Customer Engagement Behavior Research Articles

Fans behave as buyers? Assimilate fan-based and team-based drivers of fan engagement

PurposeCustomer engagement, as one form of interactive marketing, enhances organisational performance, in terms of sales growth, superior competitive advantage and increased profitability, particularly within the sports context. This research aims to explore fans' engagement behaviours with their sports teams and identify its drivers and outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers deployed mixed methods in this study via three phases: (1) A judgmental sampling technique, along with snowballing, were used to conduct in-depth interviews with twenty-two football fans, for the exploratory phase; (2) A convenience sample was also used for the quantitative phase, which was divided into two stages, (1) the pretesting stage (30 fans), and (2) the main data collection stage (407 fans) and (3) A judgmental sampling technique was applied for the qualitative validation phase (10 interviews with experts and practitioners).FindingsQualitative and quantitative results supported team jealousy, team competitiveness and team morality as new predictors for fan engagement behaviours. Further, while the fan role readiness had the most positive effect on management cooperation, team identification had the most predicting power for prosocial behaviour. Finally, team morality had the most significant positive impact on performance tolerance.Originality/valueDespite the considerable practical attention, and the recent extensive research, paid towards conceptualising customer engagement behaviours in the last decade, there is still a need for further exploration on the fan engagement concept to better understand fans' unique behavioural responses; accordingly, the current research was conducted.

Promoting Customer Engagement Behavior for Green Brands

This study aims to investigate the impact of desired self-identity, green perceived value and altruistic values on brand loyalty towards green brands (i.e., electric and hybrid cars) and the mediating role of customer engagement behavior on these relationships. Further, this study proposes that greenwashing perception, which can be defined as consumers perceiving organizations to be dishonest about their environmental claims, moderates the indirect effect of desired self-identity, green perceived value and altruistic values on brand loyalty via customer engagement behavior. Data were collected from a nationwide online survey of 170 customers who have purchased and used electric and hybrid cars. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart-PLS and PROCESS were employed to test the hypotheses. This study’s findings indicate that desired self-identity, green perceived value and altruistic values positively influence consumer engagement behavior with the focal green car brands. Further, the mediating effect of customer engagement behavior on brand loyalty was generally found. Additionally, greenwashing perception was found to moderate the indirect effect of desired self-identity and altruistic values on brand loyalty via customer engagement behavior. The indirect effect of desired self-identity and altruistic values on brand loyalty via consumer engagement behavior was stronger at lower levels of greenwashing perception than at higher levels. This study offers key managerial implications on how green brands can promote customer engagement behavior and brand loyalty.

Customer Nontransactional Value Cocreation in an Online Hotel Brand Community: Driving Motivation, Engagement Behavior, and Value Beneficiary

To better understand engagement behaviors in online hospitality brand communities, the purpose of this research was to understand hotel customers’ online engagement behaviors, associated cocreated nontransactional values, and the underlying drivers. Netnography analysis and qualitative surveys along with multiorder categorization analysis were used. The netnography results indicate that hotel customer engagement behaviors cocreate five types of value. Importantly, these values accrue in different levels to not only the customer, but also to other customers and to the firm. Analyses of a subsequent qualitative survey data validated the four factors driving these engagement behaviors and, importantly, found that the motivational drivers vary by type of engagement. A conceptual framework of value cocreation via customer engagement is proposed.

The role of interactivity on customer engagement in mobile e-commerce applications

This research investigates the role of interactivity and service quality toward customer engagement (i.e., co-developing, influencing, augmenting, mobilizing) in the context of mobile e-commerce applications (apps). Based on a survey of 717 mobile e-commerce app users in Indonesia, the study utilizes a quantitative approach using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the conceptual framework. The findings show that interactivity positively related to all forms of customer engagement behavior (i.e., co-developing, influencing, augmenting, mobilizing), and service quality moderates the relationships between interactivity on augmenting and mobilizing. This study offers a more detailed understanding of the role of interactivity and service quality in each dimension of customer engagement. As such, this study complements prior insights on value co-creation in a multi-stakeholder service system.

Modelling Customer Engagement Behaviour in Smart Retailing

Smart retail technologies are transforming the way companies engage with customers in retailing context. However, the real onset is unknown of which smart retail technology (SRT) characteristics and customer responses pave the way for customer engagement behaviour. This research investigates customer engagement behaviour in smart retailing by integrating meta-UTAUT and SRT characteristics. By analysing quantitative survey data using PLS path modelling, customer engagement manifestations are measured. Results show complex relationships between SRT characteristics (novelty, effectiveness, and interaction quality) and meta-UTAUT variables (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions) in influencing customers’ attitude, behavioural intention, and engagement behaviour towards smart retailing. Retailers can use the findings to influence customers’ attitudes towards smart retail technologies, encouraging them to display customer engagement behaviour.

