Mobile chat servitization in the customer journey: from social capability to social suitability

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1139-1158
Author(s):  
Letizia Lo Presti ◽  
Giulio Maggiore ◽  
Vittoria Marino
Keyword(s):  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Manufacturing Firm ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Crm ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Social Capability

PurposeMobile instant messaging (MIM) is changing how we communicate with customers transforming what we used to buy as products into services. Servitization is the strategy by which the services offered in combination with a product become a central part of the offer and the value. This paper aims to focus on a new way to do business by means of mobile conversational commerce identified as a unique touchpoint for customers who wish to experience the product/service.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses the case study method and mobile content analysis of WhatsApp conversations between customer and manufacturing firm to illustrate how an artisan company succeeded with customers using MIM to track the customer journey and engage the customer during the conversation. The customer journey theory and customer engagement cycle were used to detecting the main themesFindingsThe results demonstrate that by channeling a mix between engagement and service practices into one direct touchpoint, it is possible to follow the customers throughout their journey and detect their satisfaction. Nevertheless, the research finds that new skills are needed: two-way communication skills, suitability and social CRM skills.Practical implicationsThe results provide guidance for services providers on how to improve customer experience management by allocating investment to conversational commerce as a new way of promoting the customer experience for the digital transformation of manufacturing firms.Originality/valueThis research investigates the importance of human interaction in the digital servitization as a pillar of commerce in this type of service. The paper analyzes the results from the perspective of the supplier of the service and from the perspective of customer experience.

scholarly journals Implementing social customer relationship management

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 2698-2726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Sigala
Keyword(s):  
Customer Relationship Management ◽  
Relationship Management ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Customer Participation ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Crm ◽  
Customer Empowerment

PurposeThis paper aims to debate the technology-driven transformation of customer relationship management (CRM) into social CRM, which entails a shift from a transactional and automational solution to a customer experience management philosophy, reflecting high levels of customer empowerment.Design/methodology/approachA literature review provides a critical analysis of the concept, tenets, aims and implementation approaches of social CRM. Arguments are summarised by developing a process-based framework for implementing social CRM.FindingsBy adopting a value co-creation approach that recognises the technology-fostered customer empowerment, the social CRM highlights the need to immigrate from relationship management to relationship stewardship. In this vein, social CRM implementation should support and foster dialogue facilitation and customer engagement in co-creating customer experiences. To achieve these, five approaches for implementing social CRM are proposed: collecting, analysing and interpreting customer insight; monitoring and improving the performance of CRM; developing holistic and seamless personalised customer experiences; gamifying CRM and loyalty programmes; and nurturing community relationship management.Research limitations/implicationsThe five approaches to social CRM implementation are identified and validated based on current industry practices, theoretical arguments and anecdotal evidence of professionals’ perceptions about their outcomes. Future research is required to collect hard evidence showing the business and customer impacts of these approaches.Practical implicationsSocial CRM immigrates relationship management from a transactional to a customer experience mindset that treats customers as co-creators of value and demands the tourism and hospitality firms to exploit the affordances of information and communication technologies to collect and analyse customer data for better understanding the customer; develop customer touch points that do not only aim to sell but also primarily aim to enhance the customer interactions and experiences; consider and treat the customers and the customer communities as co-creators, brand ambassadors and stewards of relations; and motivate and enable customer participation into value co-creation processes for developing customer experiences and building relationships.Originality/valueResearch in social CRM is emerging, but it mainly focusses on defining its scope and identifying the functionality and adoption of social CRM technology. The paper contributes to the literature by proposing five specific approaches and a process framework for implementing social CRM. Various directions for future research are also provided.

