Title: Exploring the operational strategies for two-wheeler service centres using discrete-event simulation

Authors: Virupaxi Bagodi, Biswajit Mahanty

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, B.V.B. College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli 580 031, Karnataka, India. ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, West Bengal, India

Abstract: Two-wheeler service centres face the problems of random arrival of the vehicles that lead to demand in excess of capacity or under utilisation of the capacity. Managements of the service centres are often, found to be reactive to such situations. Such situations have led to higher work-in-progress at the centres, which has led to more waiting time for the customers. This paper focuses on modelling and simulation of the current practices at the service centres to analyse and understand the drawbacks. Various configurations are identified, simulated and are discussed, highlighting the necessity of capacity addition, customer convenience and service quality. The factors that enable the business to grow and satisfy the management and the customers are identified and presented.

Keywords: two-wheeler service centres; waiting time; service quality; discrete-event simulation; operational strategy; modelling; capacity addition; customer convenience; India.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2007.011462

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2007 Vol.3 No.1, pp.74 - 94

Published online: 30 Nov 2006 *

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