The role of parasocial relationship in social media marketing: testing a model among baby boomers

PurposeThis study aims to apply parasocial relationship theory to understand the hospitality brand-consumer relationship on social media. Aiming to examine brand-initiated mechanisms that drive relationship development, the study identified two sets of brand actions as antecedents, namely, content-related (utilitarian and hedonic benefits) and interaction-related factors (perceived interactivity and openness). This study also investigated the subsequent impacts of parasocial relationships on customer engagement behaviors and brand loyalty. As baby boomers are an important but understudied consumer cohort in social media marketing, this study empirically tested the proposed model for this specific group.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted electronically with baby boomer consumers from the USA. The partial least squares analysis was used to test the model validity for this consumer group.FindingsThe results of this study showed that content-related factors had significant effects on the parasocial relationship, which, in turn, significantly influenced customer engagement and brand loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsThis study responds to the recent calls from scholars on developing and expanding a nomological network of parasocial relationships to understand consumer-brand relationships in social media. By focusing on baby boomers, this study adds unique insights on understanding online relationships and engagement, specifically for this cohort. Future studies should expand the study by examining other generations, platform differences or using longitudinal methods.Practical implicationsThis study informs hospitality marketers in the development and implementation of a successful Facebook relationship building campaign targeting baby boomers.Originality/valueAccording to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study known to have developed a coherent parasocial relationship model that combined content-related benefits, interaction-related factors, online engagement and brand loyalty. It also represents one of the few to examine how hospitality brands can build a parasocial relationship with baby boomers, an important but cohort, on social media and provide actionable insights to hospitality marketers for this generation.

Mapping of Journal of Services Marketing themes: a retrospective overview using bibliometric analysis

PurposeJournal of services marketing (JSM) is a leading journal that has published cutting-edge research in services marketing over the past 34 years. The main objective of this paper is to provide a retrospective of the thematic structure of papers published in JSM over its publication history.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses bibliometric methods to present a retrospective overview of JSM themes between 1987 and 2019. Using keywords co-occurrence analysis, this paper unveils the thematic structure of JSM’s most prolific themes. Bibliographic coupling analysis uncovers the research trends of the journal.FindingsLeading authors, leading institutions, authors’ affiliated countries and critically, the dominant themes of JSM are identified. As its founding, JSM has published approximately 40 papers each year, with 2019 being its most productive year. On average, lead JSM authors to collaborate with 1.30 others. Keywords co-occurrence analysis identifies nine prominent thematic clusters, namely, “marketing to service”, “quality, satisfaction and delivery systems”, “service industries”, “relationship marketing”, “service failure, complaining and recovery”, “service dominant logic”, “technology, innovation and design”, “wellbeing” and “service encounters”. Bibliographic coupling analysis groups JSM papers into four clusters, namely, “brand & customer engagement behaviour”, “service co-creation”, “service encounters & service recovery” and “social networking”.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is the first to analyse the thematic structure of JSM themes over its history. The themes are analysed across time periods and then compared to dominant themes identified in contemporary service research agendas. Recommendations are made based on the gaps found. This retrospective review will be useful to numerous key stakeholders including the editorial board and both existing and aspiring JSM contributors. The selection of literature is confined to Scopus.Originality/valueJSM’s retrospection is likely to attract readership to the journal. The study’s recommendations regarding which areas have matured and which are still ripe for future contributions will offer useful guidelines for all stakeholders.

The role of customer engagement in cultivating relationships with automotive Facebook brand pages

PurposeThe study aims to provide a theoretical framework of how information, entertainment and social interaction value associated with automotive Facebook brand pages (FBPs) in Sri Lanka influence customer engagement behaviors (CEBs), and further, how CEB is likely to result in FBP-specific relationship outcomes.Design/methodology/approachA printed questionnaire was used to collect the data from a convenience sample of 374 undergraduate Facebook users in Sri Lanka, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS 21.0.FindingsThe findings highlighted that information, entertainment and social interaction value positively influenced CEBs in automotive FBPs in Sri Lanka. Moreover, results showed that CEB had a positive influence on FBP trust, FBP commitment and FBP loyalty. Additionally, information value was found to positively influence FBP loyalty, while social interaction value had a positive influence on FBP trust and FBP commitment.Originality/valueThe study proposes a framework for relationship building in automotive FBPs by integrating values that drive CEBs and the FBP-specific relationship outcomes of CEBs. As such, the novelty of this paper is that it focuses on building customer relationships with the FBP, instead of the brand in the context of automotive FBPs in a developing country, Sri Lanka. Further, this study proposes some additional linkages between the constructs apart from testing the antecedents and FBP-specific relationship outcomes of CEBs.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-11-2019-0352

