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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 December 2023

Arissara Suratanon Weiler and Bhumiphat Gilitwala

The growth of the internet has transformed digital infrastructure in Thailand over the past two decades, with the widespread use of e-commerce, digital money and online services

Abstract

Purpose

The growth of the internet has transformed digital infrastructure in Thailand over the past two decades, with the widespread use of e-commerce, digital money and online services becoming a daily norm for all ages. The COVID-19 restrictions, which limited in-person business operations, boosted demand for takeout and delivery services and fueled the expected steady growth of the online food delivery market in Thailand. The pandemic also resulted in a shift towards online ordering and delivery, reflecting changes in customer behavior. This study focuses on exploring the factors that have driven Bangkokians to use online food delivery services after the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in June 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 398 participants who had ordered food delivery services after the announcement.

Findings

The findings showed that perceived usefulness, time saving benefit and price saving benefit have a significant impact on the intention of customers to use online food delivery services, while food safety risk perception had no effect.

Practical implications

Bangkokians favor online food delivery services due to convenience and time-saving, indicating high demand post-pandemic. Businesses should invest in improving their platforms to meet evolving consumer behavior.

Originality/value

The result of this study offers valuable insights into the attitudes and behaviors of Bangkokians towards online food delivery services and could be beneficial for businesses in the industry to improve their services, enhance customer satisfaction as well as increase their competitiveness.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 October 2020

Ling Fang, Zhen Lu and Linyin Dong

Corporate travel represents a significant source of revenue for the tourism industry. Therefore, the quality of service is essential for maintaining and expanding corporate…

3735

Abstract

Purpose

Corporate travel represents a significant source of revenue for the tourism industry. Therefore, the quality of service is essential for maintaining and expanding corporate cliental bases. Despite the importance, the extant literature has yet sufficiently examined corporate travel service quality (SQ) and its impact. To make up for the drawback, this study aims to differentiate the impact of SQ perceptions on customer satisfaction between the online and off-line contexts through an empirical investigation in one of the top five corporate travel agencies in North America.

Design/methodology/approach

The well-established SERVQUAL measurement is applied in differentiating the impact of SQ dimensions between the online and off-line context. To empirically test the proposed corporate travel agency (CTA) SQ conceptual model, a set of survey data of “Welcome Back Survey” from HRG (a top five CTA in North America) was examined.

Findings

The study finds that for online services, assurance, responsiveness and empathy affect perceived SQ, whereas for off-line services, assurance, empathy and tangible are the three dimensions of perceived SQ.

Research limitations/implications

By relying on the existing survey, the off-line context has one less dimension than the online context. Yet as an early effort in differentiating the differences in the impact of SQ between two service contexts, the study offers insightful findings.

Practical implications

The findings will be helpful for business managers of CTAs to identify the factors that influence SQ in both online booking and off-line booking context. In particular, assurance and empathy are two dimensions that exert a significant impact on customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to compare the differences of the SQ of online and off-line corporate travel.

Details

International Hospitality Review, vol. 35 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-8142

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 October 2022

Tinyiko Vivian Dube and Lorette Jacobs

This paper aimed to determine the extent to which academic libraries and information services were extended due to the emergence of COVID-19 in the Gauteng Province, South Africa.

4965

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aimed to determine the extent to which academic libraries and information services were extended due to the emergence of COVID-19 in the Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

Founded on a pragmatism paradigm, the sequential explanatory research design was adopted to engage with participants and respondents on their experience of library services extensions to support users during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected using online questionnaires and interviews. Cluster and purposive sampling were used and data for the quantitative part were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), whilst qualitative data were analyzed manually.

Findings

Findings revealed that academic libraries operating in a higher education environment provided extensive support to remote users during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was done through the utilization of a variety of technology utilization, ranging from traditional e-mail support to the use of technology related to Artificial Intelligence such as the BOTsa, which is a Chatbot aimed to assist users in receiving speedy responses to library-related inquiries.

Originality/value

This study is unique in that it focuses on academic libraries that operate in higher education environments where support for achieving academic endeavors becomes imperative to ensure the smooth execution of teaching and learning activities within the restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Adaptions and improvements to academic library services during and post-COVID-19 era were successful in ensuring that remote users could obtain similar services and access to information as was the case before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 June 2019

Rana Tassabehji, Ray Hackney and Takao Maruyama

The purpose of this paper is to consider recent field evidence to analyse what online public services citizens need, explores potential citizen subsidy of these specific services

