Impact of Supply Chain Management on Customer Retention A Case of Wedding Services In Rawalpindi and Islamabad

Abstract

The objective of the research is to identify the impact of supply chain on customer retention in the wedding event management industry of Pakistan. The wedding event management industry of Pakistan has become a booming industry in recent years with shifting trends due to technological uplift and changing preferential choices by the people looking for all the services under one roof. This has led to the need of agile supply chain which could cater the dynamics of event. This study thus focuses on four parameters of supply chain, i.e., customer relationship management, delivery of service, after sales service and responsiveness. The study employed survey questionnaire technique to understand the customers’ preferences and what they are actually expecting form the wedding service providers. Thus the survey has revealed that the customer relationship has positive impact on the customer retention and service providers need to integrate technology for reaching the customers and maintaining database that could help in sales force automation, marketing and distributing the date to internal and external stakeholders. Delivery of service needs special attention as the customers are satisfied yet the magnitude needs to be increased as the quality of service is one of the most fundamental factor for gaining competitive advantage in the market. After sales service has been found to be less focused parameter by the service industry which could certainly enhance the customer retention as the customers will be pleased if the companies remember and value their customers once the event has been over. Lastly, the responsiveness and empathy plays an important role in retention and is found that the customers have valued this parameter much above the other factors. The companies need to be more responsive and staff should be diligent in providing seamless services which contributes in customer satisfaction leading to customer retention.