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Management article
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Reference no. R1204X
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Published in: "Harvard Business Review", 2012

Abstract

For teaching purposes, this is the case-only version of the HBR case study. There is a commentary-only version and a complete case study and commentary version. What do you do if one of your largest and oldest customers is now one of your most unprofitable? That's the dilemma faced by Tommy Bamford, director of the fictional UK-based interior fixtures manufacturer Egan & Sons. Activity-based costing analysis reveals that Westmid Builders, a long-standing client of Egan's, has become a big drag on the bottom line. But Jane Oldenburg, a regional sales manager for Egan who has deep ties with the Westmid account, argues against dropping it. After all, Westmid has stuck with Egan through thick and thin, even as many of Egan's other customers turn to Chinese manufacturers. Besides, there's a publicity angle. Case author Robert S Kaplan, of Harvard Business School, asks whether Egan should sever its 63-year-old relationship with Westmid. Commentary comes from Timothy J Jahnke, of Elkay Manufacturing; Jacquelyn S Thomas, of Southern Methodist University; and HBR's online readers.

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Abstract

For teaching purposes, this is the case-only version of the HBR case study. There is a commentary-only version and a complete case study and commentary version. What do you do if one of your largest and oldest customers is now one of your most unprofitable? That's the dilemma faced by Tommy Bamford, director of the fictional UK-based interior fixtures manufacturer Egan & Sons. Activity-based costing analysis reveals that Westmid Builders, a long-standing client of Egan's, has become a big drag on the bottom line. But Jane Oldenburg, a regional sales manager for Egan who has deep ties with the Westmid account, argues against dropping it. After all, Westmid has stuck with Egan through thick and thin, even as many of Egan's other customers turn to Chinese manufacturers. Besides, there's a publicity angle. Case author Robert S Kaplan, of Harvard Business School, asks whether Egan should sever its 63-year-old relationship with Westmid. Commentary comes from Timothy J Jahnke, of Elkay Manufacturing; Jacquelyn S Thomas, of Southern Methodist University; and HBR's online readers.

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