Digital touchpoints and multichannel segmentation approach in the life insurance industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mónika Anetta Alt ◽  
Zsuzsa Săplăcan ◽  
Botond Benedek ◽  
Bálint Zsolt Nagy
Keyword(s):  
Marital Status ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Channel Preferences

PurposeDigital technology is revolutionizing insurance distribution allowing the insurer companies to reach customers via multichannel. The aim of this study is to segment potential customers of life insurance based on their information search, purchasing channels and personal characteristics in the digital environment.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses cross-sectional research survey. In total, 422 questionnaires were collected through a convenience sample of the Romanian population. The data was segmented based on consumer information touchpoints (online vs offline), purchase channel preference (offline by a professional vs online by a standardized platform) and personal characteristics (age, marital status and children).FindingsThe channel segmentation analysis revealed that information channel preferences are the most important clustering variables, followed by purchase channel preferences, marital status, having children and age. Four distinct segments were identified: young fully offliners (23.7%), mature fully offliners (31.5%), committed online searchers (23.2%) and cross-channel onliners (21.6%).Practical implicationsInsurance companies should adapt their communication and distribution strategy based on multichannel segmentation and should focus on digital touchpoints with costumers.Originality/valueFirstly, the paper reveals multichannel and hybrid segmentation for life insurance. Secondly, it extends the already studied retail channels with search engines and companies' websites. Thirdly, it extends the behavioural variables for channel segmentation with technology acceptance behaviour, attitude towards life insurance, knowledge about life insurance, attitude towards personal selling and quality appraisal of online information sources.

Consumer’s initial trust formation in IOB’s acceptance

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Souheila Kaabachi ◽  
Selima Ben Mrad ◽  
Bay O’Leary
Keyword(s):  
Social Influence ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Initial Trust ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Website Usability ◽  
Trust Formation ◽  
Propensity To Trust

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how variables like propensity to trust, website usability, social influence, customer awareness about internet-only banks (IOBs) and perceived compatibility influence customers’ initial trust formation toward IOBs’ acceptance. The model is based on the technology acceptance model, diffusion of innovation theory and theory of reasoned action. Design/methodology/approach A non-probability convenience sample of 239 IOBs’ potential adopters from France was used to test the structural equation model between initial trust antecedents and IOB’s usage intention. Findings Findings confirm the important role of trust in initiating customers’ relationship with IOBs and show that social influence, compatibility and website usability contribute the most to IOB’s initial trust formation. Indeed, it has been found that the level of consumer information about IOBs and propensity to trust have a moderate impact on consumer’s initial trust. Results revealed that there is a general lack of consumer’s awareness about IOB’s services features. Practical implications To promote the trustworthiness of their sites and services to potential consumers, IOBs should enhance WOM by using social network applications. IOBs need to develop marketing communication campaigns in which they can educate potential customers about IOB’s features. In addition, IOBs should demonstrate to their customers that IOBs’ banking system is consistent with their current lifestyle. IOBs are encouraged to develop a favorable impression by investing heavily on their website usability and information design. Originality/value This study contributes significantly to the marketing research literature related to consumer trust and electronic banking literature. Indeed, only a few marketing studies have been conducted about IOBs. The results show the role played by initial trust formation in the case of IOBs. In addition, it points out the importance of five trust cues: individual cues, knowledge cues, institutional cues, cognitive cues and social cues (social influence).

scholarly journals Understanding collaborative tourism information searching to support online travel planning

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abu Shamim Mohammad Arif ◽  
Jia Tina Du
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
User Study ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Information Searching ◽  
Search System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Travel Planning ◽  
Collaborative Search ◽  
Tourism Information

