Bookmaster Inadequate Inventory but Excellent Customer Service

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When Drew wanted a new book, he did what most people would do; he went to the local Bookmaster store. On the way to the store, Drew encountered traffic problems as well as a city bus blocking the store’s parking lot. Upon arrival he had a short wait before speaking with a customer relations associate to check the availability of the book. The associate checked the computer and found the store had two copies available. The associate and Drew looked for the book and discovered the book was out of stock. Drew was given the option of driving 15 miles across town with the assumption that the computer inventory was correct, and the book was actually in stock at another Bookmaster store. With much frustration, Drew was leaving when the associate offered to check for an electronic copy of the book. Indeed, the book was available electronically, but Drew did not have an iPad or Kindle to read the book on. Dissatisfied, Drew returned home without a book. When evaluating Drew’s visit to Bookmaster there were noticeable strengths and weaknesses.
In order for Bookmaster to continue being successful and competitive, the customer’s perceived value in shopping at Bookmaster, needs to be evaluated. Bookmaster needs to be aware that “value is the perception of the benefits associated with a good, service, or bundle of goods and services in relation to what buyers are willing to pay” (Collier & Evans, p. 26). When a consumer visits a book store he/she is expecting specific goods and services to be available, such as, a wide array and adequate inventory, customer assistance when needed, accurate inventory records, and alternatives if desired book is unavailable.
When evaluating Drew’s experience at Bookmaster, there were a few areas of...

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...ng the benefits for the consumer of calling in advance to check the availability. This added service could also increase Bookmaster’s competitive advantage over other local book stores.
To conclude, by Bookmaster addressing a few customer concerns the consumer’s perceived value can be increased drastically as well as stronger professional relationships with the value chain. Many people have very busy schedules and when choosing between similar stores, the average consumer will choose the store with products in stock because they don’t want to or have time to make numerous stops. So with Bookmaster implementing easy access and an accurate inventory system, consumer satisfaction and perceived value will increase over time resulting in increased sales.

Works Cited

Collier, D. A., & Evans, J. R. (2013). OM4 (pp. 24-46). Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning.

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