Customer-Firm Interactions and the Path to Profitability: A Chain-of-Effects Model

Cambra-Fierro, J. ; Melero-Polo, I. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Sese, F.J. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; van Doorn, J.

Resumen: This study investigates a chain of effects to understand the causal path from customer informational inquiries (CIIs) and firm-initiated contacts (FICs) to customer profitability. Drawing on social exchange theory, our framework identifies a set of attitudinal (perceived relationship investment and relationship quality), behavioral (customer cross-buy and service usage), and financial (customer profitability) consequences of CIIs and FICs and also explores the extent to which customer-perceived financial risk and customer involvement shape attitudinal reactions to CIIs and FICs. Using longitudinal data for a sample of 1, 990 customers measured in four different periods, the framework is tested in financial services by applying seemingly unrelated regression techniques. Our results reveal that FICs and CIIs are a particularly valuable tool for strengthening the relationship with customers with a low level of involvement but high perception of financial services risk. For highly involved customers, FICs and CIIs are not very effective; CIIs can even backfire if the customer also perceives the risk to be low. Our results highlight the importance of market segmentation for marketers to more effectively manage when and to whom they should target marketing activities (FICs) and steer CIIs.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1177/1094670517738369

Año: 2018

Publicado en: JOURNAL OF SERVICE RESEARCH 21, 2 (2018), 201-218
ISSN: 1094-6705

Factor impacto JCR: 4.071 (2018)

Categ. JCR: BUSINESS rank: 29 / 147 = 0.197 (2018) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 3.34 - Information Systems (Q1) - Sociology and Political Science (Q1) - Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/S09-PM062
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/ECO2014-54760

Tipo y forma: Artículo (Versión definitiva)

Área (Departamento): Área Comerci.Investig.Mercados (Dpto. Direc.Mark.Inves.Mercad.)