scholarly journals Managing knowledge to create customer service value

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Martelo-Landroguez ◽  
David Martin-Ruiz
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Knowledge Retention ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Value ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the services management literature by identifying a sequence of the different processes of knowledge management (KM) to create customer service value. Design/methodology/approach – The context for the research hypotheses is the Spanish banking industry. The authors conducted a study including 76 banks and 1,832 customers of these banks. This paper uses the partial least squares method to conduct the data analysis. Findings – The authors find support for all the hypotheses proposed in the model. The results show that service firms that are able to apply more knowledge or apply knowledge more effectively are likely to generate more benefits for their customers, and/or reduce their sacrifices, contributing significantly to a higher perception of service value. Research limitations/implications – The study focusses on one particular industry in a single point in time. A longitudinal analysis of a variety of service industries would enrich the study. Practical implications – It is argued that KM constitutes a key capability for service firms for the delivery of service value. According to the research, if service firms want to improve the application of knowledge, it is important to focus on knowledge retention while they create new knowledge. Originality/value – Although a considerable amount of research has been carried out in the fields of KM and customer value, there has been less research that has taken both into consideration simultaneously. This paper addresses this gap in the literature.

A firm's post-adoption behavior: loyalty or switching costs?

2014 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-Gi Park ◽  
Kijun Park ◽  
Jungwoo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Switching Costs ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the influences of loyalty and switching costs toward a firm's overall post-adoption behavior in using information system. Design/methodology/approach – A research model is developed around two constructs found in the literature – loyalty and switching costs – that are most critical in firms' decisions on continued use of the same IS service providing company. It is empirically tested using a survey of IT decision makers in total 102 companies in South Korea. Partial least squares method is used to assess the relationships specified in research model. Findings – The findings suggest that both loyalty and switching costs have positive influences on the continuous intention to use and the inattentiveness of alternatives. Research limitations/implications – Findings are based on a single point cross-sectional survey. To further investigate the continuance of specific IT service firms, triangulation will be necessary with longitudinal and qualitative data concerning the process of decision-making, including political and contractual situation. Originality/value – The study fills the research gap in studying post-adoption behavior at the firm level by empirically testing the duality of loyalty and switching costs.

scholarly journals Understanding lovemark brands

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-294
Author(s):  
Apostolos Giovanis ◽  
Pinelopi Athanasopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Hierarchical Model ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Brand Performance ◽  
Brand Relationships ◽  
Love Styles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Repurchase Intentions ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop and empirically test a lovemark measure that can be used to identify how brands of wireless-enabled computing devices are classified based on customers’ respect and love toward them. Design/methodology/approach On evidence drawn from 1,016 consumers of wireless-enabled computing devices (e.g. netbooks and tablets) in Greece, partial least squares method is used to test the validity of the proposed hierarchical model. Findings Results show that a lovemark measure can be conceptualized as a third-order reflective construct having respect and love as its second-order dimensions. In turn, respect reflects on brand performance, trust and reputation, and love reflects on brand commitment, intimacy and passion. The proposed measure presents a very good external validity as it can explain big portions of variance in consumer responses including repurchase intentions, positive WOM and willingness to pay a price premium. Finally, the proposed measure is used to classify eight well-known devices as products, fads, brands and lovemarks and identify the love styles associated with brand relationships. Originality/value This paper provides empirical evidence for measuring and identifying lovemarks using a hierarchical model, which can be further used to develop a more effective strategy for managing the functional and emotional aspects of brands to strengthen consumer-brand relationships.

scholarly journals Towards a circumplex typology of customer service experience management practices: a dyadic perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasin Sahhar ◽  
Raymond Loohuis ◽  
Jörg Henseler
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Service Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Five Phases

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the practices used by service providers to manage the customer service experience (CSE) across multiple phases of the customer journey in a business-to-business (B2B) setting.Design/methodology/approachThis study comprises an ethnography that investigates in real time, from a dyadic perspective, and the CSE management practices at two service providers operating in knowledge-intensive service industries over a period of eight months. Analytically, the study concentrates on critical events that occurred in phases of the customer journey that in some way alter CSE, thus making it necessary for service providers to act to keep their customers satisfied.FindingsThe study uncovers four types of service provider practices that vary based on the mode of organization (ad hoc or regular) and the mode of engagement (reactive or proactive) and based on whether they restore or bolster CSE, including the recurrence of these practices in the customer journey. These practices are conveniently presented in a circumplex typology of CSE management across five phases in the customer journey.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper advances the research in CSE management throughout the customer journey in the B2B context by showing that CSE management is dynamic, recurrent and multifaceted in the sense that it requires different modes of organization and engagement, notably during interaction with customers, in different phases of the customer journey.Practical implicationsThe circumplex typology acts as a tool for service providers, helping them to redesign their CSE management practices in ongoing service and dialogical processes to keep their customers more engaged and satisfied.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to infuse a dyadic stance into the ongoing discussion of CSE management practices in B2B, in which studies to date have deployed only provider or customer perspectives. In proposing a microlevel view, the study identifies service providers' CSE management practices in multiple customer journey phases, especially when the situation becomes critical.