Prediction of customer engagement behaviour response to marketing posts based on machine learning

With the prevalence of social media platforms, the way customers engage with brands has greatly been altered. Choosing appropriate social media marketing strategies to stimulate customer engagement in different forms is an important issue. In order to better understand customer behaviours in the social media marketing context, we draw on the Stimulus-Organism-Response theory, and conceptualise and characterise marketing posts from six dimensions to get various features as stimuli, which induce or activate customers’ cognitive and affective states to varying levels, and ultimately lead to different behaviour responses. Machine learning algorithms are applied to the customer engagement behaviour choice prediction when facing marketing posts. It is proved that the post features designed by humans can be used to get good predictions, while the best results are achieved by combining the human-designed features with the high-dimensional features automatically extracted from post texts by the BERT model. Our research provides insights for firms to effectively conduct social media marketing design and customer engagement behaviour choice prediction.

Understanding the Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction, Customer Engagement and Repeat Purchase Behaviour

Emergence of technology has not only boosted the growth of customer engagement but has also paved way for customers to become active co-creators with the firms. Customer engagement activities are taking over the customer relationship building activities in the present scenario. Customers’ experience with a particular brand has its impact on satisfaction levels and their repurchasing intention in future as well. According to Rosetta Consulting report an engaged customer is likely to buy 90% more frequently and may spend 300% more than other customers. Hence, the present has tried to understand the mediating role of satisfaction on customer engagement in retaining the customers or persuading the customers to repurchase. The results show that there exists a significant mediation effect of customer satisfaction in influencing their repeat purchase behaviour.

Does Customer Experience Always Benefit Company? Examining Customers’ Epistemic Motivation and Interaction With Service Contexts

The main purpose of this study is explaining how and when customer experience benefits the company. Built upon social identity theory, we propose that customer experience leads to customer engagement behavior, via two routes: customer-company and customer-employee identification. Furthermore, we advance that customers’ epistemic motivation negatively moderates the mediated effect of customer experience on customer engagement behavior. We ran two studies to validate the measurement of customer experience and to test our hypotheses. For the two studies, we employed a survey method by recruiting consumers of beauty salons in Vietnam. The results demonstrated that EXQ as a measurement for customer experience is applicable to the context of the study and provided empirical support for the hypotheses. Such as, this research found that customer experience positively influences customer engagement behavior as mediated by customer-company and customer-employee identification. Furthermore, this research revealed that customer epistemic motivation negatively moderates the mediated effect of customer experience on customer engagement behavior via customer-employee identification. However, the moderating role of customer epistemic motivation is insignificant for the mediated relationship via customer-company identification. Finally, this research offers theoretical and practical contributions that are elaborated and further discussed.

The impact of perceived brand interactivity on customer purchases. The mediating role of perceived brand fairness and the moderating role of brand involvement

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effect of perceived brand interactivity on customer purchases along with the mediating effect of perceived brand fairness. To increase the explanatory power of the model, this study also examines the moderating role of brand involvement.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted to measure the constructs of interest. The direct, indirect (mediation) and conditional (moderation) effects were evaluated using linear regression, PROCESS Model 4 and PROCESS Model 59, respectively. Further, the Johnson Neyman (also called floodlight analysis) technique was used to probe the interaction terms.FindingsThe study results indicate that perceived brand interactivity directly and indirectly (via perceived brand fairness) impact customer purchases. The results also reveal that the positive impact of perceived brand interactivity on perceived brand fairness is greater when brand involvement is lower. In the same vein, the positive impact of perceived brand fairness on customer purchases is greater when brand involvement is lower. However, brand involvement does not moderate the impact of perceived brand involvement on customer purchases.Originality/valueThis study examines the effect of perceived brand interactivity on customer purchases (as a customer engagement behavior) while accounting for the mediating role of perceived brand fairness and the moderating role of brand involvement. The results provide noteworthy theoretical and managerial implications.

