Positive Customer Research Articles

Does customer empathy mediate between the environmental orientation of retail firms and customer purchase intentions?

ABSTRACT This study investigates the mediation effect of customer empathy between theenvironmental orientation of retail firms, and subsequent customer purchasing behaviour towards eco-friendly goods. The empirical study developed conceptual and operational measurement variables from prior research and collected data from retail firm customers in the Republic of Korea. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to verify the reliability and validity of the collected data, and relationships between the variables were analysed using structural equation modelling. Two findings resulted as follows. First, a retail firm’s environmental orientation, manifested by a strategic approach to environmental issues and environmental capabilities, does positively affect customer empathy towards them. Second, positive customer empathy towards a retail firm’s environmental orientation positively affects customer purchasing behaviour towards the retail firm’s eco-friendly goods.

SERVICE PROVIDER IS SERVICE ITSELF

This research paper emphasises into the essential aspects of customer service and the skills required by service providers to excel in their roles. It highlights the significance of empathy, collaboration, communication, efficiency and adaptability in delivering quality customer service. The paper is so exposed to critical roles and responsibilities of service providers in various domains, emphasising their role in compliance, how they are crucial in this sector and the effect they create on the economy. It talks about the services being sold as the complementary to the tangible goods. These skills are crucial traits for the service providers. These contribute in creating a positive customer experience, gaining loyalty and successfully driving the business in the service industry. Keywords: Customer service, empathy, provider, roles and responsibilities

Artificial intelligence-powered digital solutions in the fashion industry: a mixed-methods study on AI-based customer services

ABSTRACT The use of AI chatbot applications with social media messengers aims to shape the ‘online to offline' approach to chat-based purchases. Using a sequential mixed-methods approach, we examined customer experiences with and the uses and gratifications of AI chatbots, and the influence of customers' perceptions of service quality in AI-based customer services on favourable customer experiences, brand loyalty and purchase loyalty. Twenty-five online shoppers participated in our qualitative study, which was analysed using a thematic analysis. Subsequently, our quantitative study involving 423 online shoppers employed structural equation modelling. We identified that seeking an instant response, real-time information, fast navigation and transactions and useful advice and suggestions were the uses and gratifications of AI chatbots. Furthermore, customers’ perceptions of empathy and automated responsiveness in AI chatbots were determinants of positive customer experiences with AI-based customer services. Favourable customer experiences with AI chatbots affected brand loyalty, which in turn influenced purchase loyalty.

Implementation Chatbot for SMEs Using Artificial Intelligence Markup Language to Improve Customer Integration and Business Performance

Chatbots have been extensively adopted to produce more positive customer experiences as customers now spend more time in digital surroundings. Despite the technological advancement and benefits of chatbots for client service, exploration of chatbot operations for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is limited. The absence of exploration explaining the struggles faced by SMEs contributes to the gap in SMEs’ chatbot adoption. This exploration determines the features and rudiments that fit with SMEs’ characteristics and their guests' interactions with chatbots. A mixed-methods approach is used to understand SMEs’ needs. The first study uses interviews with SME business owners and their customers in order to explore the features that chatbots should offer for SME by identifying combinations between chatbots' generic features and SMEs' customer characteristics. The second study tests features identified in SMEs customers to empirically test featured chatbots’ influence on anthropomorphism, perceived enjoyment, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and how they affect SMEs’ customer intentions to use chatbots and their shopping intentions. This paper contributes to the emerging service literature on the use of chatbots for service interactions, particularly for SMEs using Artificial Intelligence Markup Language. The data that has been obtained was analyzed using a Likert scale. As a result, the accuracy of using Artificial Intelligence Markup Language is 84.8%.

Analysis of Key Factors for Improved Customer Experience, Engagement, and Loyalty in the E-Commerce Industry in Indonesia

In Indonesia's rapidly growing e-commerce industry, customer experience, engagement, and loyalty are pivotal variables for business success and sustainability. By addressing gaps in understanding these critical factors to enhance positive customer experiences, optimize engagement levels, and fortify customer loyalty. This research aims to identify key factors influencing customer experience, engagement, and loyalty in Indonesia's e-commerce industry, hence resulting in practical implementation recommendations for companies interested in developing an e-commerce platform or as a reference for future research. This study employs an explanatory qualitative approach to explore the intricate relationship between customer experience, engagement, and loyalty in the dynamic landscape of the e-commerce industry. Data is gathered from five prominent e-commerce platforms in Indonesia. The qualitative analysis delves into the narratives of these respondents, uncovering rich insights into their perceptions. Recommendations to bridge these gaps include implementing live chat with sellers, elevating personalized content and recommendations, prioritizing responsiveness and page loading speed, emphasizing security in online shopping, and amplifying personalized content and recommendations during customer engagement. Adopting these strategies, e-commerce companies can deliver more gratifying customer experiences, elevate engagement, and strengthen loyalty, thus establishing a competitive advantage in this dynamic market and fostering sustainable business growth. The research identifies factors impacting customer experience, engagement, and loyalty in e-commerce. Key factors for a positive experience include discounts, product quality, user interface, and customer support. Addressing gaps between factors and expectations can enhance satisfaction and loyalty. Recommendations include live chat, personalization, speed, security, and content improvement for a competitive advantage and sustainable growth. The recommendations for future research include conducting a comparative analysis, undertaking a longitudinal study, testing implementation strategies, and measuring long-term loyalty effects.

Matching digital companions with customers: The role of perceived similarity

AbstractDigital companions are an advanced form of digital agents that do not only provide advice and support but accompany people on their day‐to‐day customer journeys. This article sheds light on the psychological processes underlying customers’ responses to these digital companions (i.e., virtual friends or co‐consumers). We propose that framing them as matched with customers on goal‐relevant attributes (i.e., attributes related to customers’ consumption goals) fosters positive customer outcomes (i.e., consumption enjoyment and positive word‐of‐mouth), mediated by perceived similarity in these attributes. Importantly, in this matching context, humanlikeness serves as a boundary condition for perceived similarity to occur. Furthermore, the effect of perceived similarity on customer outcomes is driven by perceived connectedness. In Study 1, in the context of experiential learning, we identified shared interest and personality as goal‐relevant attributes underlying perceived similarity. With the manipulation of the match frame and humanlike versus artificial voice of the digital companion, Study 2 supports our propositions and highlights shared interest, but not personality, as the core driver. We provide recommendations on how to design and market digital companions to foster connection and favorable customer outcomes.

Мерчандайзинг в общественном питании как инструмент управления клиентским опытом в экономике впечатлений

The dynamic development of the catering industry in Russia, the increase in the scale of activity and the num-ber of business facilities have caused the complication and toughening of the conditions of competition for the limited resources of the consumer of restaurant services. In this regard, the organization of spaces of catering enterprises on the principles of merchandising as one of the tools for forming a positive customer experience is of particular relevance. The author clarifies the content of the concepts of attention economy and experience economy, as well as their relationship in the process of realization of merchandising at the catering enterprise. Physical and digital spaces of merchandising tools and procedures application are described, as well as its contribution to customer experience management in the context of the impression economy. It is advisable to assess the extent to which merchandising achieves the goals of managing customer experience in public ca-tering, as in the service sector, in the process of GAP analysis, which is an optimal model for studying the ex-pected and received impressions from the impact of restaurant merchandising tools.

MANILAS’ LUXURY HOTELS USING SERVQUAL FRAMEWORK: COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT FROM ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCIES’ REPORTS

Online reviews are essential in the travel and hotel businesses. Because there are various types of hotels, customers frequently read online hotel reviews before making a reservation. The ability to distinguish between positive and negative reviews at luxury hotels according to SERVQUAL attributes of tangibility, reliability, empathy, responsiveness, and assurance could help hotels identify problems, prioritize solutions, and offer better services to Luxury hotels. The study outcomes will assist hotel management in gaining complete knowledge of client complaints regarding service difficulties and promoting service enhancements. This study was conducted to examine and analyze the content of positive and negative customer reviews from Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor in five-star hotels in Manila. SERVQUAL dimensions were used to classify positive and negative reviews from the selected OTAs in five-star hotels in Manila. Findings revealed that the responsiveness dimension in the recreational services area received the highest number of customer reviews than any other service area of the hotels gathered from the selected OTAs of the study.

An Investigation of the Impact of Online Customer Service Burnout on Customer Experience in Malaysia

The article presented here involves examining the impact of online customer service burnout on customer experience, and also then to show how customer service burnout can be alleviated using the credible neural network and thus improving customer experience overall. A quantitative method was used which involved using a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 384 respondents. The data that was collected were analyzed using SPSS. The hypothesis testing showed that H1, H2, H3, and H4 are accepted. The results showed that online customer service burnout did have a negative effect on customer experience and more importantly, the results highlighted the use of credible neural networks can reduce mental burnout among customer service representatives, thus contributing to a more positive customer experience. These results suggest that mental burnout of online customer service representatives which results in the deterioration of the customer service experience can be alleviated by credible neural networks. This is because these systems can reduce customer waiting times, handle large data volumes, reduce additional employee training, and reduce overall working time. These important attributes of the credible neural networks can generate lower mental burnout among customer service representatives and this will enable them to serve the customers much more efficiently thus improving customer experience. It was thus recommended for organisations implement credible neural networks to help supplement and support the work of customer service representatives working online remotely so that their performance can be enhanced and the customer experience can be improved. Credible neural network systems will be very beneficial to the employees by allowing them to carry out their work with less mental fatigue and this enables them to excel to higher levels, thus providing a superior customer experience.

