Logistic approach to the segmentation of the company's customers as a basis for the formation of logistics services

Abstract

The article defines the essence of the logistics customer service concept, as a component of the service process, which makes it possible to ensure the necessary level of the customers’ needs satisfaction, while providing the minimum necessary level of costs and maximizing profit for the company. It was determined that the basis of the formation of logistics customer service is their segmentation or differentiation. A classic logistic approach to the differentiation of customers can be considered their division using ABC-XYZ analysis. At the same time, ABC analysis is usually carried out based on the income brought by clients for a certain period of time, XYZ analysis is carried out according to the stability of relations with the client, that is, according to the number of orders placed by the client during the same period of time. We proposed our own view on the direct process of dividing customers into groups A, B and C, which is based on the calculation of the "jump in share" of customer revenues. The advantage of the proposed approach is that customers with relatively equal importance to the company cannot fall into different categories, and customers with very different values of importance to the company cannot fall into the same category. Another approach to customer differentiation based on customer profitability was also proposed and recommendations for servicing each customer group were made. Thus, the correct segmentation of customers and assessment of the potential of each segment will allow building several different service strategies aimed at increasing the company's profits.