Title: Returns management in a business-to-business context: its impact on customer satisfaction

Authors: Stephan Vachon; Sara Hajmohammad; Karine Patry

Addresses: Ivey Business School, Western University, 1255 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 0N1, Canada ' Ivey Business School, Western University, 1255 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 0N1, Canada ' L-3 Communications MAS (Canada) Inc., 10000 Rue Helen-Bristol, Mirabel, QC, J7N 1H3, Canada

Abstract: Managing the returns process effectively can lead to cost reduction and revenues increase even if it is often considered as a peripheral activity in the supply chain. This paper investigates the relation between returns management and customer satisfaction in a business-to-business (B2B) context. Building on the inter-organisational justice perspective, a model that links the characteristics of the returns management system, the system performance, and customer satisfaction is developed. The proposed conceptual model was tested using data collected through a survey of 192 heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) contractors in Canada. Results indicate that: i) the level of administrative support provided by the suppliers to assist the contractors (i.e., the customers) with the returns process is predominant in generating the customer satisfaction; ii) the performance of returns management system is significantly and positively linked to customer satisfaction. Implications for future research and managers are also discussed.

Keywords: returns management; customer satisfaction; inter-organisational justice; PLS; partial least squares; business-to-business; B2B; system performance; Canada; administrative support; HVAC-R contractors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISM.2013.058511

International Journal of Integrated Supply Management, 2013 Vol.8 No.4, pp.173 - 192

Received: 19 Apr 2013
Accepted: 19 Oct 2013
Published online: 02 Jan 2014 *

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