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- All HBS Web
(2,564)
- People (2)
- News (547)
- Research (1,692)
- Events (3)
- Multimedia (9)
- Faculty Publications (945)
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- February 2001 (Revised January 2002)
- Case
Tracmail
By: Paul W. Marshall, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Suma Raju
Tracmail, an online customer service company based in India, is trying to handle support services (e-mail and chat) for companies worldwide. In its quest to break into global markets, Tracmail is contemplating a joint venture with a U.S. call center. Tracmail is also... View Details
Keywords: Salesforce Management; Globalized Firms and Management; Business Startups; Joint Ventures; Service Industry; Service Industry; India; United States
Marshall, Paul W., Carin-Isabel Knoop, and Suma Raju. "Tracmail." Harvard Business School Case 801-037, February 2001. (Revised January 2002.)
- 2002
- Case
Dell Computer Corporation
By: Vijay Govindarajan and Julie Lang
The world's largest direct-selling computer company grew from its philosophy that customers know what they want and Dell can deliver it through custom assembly of outsourced components. Through a combination of financial and non-financial measures, Dell turned itself... View Details
- August 2013
- Article
Customer-Driven Misconduct: How Competition Corrupts Business Practices
By: Victor Manuel Bennett, Lamar Pierce, Jason A. Snyder and Michael W. Toffel
Competition among firms yields many benefits but can also encourage firms to engage in corrupt or unethical activities. We argue that competition can lead organizations to provide services that customers demand but that violate government regulations, especially when... View Details
Keywords: Competition; Crime and Corruption; Management Practices and Processes; Ethics; Consumer Behavior; Customer Satisfaction; Service Industry; Service Industry
Bennett, Victor Manuel, Lamar Pierce, Jason A. Snyder, and Michael W. Toffel. "Customer-Driven Misconduct: How Competition Corrupts Business Practices." Management Science 59, no. 8 (August 2013): 1725–1742. (Online Appendix. Lead article. Nominated for "Best Conference Paper Award" and "SMS Best Conference Paper Prize for Practice Implications" at 2012 Strategic Management Society International Conference.)
- December 1999 (Revised November 2003)
- Background Note
Pricing: A Value-Based Approach
By: Robert J. Dolan
Presents a framework for determining prices for products and services in concert with the value provided to customers. Discusses methodologies for estimating customer value. View Details
Dolan, Robert J. "Pricing: A Value-Based Approach." Harvard Business School Background Note 500-071, December 1999. (Revised November 2003.)
- February 1997 (Revised April 1998)
- Case
first direct (A)
Describes the operations and strategy of the world's largest, fastest growing branchless bank. Using a person-to-person interface over conventional phone lines, First Direct provides standard banking and related financial products to nearly 700,000 customers throughout... View Details
Keywords: Service Delivery; Customer Satisfaction; Banks and Banking; Innovation and Invention; Banking Industry; United Kingdom
Rayport, Jeffrey F., and Dickson Louie. "first direct (A)." Harvard Business School Case 897-079, February 1997. (Revised April 1998.)
- March 1995 (Revised April 1997)
- Case
Co-operative Bank, The
By: Robert S. Kaplan and Srikant M. Datar
A British bank with strong roots in the cooperative movement encounters declining profitability in an increasingly competitive and deregulated financial services industry. It attempts to grow by broadening its customer base and increasing the range of products and... View Details
Keywords: Product; Competition; Expansion; Cost Management; Activity Based Costing and Management; Profit; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry
Kaplan, Robert S., and Srikant M. Datar. "Co-operative Bank, The." Harvard Business School Case 195-196, March 1995. (Revised April 1997.)
- November 2020 (Revised September 2021)
- Case
HP Instant Ink: (Self) Disrupting the Consumer Printing Market
By: Elie Ofek, Marco Bertini, Oded Koenigsberg and George Gonzalez
Seeking to disrupt the consumer printing market (before being disrupted by others), and in response to customer pain points, in 2013 HP Inc. launched an ink replenishment service called Instant Ink, where customers pay a monthly subscription fee based on the number of... View Details
Keywords: Printing; Ink; Subscription Model; Customers; Information Infrastructure; Service Delivery; Business Model; Disruption; Growth and Development Strategy
Ofek, Elie, Marco Bertini, Oded Koenigsberg, and George Gonzalez. "HP Instant Ink: (Self) Disrupting the Consumer Printing Market." Harvard Business School Case 521-016, November 2020. (Revised September 2021.)
- 01 Oct 2008
- Research & Ideas
How Much Time Should CEOs Devote to Customers?
the current economic downturn, companies need marketing skills more than ever. But while every corporate mission statement pays lip service to respecting customer needs, actual View Details
Keywords: by John Quelch
- January 2014
- Case
Entrepreneurial Finance Lab: Scaling an Innovative Start-up Financing Venture
By: Joan Farre-Mensa, William R. Kerr and Alexis Brownell
EFL provides credit-scoring services in developing countries using psychometric assessment, but the potential loss of a large customer makes them reconsider their scaling narrative. View Details
Keywords: Finance; Developing Countries; Lending; Psychometrics; Scaling; Entrepreneurship; Credit; Developing Countries and Economies; Growth and Development Strategy; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry; Africa; Latin America
Farre-Mensa, Joan, William R. Kerr, and Alexis Brownell. "Entrepreneurial Finance Lab: Scaling an Innovative Start-up Financing Venture." Harvard Business School Case 814-073, January 2014.
