Consumer engagement behaviors: do service convenience and organizational characteristics matter?
Journal of Service Theory and Practice
ISSN: 2055-6225
Article publication date: 7 April 2020
Issue publication date: 22 May 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of service convenience in the relationship between organizational characteristics (such as brand equity, store ambiance, store layout, customer information and employee responsiveness) on customer engagement behaviors (CEBs), including service improvement, customer cooperation, positive word-of-mouth and customer helping customers. It examines two research models, with service convenience as a separate antecedent of CEBs (model A) and as a mediating variable between organizational characteristics and CEBs (model B).
Design/methodology/approach
Using a positivist paradigm, data were collected from 384 respondents representing the existing customers of grocery retailers based in India via a survey instrument. Data were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) path modeling.
Findings
Results demonstrate service convenience as a motivational driver of CEBs. Results also show that the organizational characteristics significantly influence service convenience which in turn impacts CEBs.
Practical implications
The findings have important implications for store managers in effective management of customers' time and effort in terms of saving customers' time and effort as well as motivating customers to elicit their engagement behaviors.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper lies in identifying the impact of organizational characteristics in helping customers to save time and effort in their shopping activities and thereby elicit various types of CEBs. The paper also adds to knowledge by examining the role of service convenience in the nexus between organizational characteristics and CEB types.
Keywords
Citation
Roy, S.K., Shekhar, V., Quazi, A. and Quaddus, M. (2020), "Consumer engagement behaviors: do service convenience and organizational characteristics matter?", Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Vol. 30 No. 2, pp. 195-232. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-03-2018-0049
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited