The Strategic Role of After-Sales Service in Shaping Corporate Image and Customer Loyalty: Evidence from a Consumer Electronics Case Study

In the rapidly evolving consumer electronics industry, the post-transaction phase is critical, transforming after-sales service from a purely operational function into a vital strategic asset for corporate reputation. However, existing strategic management frameworks often fail to integrate service recovery and customer experience perspectives, leaving a research gap regarding the precise mechanisms through which after-sales processes systematically contribute to long-term corporate image formation. To address this gap, this paper adopts a qualitative case study methodology, triangulating internal standard operating procedures, customer communication logs, and participant observation from a consumer electronics company over the 2022–2023 period. The findings reveal that after-sales service acts as a structural mediator between frontline operational processes and strategic outcomes. Specifically, first-time resolution effectiveness and communication quality emerge as critical determinants of customer perceptions, while operational failures impact customer satisfaction with a distinct time lag of several weeks. Ultimately, this study provides a comprehensive framework for managers to integrate post-transaction experiences into strategic management systems to sustain competitive advantage.