What makes users willing or hesitant to use Fintech?: the moderating effect of user type

2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Sun Ryu
Keyword(s):  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Original Data ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Continuance Intention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method ◽  
Benefit And Risk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to better understand why people are willing or hesitant to use Financial technology (Fintech) as well as to determine whether the effect of perceived benefits and risks of continuance intention differs depending on user types. Design/methodology/approach Original data were collected via a survey of 243 participants with Fintech usage experience. The partial least squares method was used to test the proposed model. Findings The results reveal that legal risk had the most negative effect on the Fintech continuance intention, while convenience had the strongest positive effect. Differences in specific benefit and risk impacts are found between early and late adopters. Originality/value This empirical study contributes to the novel understanding of the benefit and risk factors affecting the Fintech continuance intention.

How vendor capabilities impact IT outsourcing performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng-Meng Wang ◽  
Jian-Jun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
It Outsourcing ◽  
Learning Capability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Internal Integration ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the underlying mechanisms through which integration capability and learning capability influence IT outsourcing performance from vendor’s perspective. Design/methodology/approach This paper develops a moderated mediation model to explain the underlying influence processes of integration capability and learning capability on vendor’s performance. A sample of 237 vendor firms was obtained from China through two separated surveys. The hypotheses were tested with the partial least squares method and bias-corrected bootstrapping method. Findings The empirical results indicate that external integration capability (EIC) mediates the effect of internal integration capability (IIC) on vendor outsourcing performance, and the relationship between EIC and vendor performance is positively moderated by learning capability, while learning capability has a negative moderating effect on the link between IIC and vendor performance. Further, the conditional indirect effect is suggested. The indirect effect of IIC on vendor performance through EIC becomes non-significant when learning capability is low. Originality/value This study highlights the counterintuitive notion that learning capability may not always have uniformly positive effects and figure out the mechanism through which integration capability and learning capability can effectively improve IT outsourcing performance.

Examining the influence of strategic profit emphases on employee engagement and service climate

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 152-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn (“Casey”) Findley Musgrove ◽  
Alexander E. Ellinger ◽  
Andrea D. Ellinger
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Job Engagement ◽  
Service Climate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Effective Service

Purpose – Research suggests that employee engagement favorably influences the provision of customer service, that high levels of service employee engagement are rare, and that firms' strategic profit emphases affect engagement and service climate. This study responds to calls for research that identifies drivers of employee engagement and foundational issues that promote effective service climates within service organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A survey method is utilized to assess data from 502 key informant service employees from multiple service industries. Findings – The findings indicate that service organizations' revenue enhancement and cost containment strategic profit emphases differentially influence employee engagement, and that organizational and job engagement differentially influence service climate. Research limitations/implications – Data comprised of individual service employees' perceptions of their firms' strategic profit emphases and service climates are utilized. Although it is conceivable that some respondents' perceptions of these variables may be misguided, the study findings are based on a large sample of experienced service employees from multiple service industries. Practical implications – The findings suggest that the most effective approach for promoting effective service climate is to hire service employees with a track record of job engagement and then focus on encouraging organizational engagement by creating working environments that support, value, and reward service quality. Originality/value – Managers increasingly realize that how firms treat service employees critically affects customer service quality. However, relatively few studies examine service employees' perceptions of their own engagement and their organizations' working environments. This research incorporates social exchange theory and concepts from the fields of strategy and organizational behavior to assess service employees' perceptions of their organizations' strategic profit emphasis and its influence on engagement and service climate.