Exploring the influence of store attributes on customer experience and customer engagement

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 1138-1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhaily Mohd-Ramly ◽  
Nor Asiah Omar
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Department Store ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Store Attributes

Purpose The global retail landscape has changed drastically. The rising role of Asia as one of the fastest growing international retail penetration and expansion will continue to make the region to be the driving force in world economic growth. However, the ambitious expansion plans are making the retail sector to be more challenging. Emphasizing on the customer experience and enhancing the value proposition to customers are undeniably vital factors for the long-term survival of any retail business. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of store attributes on customer experience and customer engagement in the context of department store in Malaysia. Subsequently, the influence of customer experience on customer engagement is also analyzed. Design/methodology/approach Using drop and collect survey, 484 valid responses of department store cardholders of age 18 years and above in the area Klang Valley, Malaysia, were collected. PLS structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses of this study. Findings Results revealed that customer experience is influenced by merchandise, store atmosphere, and loyalty program, while customer engagement is influenced by merchandise, communication, interpersonal communication, and loyalty. In contrast, post-transaction services were found to have non-significant impact on both customer experience and customer engagement. Analysis also revealed a strong relationship between customer experience and customer engagement. Research limitations/implications This study is carried out on customers of department store in Malaysia. However, the researchers urge other researchers to replicate the study from different countries and category of department stores. Originality/value Retail researchers recognize little knowledge on the contribution of store attributes to customer experience and customer engagement. This paper represents original research that encourages foreign retailers to employ service-dominant logic as a new marketing thought in designing strong customer engagement and experience strategies to capture the Malaysia market.

The architecture of the phygital customer journey: a dynamic interplay between systems of insights and systems of engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Mele ◽  
Tiziana Russo-Spena
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Smart Technologies ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Dynamic Interplay

Purpose This paper aims to focus on how companies shape the architecture of a phygital customer journey through the exploitation of smart technologies. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts a qualitative method using a grounded theory approach involving leading players in digital customer solutions and service providers from different industries. Findings The shaping of the architecture of the phygital customer journey comes from the interplay between systems of insights and systems of engagement activated by multiple customer-provider interactions in an entanglement of physical and digital contexts. Practical implications Companies need to design a blended approach to bridge disconnected contexts, capture new opportunities and provide customer engagement along the entire journey. Originality/value This study depicts the “phygital customer journey” under systems of insights and systems of engagement: These systems operate as dynamic architectures to capture insights and engage customers.

Service design for intelligent exhibition guidance service based on dynamic customer experience

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching-Hung Lee ◽  
Qiye Li ◽  
Yu-Chi Lee ◽  
Chih-Wen Shih
Keyword(s):  
Service System ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Service Design ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Design Requirements ◽  
Exhibition Service ◽  
Pain Points

PurposeA good customer experience means meeting the customer expectation. Thus, unexpected customer experience is usually a good point to initiate improvement or innovation for product or service design. Attempting to enhance the customer experience in the customer journey, this study aims to demonstrate a customer journey centred service design approach to receive the design requirements based on customers' needs and to use a systematic approach to generate solutions.Design/methodology/approachA holistic service design method named 3E model was proposed. It integrates customer experience journey map (CXJM), the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) and service assembly and service replacement mechanism into three design stages. In stage 1, CXJM is enhanced with emotional range analysis to identify the customer pain points as well as customers' requirements (CRs) in exhibition, tourism and hotel sectors for initializing service design. Stage 2 investigates the specific design requirements (DRs) of the smart exhibition system and the contradictions. Then, the innovative principles were analyzed. In Stage 3, expected exhibition service system was designed.FindingsThe new service system which named the smart expo system based on information and communication technology (ICT) is proposed. It consists of “Tourism Link assists”, “i-Kaohsiung hotel service center”, “Smart AEC” and “O2O e-tickets”.Originality/valueThe proposed 3E model builds a systematic and coherent design method for the smart exhibition service area. It provides the linkage and action-oriented guidance from customer pain points, service parameters, innovative principles to solutions.

