Customer management in Internet-based platform firms: review and future research directions
Marketing Intelligence & Planning
ISSN: 0263-4503
Article publication date: 18 May 2020
Issue publication date: 1 October 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study proposes a conceptual framework for analyzing customer management strategies and their effects on Internet-based platform performance based on a review of the relevant literature, and provides directions for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review of relevant research articles on customer management in platform firms was conducted.
Findings
First, a framework based on the market maker view of platform firms suggests customer acquisition, customer retention and customer governance are the main customer management subprocesses toward improving platform firm performance. Second, the most studied customer management strategies for each subprocess contribute to platform performance based on the mechanisms of building customer network, developing customer network effect and managing sustainable customer networks.
Originality/value
This study proposes a framework that identifies customer acquisition, customer retention and customer governance as three key customer management subprocesses in platform firms. It also summarizes the most studied customer management strategies/actions for each subprocess. With this analytical framework, it identifies underexplored key issues in customer management for further research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.71772059, No.71573079) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2019RC46).
Citation
Yang, Z., Diao, Z. and Kang, J. (2020), "Customer management in Internet-based platform firms: review and future research directions", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 38 No. 7, pp. 957-973. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-01-2020-0012
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited