Customer Engagement in Theory and Practice

A Marketing Management Perspective

verfasst von: Katarzyna Żyminkowska

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

Offering a pragmatic understanding of customer engagement as an object of effective marketing management, this book takes an integrative approach and brings together different streams of marketing research, such as customer activism and value formation. The author explores the notion of customer engagement by analysing empirical data compiled from firms operating in the consumer goods and services sectors, as well as from the consumers themselves. An insightful read for scholars of consumer behaviour and customer relationship management, this book advances understanding of the drivers, components and effects (both positive and negative) of customer engagement and proposes a comprehensive framework for its management.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

1. Concepts of Customer Activism

Abstract

The concept of customer engagement refers to the customer activism in value formation, which is not a new notion in the marketing and management literature. Theories of customer activism constitute particular anchors for systemizing the knowledge on customer engagement. Drawing on the contributions of two influential metatheories, such as value co-creation and network management, and related concepts (including service-dominant logic, customer participation, prosumption, customer integration, or user and open innovation) Żyminkowska recommends realistic view on CE phenomenon and suggests the adequate terminology to describe the role of CE in firm-level value creation. The recommended term of ‘value co-formation’ encompasses both positive CE consequences for firm (i.e. value co-creation with active customer) and potential negative outcomes or risks (i.e. value co-destruction by active customer).

Katarzyna Żyminkowska

2. Interpreting Customer Engagement in the Marketing Discipline

Abstract

This chapter addresses the problem of the CE research fragmentation and terminology confusions. Żyminkowska discusses existing customer engagement interpretations, forms, and models and confronts them with other marketing categories to recognize the originality of distinct CE understandings in the marketing discipline. She systemizes CE knowledge adapting the integrative approach and brings together the contributions from parallel streams that evolved in the previous CE research, suggesting the complementarity of those streams. The integrative CE understanding, offered in this chapter, is based on behavioural interpretation and enriched with attitudinal factors of customer behaviour that are exposed in multidimensional, attitudinal perspective. Consequently, Żyminkowska proposes the typology of customer engagement forms (types) including customers’ communication, customer complaints, and customer collaboration.

Katarzyna Żyminkowska

3. Placing Customer Engagement Within Marketing Management

Abstract

Placing the customer engagement in the marketing management field and exploring how it alters firm and customer perspectives on the value formation in marketing process, this chapter offers the comprehensive framework of CE management. From the firm standpoint, the formation of value proposition is not the exclusive domain of a company, because customer may actively attend this process. On the other hand, such an activism (engagement) may bring certain value to customer, may enhance customer perceived value. Therefore, Żyminkowska proposes the normative model of CE management that refers to both the firm perspective on value (i.e. the components of the CE management process, and CE benefits and risk for the firms) and consumer view on value (i.e. values or motives that drive customer engagement).

Katarzyna Żyminkowska

4. Why Do Customers Engage?

Abstract

To meet customers’ expectations and profitably manage customer engagement, firms need to know whether and why their customers want to engage. This chapter sheds light on CE drivers from consumer perspective and implies the repertory of customer incentives that need to be developed by firms for profitable customer engagement management on consumer markets. Based on the survey of 2080 consumers Żyminkowska reveals rather low CE intensity among Polish consumers across all markets under study. She discovers that customer motivations, associated with customer goals and values, are more influential drivers of CE than customer involvement or loyalty. This chapter also highlights the role of hedonic and utilitarian motivations in driving the customer engagement.

Katarzyna Żyminkowska

5. Firms’ Practices in Customer Engagement Management

Abstract

Firms should manage not only CE they initiate, but also CE initiated by customers. Based on the findings of survey conducted in 402 companies, Żyminkowska reveals current practices in the CE management and its firm-level effects across distinct industries, including benefits and risks. She uncovers rather low intensity of CE in firms’ practices and some disparities across CE forms, industries, and types of business. Although Żyminkowska finds the positive impact of CE management process on firm performance, this chapter confirms immaturity of CE management process in firms indicating the gaps that need to be addressed in order to minimize the risks and thus manage customer engagement profitably.

Katarzyna Żyminkowska

6. Customer Engagement Trends and Perspectives in Modern Business

Abstract

The findings of a multilevel analysis of customer engagement intensity in modern business presented in this chapter shed light on CE management prospects. Żyminkowska provides the macro-scale analysis of firms’ practices in collaborating with its clients, based on the OECD and CIS data, and reveals significant disproportions across countries. On the other hand, she finds the importance of customers as source of information for innovation is quite similar in the mezzo-scale, across distinct industries in Poland. Drawing attention to the firms’ plans for increasing the intensity of engaging customers during the next years, this chapter confirms overall positive CE prospects across each industry under study, although it outlines some disparities across distinct customer engagement forms.

Katarzyna Żyminkowska

7. Conclusion

Abstract

The last chapter of the book offers a quick glance at the key theoretical and empirical contributions of the entire publication and forms the foundations for further enhancement of the effective and efficient customer engagement management in the marketing field. Żyminkowska provides a summary guide useful for further advanced research in the fields of engagement marketing, engagement orientation, or customer engagement-based business models, that form likely looking stream in marketing domain for business and academia.

Katarzyna Żyminkowska

Backmatter

Titel: Customer Engagement in Theory and Practice
verfasst von: Katarzyna Żyminkowska
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-11677-4
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11676-7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11677-4