Purpose Collaborative information searching is common for people when planning their group trip. However, little research has explored how tourists collaborate during information search. Existing tourism Web portals or search engines rarely support tourists’ collaborative information search activities. Taking advantage of previous studies of collaborative tourism information search behavior, in the current paper the purpose of this paper is to propose the design of a collaborative search system collaborative tourism information search (ColTIS) to support online information search and travel planning. Design/methodology/approach ColTIS was evaluated and compared with Google Talk-embedded Tripadvisor.com through a user study involving 18 pairs of participants. The data included pre- and post-search questionnaires, web search logs and chat history. For quantitative measurement, statistical analysis was performed using SPSS; for log data and the qualitative feedback from participants, the content analysis was employed. Findings Results suggest that collaborative query formulation, division of search tasks, chatting and results sharing are important means to facilitate tourists’ collaborative search. ColTIS was found to outperform Tripadvisor significantly regarding the ease of use, collaborative support and system usefulness. Originality/value The innovation of the study lies in the development of an integrated real-time collaborative tourism information search system with unique features. These features include collaborative query reformulation, travel planner and automatic result and query sharing that assist multiple people search for holiday information together. For system designers and tourism practitioners, implications are provided.

scholarly journals The impact of product assortment size and attribute quantity on information searches

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krisztina Rita Dörnyei ◽  
Athanasios Krystallis ◽  
Polymeros Chrysochou
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Product Attributes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Display ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Product Assortment ◽  
Information Searches ◽  
Consumer Information Search ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of assortment size and attribute quantity on the depth and content of consumer information searches. Design/methodology/approach For a computer-aided experiment using an information display board, participants (n = 393) were placed in a simulated shopping situation that involved choosing a product among three sets of frequently purchased, low-involvement, FMCG alternatives. Findings The findings show that when the assortment size increases, consumers acquire information from more products and cues but sacrifice product attributes. In particular, this sacrifice comes at the expense of secondary product attributes (e.g. nutrition information, country of origin), whereas primary product attributes (e.g. brand name, price) remain constant. Attribute quantity does not have a significant effect on information search. Practical implications Provided that several strategies rely on providing more information to consumers with the aim of making more deliberate and better choices, the findings suggest that they may have a limited effect in product categories in which the assortment size is wide. The authors discuss the implications for category management and public policy. Originality/value Information searches are measured by means of three different variables (searched cues, searched products and searched attributes), which enable a more complex exploration of the consumer information search process.

A socio-technological model of search information divide in US cities

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Jin Park
Keyword(s):  
Information Flow ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Online Search ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Us Cities ◽  
Search Information ◽  
Technological Model

PurposeThe purpose of the current study is to theorize and apply a socio-technological model – the powerful influence of social determinants in conditioning the effects of information attention on social outcomes. Fundamentally, this study is motivated by the idea that the social determinants of information flow can be used as a predictive tool to inform public socio-policy decisions.Design/methodology/approachThis study draws upon digital disparity literature and uses publicly available Google search queries in exploring online information attention and its relationships to the HIV/AIDS diffusion in US cities. This study’s secondary data collected from extant sources is used to draw attention to a holistic urban ecology under which online search attention represents the variation of information access at the aggregate level.FindingsThe main finding shows that online information attention, as indicated by search trend, is far from being a simple predictor, but operates in complex interactions with existing social environments. A bivariate correlation between AIDS information search and AIDS diffusion rate was found to be significant. However, predictive multivariate models displayed robust effects of social contextual variables, such as income level and racial composition of cities, in moderating the effect of online search information flow.Practical implicationsThe importance of these insights is discussed for reducing socio-health disparities at the macro-social level, and policymakers and health administrators are recommended to incubate supportive online infrastructure as an effective preventive measure at the time of a crisis.Originality/valueThe unique contribution of this study is the premise that looks at the aggregate-ecological contour of cities within which the potential benefits of information occur, instead of examining the isolated function of mediated information per se. In this vein, online information search, in lieu of the exposure to mass media message that is often measured via self-reported items, is a particularly unique and fruitful area of future inquiry that this study promotes.