Do chatbots establish “humanness” in the customer purchase journey? An investigation through explanatory sequential design

AbstractChatbots incorporate various behavioral and psychological marketing elements to satisfy customers at various stages of their purchase journey. This research follows the foundations of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and examines how cognitive and peripheral cues impact experiential dimensions, leading to chatbot user recommendation intentions. The study introduced warmth and competence as mediating variables in both the purchase and postpurchase stages, utilizing a robust explanatory sequential mixed‐method research design. The researchers tested and validated the proposed conceptual model using a 3 × 3 factorial design, collecting 354 responses in the purchase stage and 286 responses in the postpurchase stage. In the second stage, they conducted in‐depth qualitative interviews (Study 2) to gain further insights into the validity of the experimental research (Study 1). The results obtained from Study 1 revealed that “cognitive cues” and “competence” significantly influence recommendation intentions among chatbot users. On the other hand, “peripheral cues” and warmth significantly contribute to positive experiences encountered during the purchase stage. The researchers further identified 69 thematic codes through exploratory research, providing a deeper understanding of the variables. Theoretically, this study extends the ELM by introducing new dimensions to human‐machine interactions at the heart of digital transformation. From a managerial standpoint, the study emphasizes the significance of adding a “humanness” element in chatbot development to create more engaging and positive customer experiences actively.

Understanding Tourists’ Perception Toward Local Gourmet Consumption in the Creative City of Gastronomy: Factors Influencing Consumer Satisfaction and Behavioral Intentions

ABSTRACT Restaurants in tourist destinations, particularly Phuket’s Creative City of Gastronomy, are essential to the tourism sector as food substantially influences tourists’ satisfaction. Here, we analyzed tourists’ online review sentiments toward restaurants recognized by Michelin in a UNESCO City of Gastronomy using Naïve Bayes Modeling. We identified four main attributes of the tourists’ experience: food quality, service, ambience, and price fairness. Additionally, we integrated the results from big data analysis into importance – performance analysis, strongly demonstrating that improving price fairness and service attributes in local food restaurants enhanced the perceived image of a gastronomic destination. Moreover, local food could be an essential factor that attracted tourists, and tasting local food was among the most crucial tourist experiences in Phuket. Promoting local identity and cuisine, as well as enhancing food-related tourism activities, can improve tourists’ experiences and increase positive reviews and customer satisfaction.

Enhancing purchasing stock intention in investor–brands interaction: the moderated mediation role of sector knowledge

PurposeThis study seeks to investigate the interrelationships among sector reputation, purchasing stock intention, sector engagement and attitude toward the sector. Moreover, it aims to explore the moderating role of sector knowledge in the indirect relationship between sector reputation and purchasing stock intention, mediated by sector engagement and/or attitude toward the sector.Design/methodology/approachDrawing upon the theory of planned behavior, the research framework is empirically tested. A survey involving 300 potential and actual investors was conducted, representing individuals investing in tourism brands within the Egyptian stock market. The validity and reliability of the constructs were assessed using AMOS, while Hayes’s PROCESS macro was employed to examine the mediation and moderated mediation effects.FindingsThe findings reveal that sector reputation significantly influences sector engagement, attitude toward the sector and purchasing stock intention. Furthermore, the attitude toward the sector serves as an explanatory factor for investors’ propensity to purchase stocks of tourism brands. The study confirms the serial mediation effect of sector engagement and attitude toward the sector, respectively, in the relationship between sector reputation and purchasing stock intention. Additionally, it confirms the moderated mediation role of sector knowledge in the relationship between sector reputation and purchasing stock intention, mediated by attitude toward the sector.Practical implicationsThe research outcomes suggest that executives in the tourism industry should identify key determinants to enhance purchasing stock intention by fostering greater sector engagement and fostering positive attitudes toward the tourism sector.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on the importance of maintaining a positive brand reputation and emphasizing the influential role of investors’ knowledge, engagement and attitude in shaping investment decisions in the stock market. These insights contribute to the understanding of investor behavior and have practical implications for organizations in managing their brand reputation and fostering positive customer–brand interactions in the stock market context, thus the current study was conducted.

