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Despite the fact that citrus industry is growing in Pakistan where production is dominated by small-scale citrus growers, no research has been done to evaluate and analyse the marketing channel choice decision-making process of these citrus growers. The purpose of this paper is to review the existing factors affecting decision making of small-size citrus growers in citrus supply chain in Pakistan and also measures and analyses the factors that affect the marketing channel decisions of these small size growers.

A multivariate decision analysis technique, conjoint analysis, was used to analyse and evaluate the major factors affecting marketing channel choice decisions of small-size citrus growers.

It was concluded that among nine very important factors, six factors played a major role in the marketing channel choice decision making. Only three factors namely, “price”, “time of complete fruit picking” and “number of fruit pickings” were considered highly important factors and reflected that citrus growers not only want to secure his payments but also to save their orchards for next season(s).

The research would provide valuable information about citrus grower’s marketing decision-making process and thus would contribute to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of citrus industry in Pakistan.

This analysis would suggest them to make rational decisions and help choosing them the most appropriate combination of different levels of different factors which would increase their profits. This study identifies the most relevant factors and their levels which citrus growers and pre-harvest contractors preferred in citrus marketing channel choice decision making, thus, server as a guideline for the buyer’s to deal with them accordingly. This would improve the efficiency and reduce the transaction cost along the citrus supply chain in Pakistan.

Library management is struggling to improve productivity without reducing the quality of service to its users. With downsizing continuing to be a trend, the implementation of self‐checkout circulation systems may be an important technological investment for libraries to consider. In most large academic institutions, such circulation functions as checking out and renewing library materials have traditionally been performed by staff members. The climate may, however, be right to rethink the mode of service delivery systems and shift from providing full‐service to self‐service models, whereby the patron takes responsibility for checking out his or her own library materials.

This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/eb014476. When citing the article, please cite: Norman E. Marr, (1980), “Do Managers Really Know what Service their Customers Require?”, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Materials Management, Vol. 10 Iss: 7, pp. 433 - 444.

Due to deregulation, the New Zealand retail banking environment is characterized by change, especially in the area of self‐service technologies. The success of these technology projects has been mixed, and one must question whether or not the suppliers of these technologies have a true understanding of consumer needs. Draws a comparison between what the consumers see as being important influences in the adoption or non‐adoption of retail banking self‐service technologies; and what the suppliers of these technologies (i.e. banking and technology experts) perceive as being important influences in the consumer adoption or non‐adoption of self‐service retail banking technologies. To achieve this, a review was conducted of the literature relating to consumer surveys which investigated why consumers do or do not adopt the main self‐service technology in retail banking: automated telling machines. The themes from this review were identified. A Delphi study was then conducted with New Zealand′s leading experts in the area of retail banking technologies. A comparison between the themes from the literature and the results of the Delphi study indicated that the suppliers of technology do in fact have an understanding of those variables, which affect consumer adoption of self‐service technologies in retail banking.

This article examines the differences in the off the peg or tailor‐made approaches to customer services. It also suggests trade‐off analysis as a means of determining what is most important to customers and how they will react to changes in particular services.

Physical distribution management in New Zealand, is still, in many companies, subordinate to other functions in the corporate organisational hierarchy. In this study of three industries (Menswear, Foodstuffs and Pharmaceuticals) it was found that most distribution executives were responsible for warehousing and transport with very little involvement in setting customer service levels, the very essence of physical distribution. These results were surprising considering that it was claimed that there existed a large degree of awareness about the importance of physical distribution in terms of a company′s overall success. The actual level of adoption and successful implementation of an Integrated Physical Distribution system was around 50 per cent. Here there was considerable disagreement between top management of a company and the senior distribution executive. These conclusions were drawn from the response by the General Manager/CEO of participating companies, together with independent responses from the person in the company “responsible for the planning and control of the distribution activities”. These responses were examined in three distinct areas: attitudes towards distribution, adoption of integrated distribution concept and company organisation of distribution activities.

Human tellers are still the primary means of product delivery, despite the trend towards electronic and remote banking. In New Zealand, there exists a newly deregulated environment in the financial services industry. Therefore a “customer‐oriented” approach is needed to achieve customer satisfaction. Amongst ATM card holders the majority still used human tellers, on a regular basis. This pointed to the fact that there are a number of improvements to be made in two categories; impolite/inefficient tellers; queuing difficulties.

This article outlines how one particular company sought to bring about inventory reductions, and hence cost savings, without reducing customer service levels. The author′s attention was confined to the manner by which the physical stock levels were reduced within the constraints of existing company policy that sets service levels through ability to supply customers.

The term, customer service, covers all aspects of the transaction between the supplier and the customer, and includes elements of all major functional areas of a company. Customer service is detailed and customer priorities are identified with regard to seven types of retail outlets. It is concluded that the design of the best customer service package, whether for a particular market sector, country or product, deserves as much care as the marketing of the product itself.

Self‐service technology is challenging the traditional concept of provider‐client interaction in the retail banking industry. Following a review of the literature, this paper discusses the experts' opinions of the role of self‐service technologies and human bank staff in New Zealand retail banking to the years 2000 and 2010. These opinions were identified through a Delphi study held with leading executives from various sectors of the economy. The research indicated that in the future utilisation of home banking by television will be limited to a specific and small market segment. Home banking by personal computer will be relatively more widespread, although it is unlikely to be used by more than twenty per cent of the banking population. Home banking by automated telephone service will be more widespread still, yet acceptance is unlikely to be greater than thirty per cent of the banking population. ‘Staffless branches’ (which are staffed predominately by self‐service technology) will be available in all main city centres before the turn of the century. Automatic Telling Machines (ATMs) will be the most utilised self‐service technology in the future.