Linking engagement at cultural festivals to legacy impacts

Cultural festivals typically celebrate and reinforce a cultural identity, while becoming embedded in tourism experiences. They have sought to establish their sustainability through legacies of enduring involvement with the cultures and communities they serve. Although studies have examined the effects of attendance on festival impacts and legacy, we contribute further understanding by investigating the effects of visitors’ level of behavioural engagement during a festival on subsequent cultural and social post-festival legacies. Basing our conceptual development on van Doorn et al.’s Customer Engagement Behaviour framework and Service-Dominant-Logic, we incorporate behavioural engagement, emotions, festival loyalty, and post-festival cultural and social involvement intentions. Hypotheses are tested in two studies with data from 1335 visitors covering consecutive years of a national cultural festival, using cluster and mediation analyses. Findings highlight the importance of engagement and joyful emotions on festival legacy benefits. We validate an “engagement ladder” comprising four distinct clusters – “Disengaged”, “Observers”, “Learners”, and “Doers”. The most engaged clusters – “Learners” and “Doers” – have significantly higher association with legacy impacts, manifested through post-festival cultural and community involvement intentions. Our results have implications for sponsors and organisers of cultural festivals whose sustainability may be justified by encouraging visitor engagement rather than merely promoting attendance.

Understanding how customers engage with social tourism websites

研究目的本论文分析研究科技urism websitehaviours pur研究设计/方法/途径研究样本为研究科技urism websitehaviours purchasesLS-SEM分析验证假设模型。研究结果研究结果表明, 顾客愉快感知、易使用、有用性、以及可信任度等变量对顾客社交旅游网站的态度及后续参与行为（购买、sOM、推荐）有着积极影响。研究原创性/价值本论文开发并验证分析了科技接受模型变量对顾客参与行为的影响, 包括交易性（顾客购买）以及非交易性（顾客（OM、推荐、反馈）, 以社交旅游网站为背景。

The relationship between brand Facebook page characteristics, perceived value, and customer engagement behavior: An application of Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R)

Purpose – With the advancement of technology and increased use of social media, brands have become part of the virtual world and try to grab customers’ attention. Brand pages enable the consumer to voluntarily participate in providing feedback and ideas and to collaborate with others . T his adds value to the firm. This research explores which characteristics help clothing brands to influence consumers in to responding in the form of feedback, collaboration, and mobilization. Design/methodology/approach – D ata were collected from 250 respondents who had purchased their favorite clothing brand in the last four months , using five-point Likert scale questionnaires. Partial least square s structural equation model ing (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data . Findings – The results indicate that content quality leads to brand learning values and hedonic values. C ustomer contact quality only affects brand learning value. Both hedonic and brand learning value s induce customer engagement behaviors. Originality/value – This study provides useful insights for clothing brand web page managers related to customer engagement in social media. The study extends the concept of customer engagement behavior (CEB) by incorporating consumer “mobilizing behavior” as an additional element of CEB.

Effects of customer engagement behaviors on action loyalty: moderating roles of service failure and customization

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate multidimensional customer engagement behaviors (CEBs) as antecedents of action loyalty in hospitality contexts and examine service conditions that inhibit and facilitate the former relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis paper tests a holistic framework based on transaction data from 5,855 active members of a hotel firm. The hypotheses are examined using ordinary least squares regression.FindingsBy integrating transaction-related CEBs with non-transaction-related CEBs, this paper found that three CEB constructs (i.e. feedback, mobilizing and cross-buying) contribute significantly to action loyalty in hospitality contexts. These effects vary depending on the inhibitor (service failure) and the facilitator (service customization).Practical implicationsHotel managers should value customer engagement as a marketing tool to retain customers. When engaged customers encounter service failure and customization, managers can react differently to facilitate consumers’ action loyalty.Originality/valueContrary to prior studies focusing on the effects of general CEBs on attitudinal loyalty, this study examines the diverse impacts of multidimensional CEBs on customers’ action loyalty and confirms boundary conditions to coordinate the effects between CEBs from a hotel firm’s perspective.

Not all words are beneficial: The impact of management response contents on customer engagement behavior

Abstract Online reviews play an important role in motivating hotels to enhance customer engagement through appropriate management responses. However, the impact of management responses on customer engagement remains unclear. With data from hotel reviews and management responses, this study demonstrates that customer engagement is significantly reduced when causal explanations and certain words are included in management responses, as indicated by the number of future reviews. We also observe that the negative influence of causal explanations can be alleviated when management responses contain uncertain words. Furthermore, management responses which include positive-emotional words attenuate the negative impact of causal explanations. However, no significant effect is found when negative-emotional words are used in management responses. These findings can help managers develop effective response strategies to facilitate customer engagement behavior.

