customer Experience Through the Service Marketing Mix -- Physical Evidence and Process -- Place -- Price and Promotion -- People -- Product -- Inherent Challenges of Technology -- Conclusion -- Vignette #1: Apple's Impact on Product and Place -- Vignette #2: Groupons: Coupons for the Masses -- Discussion Questions -- References -- Additional Readings -- Chapter 10: Multicultural Consumers and the Retail Service Experience -- Learning Objectives -- Introduction -- Culturally Relevant Retail Environment -- African-American Consumers -- Hispanic Consumers -- Asian Consumers -- Retail Practice -- Case Study 1 Home Depot and the Hispanic Market -- Culturally Relevant Merchandising and Branding -- African-American Consumers -- Hispanic Consumers -- Asian Consumers -- Retail Practice -- Case Study 2 Walmart and the Metro 7 Clothing Line -- Culturally Relevant Communications and Promotions -- African-American Consumers -- Hispanic Consumers -- Asian Consumers -- Retail Practice -- Questions for Review and Discussion -- Recommendations for Future Research -- Managerial Implications -- Points for Discussion -- Summary -- References -- Suggested Readings -- Chapter 11: Culture and Social Media: Changing Service Expectations -- Introduction -- The "Sharing Culture" of Social Media -- Culture and Social Media -- Service in a Digital Environment -- Confluence of Culture and Social Media: Changing Service Expectations -- Conceptual Framework -- Technology Acceptance Model 3 -- Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions -- Service Quality -- Study Variables -- Conclusions and Implications -- Managerial Implications -- Review Questions -- Case Example -- Social Media: The Changing Face of Customer Service -- References -- Discussion Questions -- Activity -- References.

Chapter 12: Complaint Management in Retailing -- Introduction -- Goals of Complaint Management -- Stabilization of Jeopardized Customer Relationships Through the Establishment of (Complaint) Satisfaction -- Increase in Purchase Intensity and Purchase Frequency, as well as Promotion of Cross-Buying Behavior -- Implementation and Clarification of a Customer-Oriented Corporate Strategy -- Creation of Additional Promotional Effects via Word-of-Mouth Communication -- Improvement in the Quality of Products and Services via the Use of Information That is Contained in Complaints -- Avoidance of Switching Costs -- Avoidance of the Costs of Disagreements -- Avoidance of Other External Failure Costs -- Avoidance of Internal Failure Costs -- Fundamental Tasks of Complaint Management -- Tasks of the Direct Complaint Management Process -- Tasks of the Indirect Complaint Management Process -- Specific Framework Conditions of Complaint Management in Retailing -- The Retailing Complaint Management Square -- Roles of the Head of Complaint Management Department -- Roles of the Stores -- Roles of the Central Customer Care Center -- Roles of the Manufacturers -- Conclusion -- Case 1: Complaining Behavior of Food Retailing Customers -- Case 2: Discovering the Annoyance Iceberg -- Questions/Points for Discussions -- References -- Chapter 13: Retailer Branding Through Excellence in Service -- Service Retailing: The Focus on Consumer Experiences -- Service Retailing Versus Product Retailing -- Evolution of Branding in Retailing -- Value-Satisfaction-Loyalty in Retailer Branding -- Branding Through New Perspectives -- Brand Building Through Social Responsibility -- Case Study: Toms shoes - Corporate Social Responsibility as a Business Model -- Conclusions -- Questions for Discussion -- References -- Further Reading.

Chapter 14: Values Resonance Drives Sustainable Customer Value: Lessons from IKEA.