Is E-Trust a Driver of Sustainability? An Assessment of Turkish E-Commerce Sector with an Extended Intuitionistic Fuzzy ORESTE Approach

Due mainly to COVID-19 and the demanding work schedules of many individuals, online purchasing sites have become indispensable. However, the dynamic online environment and everchanging customer demands make sustainable competitiveness challenging for e-commerce platforms. Humans primarily influence the preference for online purchase platforms. This study aimed to discover Türkiye’s top popular online shopping sites by adopting an extended intuitionistic fuzzy ORESTE (Organisation, Rangement Et Synthèse De Données Relationnelles) approach. Our study targeted this by surveying female users of four online shopping platforms using IF-ORESTE. The criteria were determined according to customer preferences. These were as follows: easy accessibility to the platform, providing regular discounts and campaigns, advanced filtering settings, the contractual merchants’ reliability, quick delivery, being more affordable than competing platforms, positive feedback in user comments, having a large brand volume, having an installment option, and having partnered cargo companies. The least important factor was the large volume of brands on the online websites. Quick delivery of orders and positive feedback in reviews were equally important. Similarly, the decision-makers considered regular discounts and promotions and the comprehensive filtering settings as equally critical. However, these criteria were less significant than quick delivery and positive customer feedback. This work’s novelty lies in implementing the IF to the ORESTE in the Turkish e-commerce industry. The implications and future directions are discussed.

Analisis Kepuasan Pelanggan di Saung Pak Ewok Restoran Ramah Keluarga di Jawa Barat

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of six variables on customer satisfaction with Saung Pak Ewok. Saung Pak Ewok is a popular restaurant with a family restaurant concept in West Java. The six variables considered are location, promotion, staff, price, product, and distribution. To achieve the research objectives, the research method used was convenience sampling. A total of 80 respondents were selected to participate in this study, representing a wide range of Saung Pak Ewok customers. Data was collected through various means including interviews, questionnaires, and observations. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the variables that affect customer satisfaction. This statistical technique allows researchers to identify the individual and combined effects of variables on customer satisfaction. The results showed that location, promotion, and human resources have a significant impact on customer satisfaction. Saung Pak Ewok's location, promotion, and staff quality were found to contribute positively to customer satisfaction. However, the price variable was found to have no significant effect on customer satisfaction. In conclusion, this study explains the variables that significantly influence customer satisfaction at Saung Pak Ewok. The findings highlight the importance of place and promotion in creating a positive customer experience. This research provides valuable insights for Saung Pak Ewok and other similar establishments seeking to increase customer satisfaction and improve overall business performance.

Pengaruh Experiential Marketing Terhadap Loyalitas Pelanggan Pada Coffee Shop Desa Wisata Tuk Tuk Siadong Kabupaten Samosir

This study aims to investigate the impact of Experiential Marketing on customer loyalty at a coffee shop located in Tuk Tuk Siadong Tourism Village, Samosir Regency. Experiential Marketing is a marketing approach that aims to create a unique and satisfying experience for customers. In the context of a coffee shop, positive experiences include factors such as a comfortable atmosphere, friendly service, special activities, and a pleasant environment. The research method used was a survey using a questionnaire distributed to coffee shop customers as respondents. The collected data were analyzed using regression analysis techniques to identify the relationship between the positive experience provided by the coffee shop and the level of customer loyalty. The results of the study show that there is a significant relationship between the positive experiences provided by coffee shops and customer loyalty. Customers who experience unique and satisfying positive experiences tend to have higher levels of loyalty to the coffee shop. Factors such as a comfortable atmosphere, friendly service, and special activities contribute to a positive experience and influence customer loyalty. The implication of this study is that coffee shops in Tuk Tuk Siadong Tourism Village need to pay special attention to the positive experiences they provide to customers. They need to create a comfortable atmosphere, improve service quality, and present interesting special activities. By engaging customers in a unique experience, coffee shops can strengthen customer loyalty and create a competitive advantage in the marketplace. This research contributes to the understanding of the importance of Experiential Marketing in creating positive experiences that have an impact on customer loyalty in coffee shops. The results of this study can be the basis for coffee shop business owners to plan marketing strategies that focus on a unique and satisfying customer experience.

