Anders Gustafsson, Lerzan Aksoy, Michael K. Brady, Janet R. McColl-Kennedy, Nancy J. Sirianni, Lars Witell and Nancy V. Wuenderlich
The purpose of this paper is to encourage the reader to think differently about service-related issues and to strive to conduct service research that makes a transformational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to encourage the reader to think differently about service-related issues and to strive to conduct service research that makes a transformational impact on individuals, organizations and society. The authors suggest that service researchers are in an excellent position to develop research that matters by making stronger connections with theory and elevating purely applied research to research that is higher in both practical relevance and methodological rigor.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper takes a conceptual approach, connecting pertinent literature with new ideas highlighted in this special issue.
Findings
This paper proposes that service researchers look beyond traditional service applications, take a multi-disciplinary approach to problem-solving and make greater strides towards connecting theory and practice. The authors propose a Model of Rigorous and Relevant Research, and call for fresh thinking across a wide range of research areas, including enhancing the customer experience, crafting innovation, integrating technology and measuring service outcomes.
Originality/value
The originality of this essay lies in its focus on revitalizing the discussion on relevance and rigor as a path forward for service research. Additionally, this paper offers new insights on core management aspects of service provision that provide a solid platform for future work in service research.
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Ruth N. Bolton, Anders Gustafsson, Janet McColl-Kennedy, Nancy J. Sirianni and David K. Tse
Service organizations and marketers have focussed too much of their energy on their core service's performance and too little emphasis on designing a customer journey that…
Abstract
Purpose
Service organizations and marketers have focussed too much of their energy on their core service's performance and too little emphasis on designing a customer journey that enhances the entire customer experience. There is nothing wrong with firms seeking continuous improvement in service quality and customer satisfaction. These efforts are needed for firms to be competitive in the marketplace. The problem occurs when performance levels and service offerings become too similar within an industry, so that price is the only competitive weapon that remains. The purpose of this paper is to argue that in order to break this deadlock, companies need to focus on the small details that make big differences to customers.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper builds on interviews with executives in successful service organizations. It provides an analysis of differentiation strategies in diverse service organizations across consumption contexts, nations and cultures around the world.
Findings
The paper develops three research propositions and argues for radical approaches to help service organizations truly understand customers and provide service experiences that engage and delight them. The paper argues that the new challenge for marketing is to help companies find and implement these small details to make a large impact on the overall customer experience.
Originality/value
In order to truly understand the customer experience, we need a holistic view of all interactions customers have with a company. We need to understand the customer-firm interactions at all touch points, that is, during search, purchase, consumption and post-consumption. Customer experience involves the customers’ cognitive, affective, emotional, social and sensory responses to the firm. The originality of this research lies in the focus on the small details that make a difference to customers during the service process rather than in the final outcome of the service performance.
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The present study aims at examining the behavioural differences of the Y and Z generational cohorts in online shopping for physical products.
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims at examining the behavioural differences of the Y and Z generational cohorts in online shopping for physical products.
Design/methodology/approach
Logistic regressions (LRs) were conducted to identify positively significant, negatively significant and insignificant variables/items of shopping motives to determine online shopping behavioural differences of both cohorts.
Findings
While shopping online, the Gen Y cohort focuses on rational decisions, and Gen Z derives enjoyment, learning, exploration and has a deal-hunting behaviour. Gen Y incorporates actual shopping experiences shared on social media, is relatively less individualistic and more social, unlike Gen Z youths who significantly value reviews and ratings. Both cohorts carry a high-product risk and sacrifice many hedonic motives. Y and Z cohorts perceive financial risk and a product's performance-related risks, respectively. The Z cohort has an intrinsic passion for digital technology whereas Gen Y uses it purposely. Thus, both have distinctive online shopping behaviours apart from some similarities.
Practical implications
Online retailers can use the findings of this study to develop more effective marketing strategies to serve both the cohorts better who have largely mutually exclusive online shopping behaviours.
Originality/value
The study measured actual behaviours on contemporary and comprehensive variables/items of utilitarian and hedonic motives, and associated perceived risks in online shopping exclusively. Therefore, the results offer significant, realistic and useful theoretical contributions in the present context to the existing literature on the subject matter along with valuable inputs to the practitioners.