The relationship between attitude toward using and customer satisfaction with mobile application services

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 680-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen-Ying Lee ◽  
Chih-Hsuan Tsao ◽  
Wan-Chuan Chang
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Path Analysis ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Life Insurers

Purpose – The methodology of mobile commerce as a significant application for both enterprises and customers are becoming crucial, but few studies discuss the usage attitude toward and customer satisfaction with mobile application (app) services in the life insurance industry. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of attitude toward using life insurers’ mobile app services on customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on a questionnaire survey of 538 respondents in Taiwan. The data are analyzed through ANOVA, multiple regression, and path analysis. Findings – The results indicate that all variables significantly and positively affected usage attitude. Among them, compatibility had the most significant influence. In addition, consumers’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use positively affected customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the path analysis result demonstrates that usage attitude is the most significant factor for customer satisfaction, and the second-most important factor is the cognition of compatibility’s indirect effect on usage attitude. Originality/value – The paper extends our understanding of the insured’s usage attitude toward and satisfaction with life insurers’ app services by integrating the technology acceptance model and innovation diffusion theory. The results have practical implications for reinforcing customer relationship management and contribute to fulfilling the need for marketing evidence in life insurance.

Media channels and consumer purchasing decisions

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (8) ◽  
pp. 1510-1528 ◽  
Author(s):  
JongRoul Woo ◽  
Joongha Ahn ◽  
Jongsu Lee ◽  
Yoonmo Koo
Keyword(s):  
Credit Card ◽  
Product Information ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Media Planning ◽  
Specific Product ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors determining which communication mediums influence a given consumer deciding to purchase a specific product. Design/methodology/approach – Using a consumer survey and a multivariate probit (MVP) model, the authors explore consumer information searches related to purchases in nine categories: milk, instant noodles, shampoo, mobile phones, televisions, cars, mobile communication services, credit card services, and life insurance. Findings – The media channels that motivate a given consumer to make a given purchase vary depending on both socio-demographic variables and product categories. Practical implications – As consumers can now obtain product information through different and multiple media channels according to their personal characteristics and the category of the product they seek to purchase, these findings will help companies develop media planning strategies that will effectively target specific market segments. Originality/value – Unlike previous studies, the authors consider which media channels actually affect a consumer’s product purchase decisions, and the authors do so across product categories and media types to provide practical implications for media planning. Furthermore, this is the first application of the MVP model in this context.

An exploratory study on factors affecting the adoption of cloud computing by information professionals

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noa Aharony
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Cognitive Appraisal ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Openness To Experience ◽  
Behavioural Intention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Computer Competence ◽  
Information Professionals

Purpose – The purpose of this study explores what factors may influence information professionals to adopt new technologies, such as cloud computing in their organizations. The objectives of this study are as follows: to what extent does the technology acceptance model (TAM) explain information professionals intentions towards cloud computing, and to what extent do personal characteristics, such as cognitive appraisal and openness to experience, explain information professionals intentions to use cloud computing. Design/methodology/approach – The research was conducted in Israel during the second semester of the 2013 academic year and encompassed two groups of information professionals: librarians and information specialists. Researchers used seven questionnaires to gather the following data: personal details, computer competence, attitudes to cloud computing, behavioural intention, openness to experience, cognitive appraisal and self-efficacy. Findings – The current study found that the behavioural intention to use cloud computing was impacted by several of the TAM variables, personal characteristics and computer competence. Originality/value – The study expands the scope of research about the TAM by applying it to information professionals and cloud computing and highlights the importance of individual traits, such as cognitive appraisal, personal innovativeness, openness to experience and computer competence when considering technology acceptance. Further, the current study proposes that if directors of information organizations assume that novel technologies may improve their organizations’ functioning, they should be familiar with both the TAM and the issue of individual differences. These factors may help them choose the most appropriate workers.

