ABSTRACT
The relationship between culture and customer care is an important subject that has gained considerable attention among academics and practitioners across sectors and contexts. The right blend of an excellent customer service orientation and customer-centred firm-level culture create competitive advantages that offer value to both the customer and the firm. In this chapter, we discuss these two elements, highlighting their collective effect, which is essential to creating a more competitive outlook for businesses as well as enhancing the value delivery of both profit and not-for-profit organisations. We, therefore, take a holistic approach in this chapter by integrating the unique roles of both firm-level culture and firm-level customer service orientation to create enhanced service experiences that in turn create sustainable competitive advantage. The chapter further suggests winning ways through which firms can deliver excellent customer service by first creating a customer-focused organisational culture. We also acknowledge the heightened level of competition in today’s business environment, particularly in the service sector where the unique nature of service makes the applicability of most marketing strategies in such settings a bit cumbrous.