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COVID-19 pandemic endured for more than two years in many countries which caused higher levels of risk, crisis and vulnerability among people. The present study aims at justifying…
Abstract
Purpose
COVID-19 pandemic endured for more than two years in many countries which caused higher levels of risk, crisis and vulnerability among people. The present study aims at justifying the COVID-19 pandemic as the ‘defining moment’ for Z generational cohort (Gen Z) by examining their post-COVID-19 shopping behavioural shifts.
Design/methodology/approach
For this purpose, two studies were conducted. Study 1 examined shifts in their shopping priorities from the pre to post-pandemic eras by using mean, standard deviation and difference t-tests. Study 2 investigated the role of the 18 items in their post-COVID-19 online shopping preference and the results were compared with a similar pre-COVID-19 study to identify online shopping behavioural shifts.
Findings
The study finds five key post-COVID-19 shopping behavioural shifts among Gen Z consumers. These are ‘an inevitable inner desire for mitigating social isolation, risk and vulnerability’, ‘rational purchase decisions based on an in-depth analysis of multiple digital contents related to products/brands’, ‘permanent frugality in the shopping habits’, ‘conscious and cautious consumption’ and ‘the sacrifice of personal grit, idealism and psychology’.
Practical implications
Since the post-COVID-19 shopping behavioural shifts have far-reaching implications and long-lasting effects on the psychological processes and mental health of Gen Z, marketers/retailers can use the findings of this study to develop more effective marketing strategies for serving these early-adulthood consumers better.
Originality/value
Based on their metamorphic shopping behavioural shifts by comparing their pre-pandemic and post-pandemic responses, the study justifies the severity and devastating effects of the pandemic crisis as the ‘defining moment’ for the youths of this COVID-19 generation.
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This paper aims to examine the online apparel shopping behaviour of Generation Y (Gen Y) in an unprecedented digital dissemination era.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the online apparel shopping behaviour of Generation Y (Gen Y) in an unprecedented digital dissemination era.
Design/methodology/approach
For this purpose, a “mixed-method approach” was used with an explanatory sequential research design. Logistic regression was conducted to identify the role of various contemporary elements of shopping motives. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted to explain quantitative outputs.
Findings
It finds that Gen Y consumers demonstrate “fashion-hunting”, “variety-seeking”, “status/recognition-seeking” and “deal-hunting” behaviours in online apparel shopping. “Haptic impressions” gained via hands and other “socio-psychological benefits” trigger their apparel shopping behaviour. They make better and more informed purchase decisions based on prior online research and user-generated content shared by friends/relatives on social media portraying the true characteristics of “digital natives”. They do not trust online retailers for premium apparel shopping due to associated “product risk” and lack of transparency in their “exchange/return/refund policy”. Finally, they are increasingly inspired to have an “integrated online and offline shopping experience”.
Practical implications
Online retailers can use the findings of this study to develop more effective marketing strategies to serve Gen Y consumers.
Originality/value
The study measured actual behaviours on a holistic gamut of shopping motives consisting of utilitarian, hedonic, physical product-specific (apparel) and emerging elements of shopping motives in the technology-enabled era of shopping exclusively. Therefore, the results of the study offer significant, realistic and useful theoretical contributions to the existing literature on the subject matter along with valuable inputs to practitioners alike.
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Increased worker autonomy and participation are being proclaimed as the foundation for economic competitiveness in the 1990s (Reich, 1991). Management has been generally favorable…
Abstract
Increased worker autonomy and participation are being proclaimed as the foundation for economic competitiveness in the 1990s (Reich, 1991). Management has been generally favorable towards such strategies and surveys of workers also indicate widespread support (Hackman, 1990). However, trade unionists fear that these new organizations of work are, at least in part, being sponsored by management in an attempt to undermine unions and manipulate workers (Grenier, 1988; Parker, 1985). More cautious forms of this argument propose that participation schemes are initiated to extract from workers the important “working knowledge” (Kusterer, 1978) and “tricks of the trade” (Thomas, 1991; Hodson, 1991) that are often workers' resource in bargaining with management over wages and conditions. Participation schemes may also lead to the unraveling of “informal agreements” between workers and front line supervisors concerning work effort and work procedures that both labor and management would prefer to keep hidden (Thomas, 1991:8).
