Cost‐to‐serve measurement and customer profitability analysis

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the usefulness of cost‐to‐serve for customer profitability management through literature review and a case study in a food‐industry company.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on a case study. The study presents the state‐of‐the‐art of the literature review related to cost‐to‐serve measurement and customer profitability analysis and a case study of a Brazilian food‐industry company with high operational complexity and an extensive customer product and commercial service line.

Findings

The literature review demonstrates that few empirical studies have actually addressed the problem of cost‐to‐serve measurement and customer profitability analysis. The findings of the study show that the measurement of cost‐to‐serve provides specific and detailed customer information that enables a more comprehensive customer profitability analysis than the classical paradigm.

Research limitations/implications

A single case study does not allow the results to be generalized to other organizations.

Originality/value

The paper includes a comprehensive review of literature and the empirical case study in a Brazilian food company offers additional insights in cost‐to‐serve measurement and customer profitability analysis.

Citation

Guerreiro, R., Rodrigues Bio, S. and Vazquez Villamor Merschmann, E. (2008), "Cost‐to‐serve measurement and customer profitability analysis", The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 389-407. https://doi.org/10.1108/09574090810919215