University of Twente Student Theses
Antecedents and Benefits of a Preferred Customer Status in a Buyer-Supplier Relationship: A Case Study at WILO SE and 4 of its Key Suppliers
Beering, J. (2014) Antecedents and Benefits of a Preferred Customer Status in a Buyer-Supplier Relationship: A Case Study at WILO SE and 4 of its Key Suppliers.
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| Abstract: | In recent years, developing supplier relationships has become a major strategic activity which is associated with cost savings, enhanced flexibility and increased innovativeness. As the attainment of a preferred customer status is associated with preferential resource allocation, it can be a potential source of sustainable competitive advantage. Since the majority of academic literature on the preferred customer status takes a rather theoretical stance, a case study is conducted at WILO SE and its key suppliers to provide more practical insights. The existence of a preferred customer status has been confirmed as preferential treatment, which is obviously attributable to a high status at key suppliers, could be identified. The findings thereby do not only confirm several existing antecedents and benefits of a preferred customer status that have been identified in earlier literature, but also reveal some novel findings: It has been shown that a preferred customer treatment can also lead to the establishment of contacts to third parties, to acceptance of extraordinary financial transaction wishes, an excellent crisis management, a forward-looking pricing model, high management commitment at the supplier and to a key account status despite low purchasing volumes. Furthermore, novel drivers for the achievement of such a status could be identified. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | International Business Administration BSc (50952) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/65247 |
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