QUESTION TWO $[20]$

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow:

Organisations can only survive by supplying products that customers view as somehow better than those from competitors. Logistics affects the lead time, availability, cost, customer support, damage, and so on $$ and hence the customers$$ view of a product. In this sense, logistics actually contributes to the design, quality, perceived value and success of a product. But which factors are most important for this contribution and should be emphasised in a logistics strategy? We can start to answer this by taking a traditional view from marketing which says that organisations compete by concentrating on the $$four Ps$$ product, place, promotion and price. Here logistics has a role in the $$product$($through its contribution to the overall product package$),$place$($through its delivery of materials$)$ and $$price$($through its effect on operating costs$).$ A logistics strategy could usefully emphasise these features. A broader view says that customers are concerned with cost, quality, service level, reliability, availability, flexibility, delivery speed, location, sourcing, supplier relations, environmental impact, recycling, and a whole range of other things. These all depend on different aspects of logistics$.$ In different circumstances, therefore, almost any facet of logistics can be important for customer satisfaction and could be emphasised by the logistics strategy.

Provide a detailed discussion on the impact of time$-$based strategies in obtaining efficient supply chains and better customer service.