Towards an Integrated Omni-Channel Strategy Framework for Improved Customer Interaction

Online platforms and multiple accesses are two of the necessary conveniences that consumers nowadays look for. A multiple channel strategy allows customer interaction from various angles but does not provide a flawless, coherent user experience. This chapter identifies key factors that drive a successful omni-channel platform and proposes a successful omni-channel strategy framework. A survey consisting of 21 items was administered to gain customers' perspectives on channels provided by a particular company. Descriptive analysis was performed to study the underlying issues faced by customers when making complaints, service request, and enquiries via the multi-channel interaction provided. Findings show that eight technological and four customer engagement factors contribute to a comprehensive omni-channel strategy framework for a deeper understanding on the significance of a flawless user platform.

The Landscape of Social Commerce in Indonesia

Social commerce is a growing research field. However, there is still limited discussion on how social commerce companies can thrive in the emerging market such as Indonesia given some differences in terms of customer and other supporting infrastructure characteristics. The chapter covers the growth of social commerce, Indonesian social commerce landscape, and different elements of social commerce including customer engagement, customer interaction, and digital influencers. It is expected that this chapter can provide better insights into social commerce in Indonesia.

Effect of Employee–Customer Interaction Quality on Customers’ Prohibitive Voice Behaviors: Mediating Roles of Customer Trust and Identification

Given that customer voice behaviors are confused with customer complaint behaviors in usage, this study thoroughly explains the essential differences between the two constructs. On that basis, this study investigates how employee–customer interaction (ECI) quality affects customers’ prohibitive voice behaviors, which is an crucial type of customer voice behaviors, by examining customer trust and identification as mediators. Data from 395 restaurant customers are collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results show that ECI quality positively affects customers’ prohibitive voice behaviors. In this effect, customer trust and identification play direct and sequential mediating roles. This study contributes theoretically to the current knowledge by clearly distinguishing customer voice behaviors from customer complaint behaviors and by providing new insights into the mechanism of customers’ prohibitive voice behaviors from the perspectives of service interaction and relational benefit enhancement. The practical implications of this study can help pointedly foster customers’ prohibitive voice behaviors.

Customer experience can play a strategic role for wineries

Purpose This paper aims to consider how customer experience can be used by wineries to enrich their value proposition and improve their competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative research, using a semi-structured interview approach, was conducted on four small sized wineries located in the Bolgheri area (Tuscany, Italy). This study was based on the theoretical model of Pine and Gilmore. Findings All the wineries in the sample are committed to enriching wine – the tangible product. They focus on customer experience to make the process unique and meaningful. They seek to provide a rich experience, but have chosen one experience dimension to create a specific identity for themselves. It is evident, based on interviews and online reviews, that the customers appreciate the efforts of the wineries. Research limitations/implications This study can be further developed, using dimensions such as brand awareness and by building a larger sample, to understand how wineries can further improve their value proposition. Practical implications The adoption of marketing experience requires flawless execution of the experiences, starting from first employee-customer interaction. For this reason, it is essential for companies to invest in the training and development of their employees, who represent the experiential offer, and act as the link between the internal and external world. It is also important to identify new trends and be proactive. Originality/value Very few studies in the literature focus on customer experience in wine sector.

Modelling of Traffic Flows and Supply Chains Based on Geospatial Knowledge

The field of logistics and transport operates with large amounts of data. The transformation of such arrays into knowledge and processing using machine learning methods will help to find additional reserves for optimizing transport and logistics processes and supply chains. This article analyses the possibilities and prospects for the application of machine learning and geospatial knowledge in the field of logistics and transport using specific examples. The long-term impact of geospatial-based artificial intelligence systems on such processes as procurement, delivery, inventory management, maintenance, customer interaction is considered.