A. Lynn Matthews and Meike Eilert
Authenticity is a complex character that is valued in service contexts. Frontline service employees (FSEs), as both brand representatives and individuals who interact with…
Abstract
Purpose
Authenticity is a complex character that is valued in service contexts. Frontline service employees (FSEs), as both brand representatives and individuals who interact with clients, can signal their authenticity to customers. The purpose of this study is to investigate how FSEs signal their authenticity to customers. The authors investigate authenticity signal themes and develop a typology of how FSEs use these signals in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses a multi-method approach: qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with FSE and customers and quantitative data were collected in a follow-up survey using a sample of financial planners.
Findings
Findings from both studies show that FSE can use signals reflecting the display of client-centricity, positive emotions, transparency and disclosure of personal information. A latent profile analysis reveals three authenticity signal profiles, differing in the extent to which FSE uses each of these signals.
Research limitations/implications
This study identifies how FSEs can shape perceptions of authenticity in a service context, thus expanding theory by integrating both personal and brand authenticity perspectives. The findings further demonstrate that authenticity can be signaled on multiple dimensions, reflecting the complex nature of this construct.
Practical implications
The findings from this research can guide managers in developing workplace policies that enable FSEs to display authenticity in various ways to customers. Managers can further use the insights from this research to identify needs for FSE training and development.
Originality/value
The authors create novel insights into how FSEs signal authenticity to customers given their dual roles as individuals and brand representatives. This study offers nuanced insights into different types of signals and their application in a service context.
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Eleni Koutsothanassi, Nancy Bouranta and Evangelos Psomas
The aim of this paper is to present and empirically validate a conceptual framework that explores the links between the two service features (physical and interactive) and their…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to present and empirically validate a conceptual framework that explores the links between the two service features (physical and interactive) and their impact on customer loyalty. It also introduces and investigates the potential intervening role of a single personality dimension (neuroticism) in the relationship between service features and customer loyalty. In addition, examining whether the customer’s switching barriers affect customer loyalty is also an aim of the present study.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 224 customers in the banking industry in Greece. The respondents were picked using simple random sampling. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to validate the latent factors of the proposed conceptual framework, whereas their relationships were examined through linear regression analyses.
Findings
The empirical data verify that physical and interactive features of service quality have a significant impact on customer loyalty. The study also concludes that customer neuroticism has an intervening effect on the relationship between service features and customer loyalty. In addition, switching barriers such as confidence benefits, special treatment benefits, switching costs and availability and attentiveness of alternatives affect a bank’s customer loyalty.
Practical implications
This perspective could improve managerial understanding of the service-quality/customer-loyalty relationship and lead to more focused decisions. During the period of economic Greek crisis, the customers’ learning and understanding, the immediate response to their needs and expectations, the provision of customer services in accordance with their personality type and the establishment a long and effective relationship with them may have an important impact not only on success but also mainly on bank survival.
Originality/value
Previous studies have shown the positive and significant relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty in the banking industry, but this study extends the literature of consumer behavior theory by examining the distinct role that the physical and interactive service features play in the formation of customer loyalty. While it is known the role of personality in customer satisfaction has not been analyzed sufficiently the effect of neuroticism in the evolution of the above relationship. The present study tries to fill the bibliographic gap focusing on the Greek banking sector in the period of economic crisis.
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The spread of capitalism has been associated with the adoption of egalitarian achievement‐oriented values. Perhaps it is this emphasis on reward for personal achievement that led…
Abstract
The spread of capitalism has been associated with the adoption of egalitarian achievement‐oriented values. Perhaps it is this emphasis on reward for personal achievement that led some economists to investigate the causes of women's unequal economic and social status in nineteenth century Europe. A handful of those economists underscored the discrepancies in the treatment of men and women in the workplace, a treatment which resulted in significantly lower wages for women than men.