This study delves into the intricate dynamics between the severity of service failures and the justice perceptions of B2B customers, with a specific focus on their impact on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study delves into the intricate dynamics between the severity of service failures and the justice perceptions of B2B customers, with a specific focus on their impact on subsequent service recovery satisfaction. Furthermore, it explores the nuanced relationship between recovery satisfaction and repurchase intention while scrutinizing the influence of perceived switching costs on this interaction.
Design/methodology/approach
The study centers around the logistics service market, employing institutional customers of logistics services as the primary unit of analysis. The conceptual model is empirically tested using a dataset comprising responses from 196 participants, employing PLS-SEM as the analytical approach.
Findings
The study reveals a negative impact of service failure severity on justice perceptions, with distributive justice showing no influence on recovery satisfaction. However, procedural justice and interactional justice positively affect recovery satisfaction. Furthermore, a positive connection is identified between service recovery satisfaction and repurchase intention, with perceived switching costs acting as a negative moderator in this interaction.
Research limitations/implications
This research reaffirms the interplay between justice perceptions, recovery satisfaction and repurchase intention in B2B service settings. It underscores the influence of service failure severity on justice perceptions and establishes perceived switching cost as a moderator in the interaction between recovery satisfaction and repurchase intention.
Practical implications
The study underscores the imperative of careful and empathetic handling of distressed customers by personnel. Through effective recovery efforts and a well-calibrated combination of recovery mechanisms, service providers can instill a perception of higher switching costs in customers, acting as a deterrent to changing service providers.
Originality/value
This study is one of its kind which examines customer responses in the post-recovery phase of the service recovery journey, providing unique insights into the interaction between service failure severity, justice perceptions, recovery satisfaction, perceived switching costs and repurchase intention. Its contribution extends to the B2B services domain, particularly within the context of an emerging economy.
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Vibhava Srivastava, Deva Rangarajan and Vishag Badrinarayanan
This study aims to investigate the role of three customer equity drivers on customer repurchase intent in business-to-business (B2B) markets. It also explores the interconnected…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the role of three customer equity drivers on customer repurchase intent in business-to-business (B2B) markets. It also explores the interconnected nature of equity drivers, specifically, the effects of brand equity and value equity on relationship equity. Further, it investigates how perceived switching costs moderates the interrelationships between customer equity drivers. The authors explore the interrelationships between the customer equity drivers in a B2B context involving commodity products in a developing market.
Design/methodology/approach
Data collection was done from a pool of 184 institutional customers of a lubricant brand in a developing market. The sample had representations of buyer organizations across sectors, namely, automobile, cement, metal, fertilizer, railway, defence and mining, etc. The final data were subjected to partial least squares-based structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized model.
Findings
The study found a direct effect of brand equity, and value equity on relationship equity and an indirect effect on repurchase intent, namely, relationship equity. Perceived switching cost was found to moderate the interaction between brand equity and relationship equity as well as between value equity and relationship equity. The direct effect of relationship equity on repurchase intent was also significant.
Practical implications
The study implies that B2B firms should ground their marketing program on these customer equity drivers, especially when dealing with commodity products. The absence of any of these drivers would be detrimental in customer retention. The study also establishes the relevance of switching cost(s) and its impact on the underlying dynamics between the different equity drivers in the context of commodity products. The customer equity drivers along with switching costs, if managed well, may become switching barriers for customers and eventually would ensure recurring revenue through repeat purchases.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies that focuses on the disaggregated effect of customer equity on customer outcomes in the B2B context. Furthermore, this study investigates how perceived switching costs moderates the interrelationships between customer equity drivers in the industrial sales context in an emerging market.
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Ratan Kumar and Vibhava Srivastava
The purpose of this study is to extend and contribute to the evolving phenomenon of social media usage by business-to-business (B2B) salespersons. It draws on the interactional…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to extend and contribute to the evolving phenomenon of social media usage by business-to-business (B2B) salespersons. It draws on the interactional psychology model and extended technology acceptance model to explore the said phenomenon.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey-based quantitative study was carried out. Responses were gathered through a self-administered and structured questionnaire, from 218 B2B salespersons who were pooled in using purposive and snowball sampling. The final data set was subjected to partial least squares-based structural equation modelling using WarpPLS 7.0.
Findings
This study found that individual factors, namely, salesperson’s social media competence and sales capabilities; organizational factors, namely, organizational commitment and organizational competence; and social factors, namely, image, result demonstrability and subjective norms, contribute positively and significantly towards social media usage by B2B salespeople. The study also found that the impact of individual factors on intention to use social media was partially mediated by its perceived usefulness, while in the case of organizational and social factors, the impact was fully mediated by its perceived ease of use.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides a valuable addition to the existing literature on sales and social media; however, the contextualization cannot be ignored.
Practical implications
This study enables firms to understand various factors affecting salespeople’ perception of social media and to make them appreciate its usage in improving sales performance and customer satisfaction.
Originality/value
It is the first study that models the factors of salespeople’s usage of social media in their job at three levels, namely, individual, organizational and social, and establishes the link between B2B salespersons’ perceived usefulness of social media, sales capabilities, social media competence and intention to use social media.
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Harish Kumar and Ritu Srivastava
This study aims to examine the role of augmented reality (AR) in online impulse behaviour for highbody-involvement products. This study further explores whether flow and spatial…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the role of augmented reality (AR) in online impulse behaviour for highbody-involvement products. This study further explores whether flow and spatial presence mediate the link between AR and online impulse behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected 255 responses from shopping mall visitors and used SPSS (21.0) (PROCESS macro) and AMOS 21.0 to test the hypothesised model.
Findings
The findings reveal that AR virtual try-on significantly influences online impulse behaviour by providing hedonic value and reducing product risk prior to purchase. Second, flow and spatial presence partially and complementarily mediate the relationship between AR characteristics, hedonic value, and product risk.
Originality/value
Theoretically, this study extends the literature on AR and online impulse behaviour from a psychological perspective, and it broadens managers' understanding of how they can use AR as a tool to increase sales.