Customer value in self-service kiosks: a systematic literature review

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 507-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulia Vakulenko ◽  
Daniel Hellström ◽  
Pejvak Oghazi
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Managerial Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Self Service ◽  
Self Service Technology

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a cohesive overview of the available self-service and customer value literature, identify customer value in self-service kiosks (SSKs), and analyze this value from the customer experience perspective. Design/methodology/approach The study comprises a systematic literature review of available works on customer value. Findings The paper presents conclusions on the SSK’s technological forms, presence in industries, and conceptual state. The review also provides a cohesive inventory of customer value elements in SSKs. The in-depth analysis proposes two alternative models of the customer value creation process: linear and circular. Research limitations/implications The study reveals gaps stemming from the inconsistency and fragmented nature of previous research on customer value in SSKs. The gaps are treated as opportunities for future studies. Practical implications By identifying new sources of competitive advantage and new ways to improve customer service strategies and experience management, the findings support managerial decision making at the stages of considering, implementing, and improving SSK networks. Originality/value This study is the first to systematically review and provide an inventory of customer value elements in SSKs. It, therefore, offers new perspectives on customer value creation using self-service technology.

How social influence and personality affect users’ social network fatigue and discontinuance behavior

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajad Shokouhyar ◽  
Seyed Hossein Siadat ◽  
Mojde Khazeni Razavi
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Least Squares ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on understanding how social influence and personality of individuals differentiate between users’ social network fatigue and discontinuance behavior. Furthermore, the most common discontinuance behavior among users was investigated. Design/methodology/approach The research model was tested with the data from 163 Instagram users based on online and offline surveys. The partial least squares method was used to test the proposed hypotheses of this study. Findings The results indicate that social influence affects users’ discontinuance behavior and social network fatigue. Social network fatigue is greater in users with higher reported social influence compared to those with a lower one. Moreover, in response to social network fatigue, users prefer to keep their activities under control instead of switching to alternative social network sites (SNSs) or a short break in social network activities. Practical implications By achieving a better understanding of users’ feeling and behaviors, social network providers may codify their strategies more efficiently. Originality/value The study is novel in exploring users’ SNS fatigue and their discontinuance behavior by integrating social influence and personality. The authors defined a new concept of effect of social influence on social network fatigue. Additionally, the authors examined which discontinuance behaviors in individuals were more prevalent.

Customers' relational models as determinants of customer engagement value

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Velitchka D. Kaltcheva ◽  
Anthony Patino ◽  
Michael V. Laric ◽  
Dennis A. Pitta ◽  
Nicholas Imparato
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Relational Models ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Firm ◽  
The Social ◽  
Different Types

Purpose – The authors apply Alan P. Fiske's relational models framework to customers' engagement with service firms – specifically, they propose that customers who hold different relational models for the service firm are likely to engage with the firm in dissimilar ways, thus generating different types of customer engagement value for the firm. Fiske's relational models framework is eminently suitable for studying customer-service firm engagement because it is widely adopted in the social sciences as a rigorously developed framework for conceptualizing social interactions. Design/methodology/approach – The article bridges Fiske's relational models framework and Kumar et al.'s customer engagement value framework, and conceptually demonstrates that customers employing different relational models for the service firm are likely to generate different types of customer engagement value for the firm. Findings – The article demonstrates conceptually that customers' relational models, schemata, and scripts influence how consumers engage with the firm and the type of customer engagement value accruing to the firm. Research limitations/implications – This research has implications for service firms' relationship strategies. First, service marketers can determine the desired customer engagement value(s) and then craft their customer relationship strategy so that it maximizes those engagement value(s). The article suggests relationship strategies that service firms may implement for encouraging customers to adopt different relational models. Originality/value – No research has bridged relational models theories and customer engagement value theories.

Gift giving via social network services: the case of a WeChat mini-program used in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-502
Author(s):  
Chen Hao ◽  
Chen Hai-tao
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Relationship Maintenance ◽  
Network Services ◽  
Promotion Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Network Services ◽  
Questionnaire Method ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine and explore the factors that drive users to gift through social network services (SNS).Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire method was applied to collect data from the sample of the WeChat users who have used mini-program. This paper employed the partial least squares method and used SmartPLS2.0 to analysis sample data, which examined the validity as well as reliability of the sample and further tested the hypotheses by the path coefficients.FindingsThe empirical results showed that pleasure, social relationship maintenance, convenience and comprehensiveness are significantly related to SNS gifting behavior, and conscientiousness moderates the relationship between intention and behavior in the context of SNS gifting. However, this study cannot find the effect of symbolic representation, impersonality and gift reciprocity motivations.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretically, this study perfects the research of SNS gifting on the lack of exploring characteristics of comprehensiveness. Practically, this paper lends insights on how SNS providers attract users to adopt gifting.Originality/valueSNS gifting lacks a complete and effective promotion strategy, resulting in a small number of users as well as low profit. Besides, prior studies have focused on tradition gifting and online gifting. Little research talks about gifting on SNS phenomena, and thus it is necessary to perfect the theory of SNS gifting.

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