The role of perceived firm social media interactivity in facilitating customer engagement behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how customers’ perceptions of brands’ social media interactivity impact customer engagement behaviors (CEBs) (e.g. customer purchases, referrals, influence and knowledge) while accounting for the moderating role of brand type and social media platform. Design/methodology/approach Two separate online surveys (Study 1 (N1) = 341, Study 2 (N2) = 183) were conducted to measure the constructs of interest. Regression analyzes tests research hypotheses; PROCESS Model 1 was used to test the moderating roles of brand type and platform. Further, the pick-a-point approach (i.e. spotlight analysis) was used to probe the interaction terms. Findings The results indicate that when customers perceive a brand to be highly interactive on social media (vs inactive), they are more willing to buy brand offerings, refer the brand in exchange for monetary incentives, inform their family and friends about the brand on social media and provide feedback and suggestions for improving the brand. Furthermore, the positive impact of perceived social media interactivity on customer purchases, referrals, influence and knowledge varies across brand and social media platform types. Research limitations/implications Online surveys using convenience samples were conducted to assess the constructs of interest. Archival data may provide an avenue for further insight. Future research may be able to track actual online customer behavior using such data. Further, researchers are encouraged to corroborate the results found here over time as the winds of social media shift to new platforms. Practical implications The results suggest that interacting on social media encourages customers to contribute to brand value directly (through purchasing) and/or indirectly (through referring, influencing and suggesting). While all brands may leverage social media activity for success, the positive impact of perceived social media interactivity on CEBs is particularly impactful for non-global 500 brands. The results also indicate that customers are more willing to add value to the brand through purchases and suggestions when they perceive the brand to be highly interactive on both social media networking sites and the brand’s website. However, they are more willing to promote this brand and influence their social networks about it only when they perceive the brand to be highly (vs less) interactive on its own website. Originality/value This study examines the novel issue of the impact of perceived social media interactivity on different CEBs while accounting for the moderating role of the brand and platform used by customers. The results provide value in better understanding the levers through which social media affects performance.

Reshaping the contexts of online customer engagement behavior via artificial intelligence: A conceptual framework

As new applications of artificial intelligence continue to emerge, there is an increasing interest to explore how this type of technology can improve automated service interactions between the firm and its customers. This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework that details how firms and customers can enhance the outcomes of firm-solicited and firm-unsolicited online customer engagement behaviors through the use of information processing systems enabled by artificial intelligence. By building on the metaphor of artificial intelligence systems as organisms and taking a Stimulus-Organism-Response theory perspective, this paper identifies different types of firm-solicited and firm-unsolicited online customer engagement behaviors that act as stimuli for artificial intelligence organisms to process customer-related information resulting in both artificial intelligence and human responses which, in turn, shape the contexts of future online customer engagement behaviors.

The influence of personal motivation and environmental stimuli on customer participation and engagement behavior: the mediating role of experience evaluation

论个人动力和环境因素对顾客参与和顾客契合的影响：体验评价的中介效应研究目的本论文旨在帮助SEA(共享经济住宿)的民宿老板或服务提供者, 通过探索顾客参与和契合的影响因子和反应变量, 来吸引新顾客以及保留老顾客。研究设计/方法/途径本论文采用问卷形式实际调研, 探索SEA中的各种假设关系。本论文采用SmartPLS软件, 使用PLS分析法来检验模型以及展示分析结果。研究结果本论文结果表明, 个人因素（功利与享乐需求）正向影响顾客参与。环境因素（感知信息适合和感知视觉吸引）与参与意愿之间被享乐需求负向调节。此外, 结果还表明参与意愿对于顾客契合行为有着正向作用, 以及体验评价的部分中介效应。研究实践启示本论文为SEA企业从业人员提供如何吸引新顾客以及留住老顾客的宝贵见解。首先, 顾客根据需求和基于他们的需求所提供的信息可进行区分。第二, 企业主应该鼓励顾客评价他们的体验和提供反馈, 从而帮助提高住宿服务以及建立与顾客长期和谐的关系。研究原创性/价值本论文首先调研了个人需求和环境刺激对SEA参与意愿的相互作用。其次, 本论文还检验了参与意愿对于顾客契合行为的作用, 以及体验评价的中介效应。