Reference effects and customer engagement in a museum visit

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noel Yee Man Siu ◽  
Tracy Junfeng Zhang ◽  
Ho Yan Kwan
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Museum Visit ◽  
Response Sets ◽  
Likelihood Model ◽  
Promotional Messages

Purpose By extending the expectancy-disconfirmation theory and integrating the elaboration likelihood model, this study aims to explore the reference effects (i.e. disconfirmation and self-identity) and customer engagement that affect customer experience on satisfaction with a museum visit. The study is designed to test a dual-mediator mechanism involving disconfirmation and self-identity. The moderating role of cognitive, affective or behavioral engagements is also examined with the overall purpose to advance the understanding of customer experience in cultural consumption such as museum visits. Design/methodology/approach A self-administered field survey in two stages was carried out on visitors to the Hong Kong Museum of Art. A total of 465 valid response sets were used for analysis. Hypotheses were tested using confirmatory factor analysis, three-step mediation test, structural equation modeling and moderation regressions. Findings Disconfirmation and self-identity are found to be dual mediators in the experience–satisfaction relationship. Cognitive engagement reduces the effect of knowledge experience on disconfirmation and self-identity but increases that of the entertainment experience on disconfirmation and self-identity. Affective engagement amplifies the effect of knowledge experience on self-identity but mitigates the importance of entertainment evaluations. Practical implications Findings highlight the importance of both perceived knowledge and entertainment experiences in visitors’ evaluation of a cultural experience. Managers are suggested to craft promotional messages with the psychological appeal that connects visitors with museum services. Appropriate engagement tactics for museums can be developed to avoid overloading visitors with information. Originality/value Previous studies treat disconfirmation as the dominant reference effect in the formation of customer satisfaction. This study shows both disconfirmation and self-identity as dual reference effects that link the customer experience to satisfaction in the museum context, serving as a pioneer in defining how the influence of experience on reference effects varies depending on how customers are cognitively and affectively engaged in such context.

Customer experience with the branded content: a social media perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Waqas ◽  
Zalfa Laili Hamzah ◽  
Noor Akma Mohd Salleh
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Media Platforms

PurposeSocial media platforms are important channels to create a favourable customer experience. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the types of experiences customers can have with the branded content on social media.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 20 participants using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data.FindingsThe results identify seven types of branded content experience which are evoked when customers interact with branded content on social media. The results also suggest that branded content experience acts as a driver of consumer engagement with branded content which eventually leads to customers' sense of virtual community.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings provide theoretical implications for content creators. Further research should aim at comparing the branded content experience on different social media platforms and across different product categories.Originality/valueThis study contributes to customer engagement and experience literature in social media content by enhancing the understanding of branded content experience concept and its conceptual relationship with customer engagement in the social media context.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-10-2019-0333

scholarly journals Digital banking, customer experience and financial performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 432-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cajetan Ikechukwu Mbama ◽  
Patrick Ezepue ◽  
Lyuba Alboul ◽  
Martin Beer
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Brand Trust ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Functional Quality ◽  
Bank Managers ◽  
Perceived Usability

Purpose This study aims to examine managers’ perceptions of digital banking’s (DB) effect on customer experience and banks’ financial performance. Design/methodology/approach The research uses interviews from the senior UK bank managers to gather their views on DB’s impact on customer experience and financial performance. The interviews were thematically analysed to produce results and a model. Findings The attributes affecting DB experience are as follows: service quality, functional quality, perceived value, service customisation, service speed, employee–customer engagement, brand trust, DB innovation, perceived usability and perceived risk. They affect customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty and financial performance. The research revealed relationships amongst these attributes (e.g. brand trust and loyalty). Research limitations/implications The study is a UK bank specific and can be replicated in other developed countries’ banks, helping in further comparison. However, DB is conducted globally, which implies that the findings are robust enough to be potentially applied in other countries. The proposed model shows customer experience drivers and outcomes through managers’ views, which can be theoretically tested. Practical implications The findings suggest important attributes (as above) for consideration to improve DB customer experience and financial performance. They show the relevance of employee–customer interaction, service personalisation, value proposition, quality service offering and DB experience, which have useful implications for improving DB design and interactive marketing. Originality/value Gauging DB customer experience as perceived by bank managers has not been studied in this way, highlighting DB effectiveness, which is important for multi-channel marketing and banks’ financial performance, and advances theory.

scholarly journals Toward a goal-oriented view of customer journeys

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 767-790
Author(s):  
Larissa Becker ◽  
Elina Jaakkola ◽  
Aino Halinen
Keyword(s):  
Goal Attainment ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Regulation Model