Exploring the Impact of Augmented Reality on Customer Experiences and Attitudes: A Comparative Analysis with Websites

Augmented Reality is used by various customers’ concerned companies to augment their stimuli, shopping experiences, and customers’ purchasing behavior. Hence, AR driven enabling stimulates customer engagement and their shopping attitude by providing a vivid technology experience. Prior studies found that AR novelty, trust, and vividness influenced the customer usage attitude. There have extant literature presented in the context of AR applications, it is widely used through numerous gadgets but the author intends to explore holistic features that tend to grasp customers’ experiences and attitudes to find the variance between AR vs. Websites. AR potentially disrupted the real-world environment by providing hedonic visual benefits and eliminating the physical efforts that tend to stimulate customers who mesmerize with AR compared to a website. The author chose the Houzz AR app and its website to gather data and provide a better understanding of both scenarios. The author conducted two-field experiments to illustrate positive customer attitudes that satisfied their experience towards the AR app rather than the traditional website. AR app is vivid and novel to engage a customer and moderate their attitude towards the technology immersion. Finally, this study provides multiple implications such as unique visual illustrations, sensational features, and innovation resulting in satisfied customer experience, considering both features in real and virtual world environments.

Management Theories’ Potential for Better Digital Service Customer Experience

Abstract Digital service provision has undergone a period of considerable change because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges of delivering a positive customer experience through digital services are still relevant to this day. The bibliometric analysis carried out in the study showed that this has accelerated research on the modeling of customer experience in digital services, in which researchers are looking for new ways to overcome the challenges encountered. The analysis of the main research themes and seminal publications revealed through the bibliometric analysis concludes that contemporary management theories have the potential to contribute to addressing the emerging challenges in customer experience modeling in digital services.

The impact of omnichannel integrated marketing communications (IMC) on product and retail service satisfaction

PurposeThis study reviewed three customer-perceived components of integrated marketing communications (IMCs): consistency, interactivity and connectivity, as predictors of positive customer evaluation (product and retail service satisfaction).Design/methodology/approachThe customer data from 260 surveys were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The data were collected from the emerging economy in the Moscow region (Russia).FindingsThe results reported that IMC consistency positively impacts product and service satisfaction. However, the effect of IMC interactivity was only significant in the case of service satisfaction. Meanwhile, IMC connectivity positively influenced only product satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes to the marketing communications theory by defining three components of omnichannel IMC. It also adds to the customer behaviour theory by confirming the diverse nature of product and service evaluation. This study focuses on the retail industry.Practical implicationsThis research suggests that three components of IMC should be applied together towards enhancing the customer's positive post-purchase evaluation. Meanwhile, consistency enhances product and service satisfaction, interactive impacts satisfaction with the organization and connectivity with the retail service.Originality/valueThe shift toward omnichannel marketing requires a broader perspective on communication integration. This research reports a novelty result of estimating the separate effect of each component of omnichannel IMC (consistency, interactivity and connectivity) on product and service satisfaction.

Role of Service Quality in Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty: A Quantitative Investigation

Businesses strive to maintain their position in the today's fiercely competitivemarket by providing excellent services that meet or exceed customers'expectations. Customer satisfaction and loyalty depend heavily on acompany's ability to provide a positive customer experience because thisdirectly affects how customers perceive the performance of the company.Inorder to differentiate themselves from the competitors in a market that isdiverse and rapidly developing, businesses in India should prioritise carrierfriendly services. Offerings may help a business increase revenues since theycan increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Delivering excellent servicerequires understanding customer needs and potential in-depth, communicatingwithout hesitation, and completing tasks on schedule .Those components canaid a business in creating a positive customer experience that promotes repeatbusiness, recommendations from satisfied customers, and increased customerloyalty.For Indian businesses to have long-term success and growth, it iscrucial that they invest in the improvement of service quality. By placing ahigh priority on providing exceptional service, businesses can grow theirclientele and get respect for their expertise in their field

Role of brand heritage in local and franchise restaurant service

Given the growth of franchise practices in the service industry, this study focuses on the impact of restaurant heritage in helping to create positive outcomes in company performance. In particular, this study examines the direct impact of brand heritage on customers’ perceived restaurant image and whether it produces positive attitudes and behavior. Due to limited studies on restaurant operation type, the proposed relationship is compared between franchise and local restaurants. Partial least squares structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 4.0 software was used to analyze 599 restaurant customers in the United States. The findings confirm that the perceived restaurant heritage affects the brand image for customers, leading to positive customer evaluations (i.e. satisfaction and trust). In addition, differing levels of customer satisfaction and trust are found to influence the behavioral intentions of customers (i.e. willingness to pay a premium and repurchase intentions). Last, a multigroup analysis showed that the effect of trust on customer behavior was significantly higher among franchise than local customers. In contrast, the effect of satisfaction on customer behavioral intentions was stronger among local than franchise customers. This study provides valuable insights for both local and franchise operators who need to manage their brands to create positive customer outcomes.