- Article
The Perils of Proactive Churn Prevention Using Plan Recommendations: Evidence from a Field Experiment
By: Eva Ascarza, Raghuram Iyengar and Martin Schleicher
Facing the issue of increasing customer churn, many service firms have begun recommending pricing plans to their customers. One reason behind this type of retention campaign is that customers who subscribe to a plan suitable for them should be less likely to churn... View Details
Keywords: Churn/retention; Field Experiment; Pricing; Tariff/plan Choice; Targeting; Customer Relationship Management; Price; Performance Effectiveness
Ascarza, Eva, Raghuram Iyengar, and Martin Schleicher. "The Perils of Proactive Churn Prevention Using Plan Recommendations: Evidence from a Field Experiment." Journal of Marketing Research (JMR) 53, no. 1 (February 2016): 46–60.
- September 1999 (Revised October 1999)
- Case
Auto Collection: Ford's Better Idea for Selling Cars and Trucks
Ford encourages its independent dealers to consolidate, showing them the benefits size can bring both to themselves and their customers. Now, consolidated dealerships improve customer service and reduce costs. View Details
Hallowell, Roger H. "Auto Collection: Ford's Better Idea for Selling Cars and Trucks." Harvard Business School Case 800-030, September 1999. (Revised October 1999.)
- March–April 1979
- Article
How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy
By: M. E. Porter
Many factors determine the nature of competition, including not only rivals, but also the economics of particular industries, new entrants, the bargaining power of customers and suppliers, and the threat of substitute services or products. A strategic plan of action... View Details
Porter, M. E. "How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy." Harvard Business Review 57, no. 2 (March–April 1979): 137–145.
- April 2004
- Tutorial
Yield Curves and Bond Ratings Tutorial
To preview this online product, Authorized Faculty can call our customer service department at 1-800-545-7685 or 617-783-7600. This online tutorial explains what drives the shape of the yield curve for traded debt securities. Also describes the metrics used by rating... View Details
- December 2012
- Case
Delwarca Software Remote Support Unit
By: Roy D. Shapiro and Paul E. Morrison
Delwarca Software provides business software to large corporate clients around the world. The firm serves customers who prefer to assemble corporate solutions using a combination of software programs from various suppliers rather than implementing a single enterprise... View Details
Keywords: Service Operations; Service Delivery; Mathematical Methods; Applications and Software; Problems and Challenges; Customer Satisfaction; Information Technology Industry
Shapiro, Roy D., and Paul E. Morrison. "Delwarca Software Remote Support Unit." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-541, December 2012.
- March 2021 (Revised February 2025)
- Teaching Note
Afterpay U.S.: The Omnichannel Dilemma
By: Antonio Moreno and Anibha Singh
Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 519-086. In 2018, Nick Molnar, the founder of the Australia-based online payment service Afterpay began its expansion to the U.S. market. The service had gained a loyal following in Australia by enabling customers to pay for online... View Details
Keywords: Omnichannel Retail; Digital Marketing; Business Startups; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Organization; For-Profit Firms; Change Management; Customer Value and Value Chain; Customer Relationship Management; Customer Satisfaction; Financing and Loans; Microfinance; Global Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Digital Platforms; Product Development; Supply Chain Management; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Networks; Network Effects; Internet and the Web; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry; United States; Australia
- October 1984
- Case
NIKE (A1)
Presents a specific marketing policy decision on the servicing of large, important chain store customers versus giving priority to small specialty running equipment stores. View Details
Keywords: Decisions; Marketing Strategy; Distribution Channels; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Sports Industry
Christensen, C. Roland. "NIKE (A1)." Harvard Business School Case 385-026, October 1984.
- 11 Jan 2000
- Research & Ideas
Calling All Managers: How to Build a Better Call Center
company can triumph. That's especially true in the financial services industry, where call centers have moved beyond their most obvious function—as low-cost channels for resolving a myriad of customer... View Details
- January 2011 (Revised October 2014)
- Case
Dropbox: 'It Just Works'
By: Thomas R. Eisenmann, Michael Pao and Lauren Barley
Dropbox is a venture-backed Silicon Valley startup, founded in 2006, that provides online storage and backup services to millions of customers using a "freemium" (free + premium offers) business model. The case recounts Dropbox's history from conception through... View Details
Keywords: Business Model; Growth and Development Strategy; Management Practices and Processes; Distribution; Product Design; Product Development; Internet; Service Industry; California
Eisenmann, Thomas R., Michael Pao, and Lauren Barley. "Dropbox: 'It Just Works'." Harvard Business School Case 811-065, January 2011. (Revised October 2014.)
- July 2002 (Revised January 2003)
- Case
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc: Rewarding Our People
By: Thomas J. DeLong and Vineeta Vijayaraghavan
Marilyn Winn, head of human resources at Harrah's Entertainment, must make a recommendation to the company's president and CEO about whether the existing bonus payout program is effective at motivating employees or whether it should be revised and/or replaced. A recent... View Details
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction; Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Compensation and Benefits; Employees; Human Capital; Management Style; Motivation and Incentives; Alignment; Entertainment and Recreation Industry
DeLong, Thomas J., and Vineeta Vijayaraghavan. "Harrah's Entertainment, Inc: Rewarding Our People." Harvard Business School Case 403-008, July 2002. (Revised January 2003.)
- July 2003 (Revised December 2003)
- Case
Mitchells/Richards
By: Amy C. Edmondson and Corey B. Hajim
Describes a small, luxury retail chain's operational sophistication achieved through the use of technology and high-touch customer service. A family-run business, Mitchells has built its success with a customer service strategy know internally as "hugging." The term is... View Details
Keywords: Information Technology; Expansion; Family Business; Attitudes; Organizational Culture; Luxury; Customer Focus and Relationships; Retail Industry
Edmondson, Amy C., and Corey B. Hajim. "Mitchells/Richards." Harvard Business School Case 604-010, July 2003. (Revised December 2003.)