PurposeCustomer experience research predominantly anchors the customer journey on a specific offering, implying an inherently firm-centric perspective. Attending calls for a more customer-centric approach, this study aims to develop a goal-oriented view of customer journeys.Design/methodology/approachThis study interprets the results of a phenomenological study of a transformative journey toward a sober life with the self-regulation model of behavior to advance understanding of customer journeys.FindingsThe consumer's journey toward a higher-order goal encompasses various customer journeys toward subordinate goals, through which consumers engage in iterative cognitive and behavioral processes to adjust or maintain their experienced situation vis-à-vis the goal. Experiences drive behavior toward the goal. It follows that negative experiences may contribute to goal attainment.Research limitations/implicationsThis study highlights the importance of looking at the consumers' higher-order goals to obtain a more holistic understanding of the customer journey.Practical implicationsCompanies and organizations should extend their view beyond the immediate goals of their customers to identify relevant touchpoints and other customer journeys that affect the customer experience.Originality/valueThis study proposes conceptualization of the customer journey, comprising goal-oriented processes at different hierarchical levels, and it demonstrates how positive and negative customer experiences spur behaviors toward the higher-order consumer goal. This conceptualization enables a more customer-centric perspective on journeys.

Engagement, satisfaction and customer behavior-based CRM performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 682-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vittoria Marino ◽  
Letizia Lo Presti
Keyword(s):  
Customer Relationship Management ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Customer Behavior ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Emotional Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavior Based ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose In recent years, marketers have adopted new technologies to engage customers and better meet customer needs throughout the customer journey. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of consumer engagement on satisfaction and behavior-based CRM performance generated by mobile instant messaging (MIM) services. The objective is to verify which aspects of consumer engagement generate satisfaction and optimize customer relationship management. Design/methodology/approach Data were made available for analysis from an online survey on customers who had been contacted or had contacted an organization by means of MIM. Based on literature analysis, relations between customer engagement dimensions, satisfaction and behavior-based CRM performance were studied by using structural equation modeling. Findings The cognitive engagement dimension and the emotional engagement dimension affect the level of satisfaction, but only the emotional engagement dimension has an effect on the behavior-based CRM performance, while social engagement does not affect satisfaction and CRM performance. Moreover, this study confirms the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer behavior-based relationship performance. Practical implications MIM used as support to the relationship with customers contributes to generating customer satisfaction and increases the value of service performance revealing it an excellent marketing tool in support of the customer journey. Originality/value This research extends our understanding of customer engagement in the ambit of the instant messaging application used for business that so far has not been investigated. This work shows how instant messaging can be a valid instrument for customer relationship management in optimizing the benefits deriving from the adoption of disruptive innovations.

Managing the customer experience: a beauty retailer deploys all tactics

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Koetz
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Experience Management ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Customer Delight ◽  
Shopping Experience

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the concept of customer experience in the marketing literature, identify its dimensions and applications in retail companies and integrate it with the concepts of touchpoints and consumer journey; some correlated concepts, such as customer delight and engagement, are also clarified, and an example of best practice customer experience management, using the beauty product company Sephora as a reference is provided. Design/methodology/approach The case analysis was based on an examination of available public documents, such as press articles, case studies and the content of beauty blogs and social media (Facebook and YouTube) from 2014 to 2017; Sephora’s social media communities (Beauty Talk, The Glossy and Sephora TV); the company’s website and mobile application; and physical stores and Sephora Flash (a mix of a physical and digital store). Findings Four categories emerged from the analysis, namely, to provide an enhanced omni-channel shopping experience, to reward loyalty and to bond with customers, to promote social shopping experiences and to delight customers. Practical implications The study results provide retail managers important insights for maximizing customer experience across different touchpoints and throughout the whole journey to increase customer engagement and loyalty. Originality/value The paper provides clear theoretical and practical basis for customer experience management, based on an analysis of the concepts of customer experience, delight and engagement, as well as a case analysis of a company that excels in this area.

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