The power of Social Media in a Pandemic: The Case of Smoke-Free Beijing’s Catering Industry

Purpose: This study examined how the catering business quickly responded and recovered from the threats caused by COVID-19 with the use of social media in Beijing, China. It evidences how various catering businesses in Beijing continued to pursue their businesses after restrictive social distancing measures were imposed. Methodology: Unstructured face-to-face interviews were conducted with nine restaurant managers in Beijing, who worked during both waves of the pandemic in the spring and fall of 2020. Findings: COVID-19 further strengthened the smoke-free law enforcement in Beijing for the catering business. The Chinese consumers were found to replace restaurant consumption with stay-at-home delivery. Caterers consider social media platforms as essential tools for digital-led customer interaction in a pandemic, but also show concerns about the market power of these platforms. The Chinese government successfully implemented its health tracking app into popular local social media platforms in the battle against COVID-19, and enabled businesses to continue functioning. Value: COVID-19 not only disrupts our daily lives, but it has significantly impacted and improved a smoke-free environment, and it has accelerated the catering business to actively embrace technology which led to remarkable innovations. Integrating health tracking apps into popular and highly penetrated social media platforms is considered as one significant success factor for the containment of the coronavirus and a great help in restoring consumer confidence, leading to purchasing action. This research offers a Chinese inside view of the power of social media to enhance customer interaction and business performance even during a pandemic, profiting both businesses and consumers alike. Implications are raised for similar integration of health apps elsewhere.

From a Literature Review to a Conceptual Framework for Customer-To-Customer Value Co-Creation

Albeit customer-to-customer interaction (CCI) is something inevitable in a socially dense interaction-rich service setup, there has not been any review in this area of literature. However, a considerable amount of extant research has highlighted the importance of inter-customer encounters during a service encounter. Customer-to-customer value co-creation during collective consumption is gaining relevance in the field of contemporary services marketing research. This review deals with searching articles through the Scopus database and systematically reviewing 115 articles related to customer-to-customer value co-creation and CCI. While highlighting their contribution to the services marketing literature and various theories, methodologies followed by the authors, it paves the way for developing the proposed conceptual framework for the process of customer-to-customer value co-creation. This way, the article adds up to the extant multi-approach research area revolving around customer-to-customer interactions/relationships, customer engagement, and value co-creation among the customers during a service encounter. The study recommends practitioners analyze and monitor the aspects proposed through a practical implication.

Indian Telemedicine Industry: Evolving Nature of Business Models and Customer Interactions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the telemedicine industry evolved rapidly in India. The purpose of this case research was to map the evolution of the telemedicine industry in India. This was studied from the perspectives of present business models and customer engagement methods practised in India by different telemedicine firms. The research case study approach as advocated by Yin (1994, 2011), Eisenhardt (1989, 1991) and Woodside (2010) was followed. For the purpose of this study, the authors collected the data related to telemedicine firms’ business leaders in India through primary and secondary sources from October 2020 to February 2021. An array of appropriate methods was applied to compare, analyse, conduct pattern mapping, pattern matching and illustrate the subject to support the arguments of this research study. Specifically, a theoretical contribution was made on business models (Acheampong & Vimarlund, 2015; Peters et al., 2015) and customer interaction (Broens et al., 2007; Gackowski et al., 2011).

Servicing through digital interactions andwell-being in virtual communities

Purpose Applying social exchange theory as the theoretical basis, this paper aims to examine the impacts of two forms of digital social interaction on social well-being and helping behavior of customers: moderator–customer interaction quality and customer–customer social support. Furthermore, this paper investigates customer exchange ideology as a moderator of these impacts. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopted a purposive sampling method for survey materials sent to customers of firm-hosted virtual communities (FHVCs) using a consumer panel service company. The self-administered survey was developed from existing scales, and 265 usable responses were obtained. Findings Both forms of digital social interaction within FHVCs positively impact social well-being, which in turn positively influences helping behavior in the community. Social well-being is decomposed into social integration and social contribution, and each partially mediates the impact of customer–customer social support and moderator–customer interaction quality on helping behavior. This finding provides greater explanatory power for the role that digital social interactions have in predicting customer helping behavior in an FHVC. In addition, an exchange ideology positively moderates the impact of customer–customer social support on helping behavior via social integration. Originality/value This paper demonstrates that resource exchange dynamics occur digitally within FHVCs, which then affect social well-being and helping behaviors in customers. From a practical point of view, this study indicates the potential that digital interactions have in generating social and economic value through helping behaviors.