Consumer Pre-purchase Search in Online Shopping: Role of Offline and Online Information Sources

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Akalamkam ◽  
Joy Kumar Mitra
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Online Shopping ◽  
Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Online Shoppers ◽  
Information Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Information Search

Pre-purchase information search is an integral part of consumer decision-making process and buying behavior. Understanding consumer information search behavior is vital for organizations in order to plan their communication strategy and reach consumers effectively. Though consumer information search behavior is extensively studied in traditional brick and mortar purchase situations, there is dearth of research in understanding consumer information search behavior in online shopping occasions. Given the rapid growth in electronic retail over the last few years, it is imperative to understand consumer information search behavior in online buying situations. This study investigates the factors that influence the extent of usage of different information sources in pre-purchase information search by online shoppers through an empirical research among 1079 online shoppers. The analysis of data using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) shows that consumers tend to use both traditional offline information sources and online information sources when they shop online. However, the preference for different online and offline information sources is likely to be different for hedonic and utilitarian products. Individual factors, such as Internet usage experience, need for cognition and age, also tend to influence consumer preference for different online and offline sources. This has important implications for e-marketers as they may need to use different communication channels depending on the nature of the product and the characteristics of their target consumers to effectively promote their offerings.

Digital commerce in emerging economies

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ather Akhlaq ◽  
Ejaz Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Shopping ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – More research is needed to understand the online shopping behaviors and intentions of consumers in emerging economies. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which key variables from the Technology Acceptance Model (perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use (PEOU)), and others theoretically associated with digital engagement (distrust, perceived risk (PR), perceived enjoyment (PE) and legal framework (LF)), accounted for variation in online shopping intentions in Pakistan, focussing on affiliates of a large metropolitan university. Design/methodology/approach – Online survey using a convenience sample of university staff, students and alumni recruited through the university’s online network. A questionnaire capturing the above constructs was tested for content validity and reliability prior to dissemination. The survey results were factor analyzed to determine the degree to which the constructs were independent, and regression was used to examine their ability to predict online purchasing intentions. User characteristics were analyzed descriptively. Findings – All six independent factors, PU, PEOU, PR, PE, distrust and LF, in the model were independently predictive of intention to shop online and supported the theoretical model by demonstrating the predicted direction of the relationship. Research limitations/implications – There are limitations in the generalizability of the findings. Most of the data being collected were only from Karachi, the biggest metropolitan city and the business hub of Pakistan. Practical implications – This research may help retailers in becoming e-tailers. The model would also help existing e-tailers to streamline their business according to the research findings. In addition, government may work on policies to provide a better online business environment to the people of Pakistan. Originality/value – A new online shopping model has been discovered for an emerging market, Pakistan. Developing countries could take advantage of this model to get real insights of their e-tailing industry.

The influence of online and offline brand trust on consumer buying intention

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Costanza Nosi ◽  
Tommaso Pucci ◽  
Yioula Melanthiou ◽  
Lorenzo Zanni
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Behavioral Outcomes ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Brand Trust ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Online Retail ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Overt Behavior ◽  
Convenience Sampling ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe study tests a model that considers online brand trust in different nonbrand-owned touchpoints as a multifactorial construct constituted by: social network influencers, bloggers, online retail platforms and brand-related user generated content. Furthermore, it examines the influences that offline and online brand trust exert on consumer buying intention.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sample of 3,335 total individuals participated in the survey. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsOnline brand trust is significantly influenced by trust in all investigated nonbrand-owned touchpoints. Both offline and online brand trust positively influence buying intention.Research limitations/implicationsWhereas brand trust is considered a multidimensional construct that includes both cognitive and affective aspects, in addition to individuals' personality traits, the present study only investigated the rational dimension of the brand trust paradigm. Moreover, this study examined the influence of brand trust on consumers' buying intention and not overt behavior. In addition, even though the extant literature suggests that the relation between trust and behavioral outcomes may vary across cultures, no test of the possible influences that culture exerted on brand trust and BInt was run. Finally, given the convenience sampling method used in this research, statistically significant surveys would provide a more solid basis for the investigated phenomenon, and they would enable an appropriate generalization of the findings.Practical implicationsTo build brand trust and favour buying intention, marketers should monitor and influence the online touchpoints that are partially under or totally out of their control, and reconceive and manage physical stores.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the stream of literature on online brand trust by proving that it is a multifactorial construct resulting from trust in different non-proprietary online entities and pointing out the prevalent role that physical stores play in shaping consumer buying intention. It also indicates that a trust transfer effect takes place between different online information sources and offline outlets.

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