3703

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider recent field evidence to analyse what online public services citizens need, explores potential citizen subsidy of these specific services and investigates where resources should be invested in terms of media accessibility. The authors explore these from a citizen-centric affordability perspective within three exemplar developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank and United Nations in particular promote initiatives under the “Information and Communication Technologies for Development” (ICT4D) to stress the relevance of e-Government as a way to ensure development and reduce poverty. The authors adopt a contingency value approach to determine directly reported citizens willingness to pay for digital public services. Hence, our focus is mainly upon an empirical investigation through extensive fieldwork in the context of sub-Sahara Africa. A substantive survey was conducted in the respective cities of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Lagos (Nigeria) and Johannesburg (South Africa). The sample of citizens was drawn from each respective Chamber of Commerce database for Ethiopia and South Africa, and for Nigeria a purchased database of businesses, based on stratified random sampling. These were randomly identified from both sectors ensuring all locations were covered with a total sample size of 1,297 respondents. It was found, in particular, that citizens were willing to pay to be able to access digital public services and that amounts of fees they were willing to pay varied depending on what services they wish to access and what devices they use (PCs or mobile phones).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt a contingency value approach to determine directly reported citizens willingness to pay for digital public services. A survey was conducted in the respective cities of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Lagos (Nigeria) and Johannesburg (South Africa). The sample of citizens was drawn from each respective Chamber of Commerce database for Ethiopia and South Africa, and for Nigeria a purchased database of businesses, based on stratified random sampling. These were randomly identified from both sectors ensuring all locations were covered with a total sample size of 1,297 respondents.

Findings

The findings suggest that by understanding citizen needs, demands and how they can benefit from online public services could drive decisions related to what public services need to be prioritised for economically active citizens, potentially explore citizen subsidy of these specific public services which will have a trickle-down benefit to poorer citizens by reducing the pressures on traditional channels of public service delivery and investigate where resources should be invested in terms of media to access online services. Willingness to pay between the top online public services showed no statistically significant difference among all respondents.

Research limitations/implications

The research focused on economically active digitally savvy citizens in the major capital cities in each of our selected countries. While these are not representative of the population at large, our intention was to understand what citizen-led government services would look like from the perspective of this group, with an insight into the value they place on these online services and their ability to access them. Technology diffusion starts with the early adopters (Rogers, 2010), and here the authors have focused on those that are likely to be early adopters.

Practical implications

Poor fiscal capacity, namely, the amount and type of resources a state has at its disposal, not only has an impact on economic wellbeing, but particularly relevant in this case, also has an impact on the quality of government (Baskaran and Bigsten, 2013). Thus, e-government is one way in which developing countries can focus on developing good governance and strengthening civil society to improve the quality of government and motivate citizens to participate in the political process.

Social implications

The economic performance of African countries has been viewed with pessimism, consistently considered to be the poorest continent (Harrison et al., 2014). Recent studies have empirically shown that new information technologies have contributed to longer term economic growth in African countries and stress the need for government to further invest in developing telecommunications infrastructures and internet access (Donou-Adonsou et al., 2016). However one of the major constraints and challenges for developing countries is the limited fiscal capacity and ability to mobilise fiscal resources to finance the provision of public services, which is essential for economic development (Ali et al., 2015).

Originality/value

The authors contribute to the World Bank and United Nations initiatives to promote ICT for Development’ (ICT4D) the relevance of e-government as a way to ensure development and reduce poverty. If online services are of no benefit, even if they are more convenient and lower cost, they are unlikely to be used. Accessing digital public services directly addresses the needs of economically active citizens and can also facilitate the steps towards an improved quality of government and interaction with civil society. The study has contributed to an insightful understanding of the value, cost and benefits of citizen-led e-Government in this respect.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 December 2020

Mark Anthony Camilleri and Loredana Falzon

The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its preventative social distancing measures have led to a dramatic increase in subscriptions to paid streaming services

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Abstract

Purpose

The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its preventative social distancing measures have led to a dramatic increase in subscriptions to paid streaming services. Online users are increasingly accessing live broadcasts, as well as recorded video content and digital music services through internet and mobile devices. In this context, this study aims to explore the individuals’ uses and gratifications from online streaming technologies during COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

This research has adapted key measures from the “technology acceptance model” (TAM) and from the “uses and gratifications theory” (UGT) to better understand the individuals’ intentions to use online streaming technologies. A structural equations partial least squares’ confirmatory composite approach was used to analyze the gathered data.

Findings

The individuals’ perceived usefulness and ease of use of online streaming services were significant antecedents of their intentions to use the mentioned technologies. Moreover, this study suggests that the research participants sought emotional gratifications from online streaming technologies, as they allowed them to distract themselves into a better mood and to relax in their leisure time. Evidently, they were using them to satisfy their needs for information and entertainment.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the academic literature by generating new knowledge about the individuals’ perceptions, motivations and intentions to use online streaming technologies to watch recorded movies, series and live broadcasts.

Practical implications

The findings imply that there is scope for the providers of online streaming services to improve their customer-centric marketing by refining the quality and content of their recorded programs and through regular interactions with subscribers and personalized recommender systems.

Originality/value

This study integrates the TAM and UGT frameworks to better understand the effects of the users’ perceptions, ritualized and instrumental motivations on their intentions to continue watching movies, series and broadcasts through online streaming technologies, during COVID-19.

Propósito

El distanciamiento social durante la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19) ha llevado a un aumento dramático en las suscripciones a los servicios de transmisión de pago. Los usuarios en línea acceden cada vez más a transmisiones en vivo, así como a contenido de video grabado y servicios de música digital. En este contexto, este estudio explora los usos y las gratificaciones buscadas por las personas con las tecnologías de transmisión en línea durante la COVID-19.

Diseño/Metodología/Enfoque

En la operacionalización de las variables se utilizaron las medidas del “Modelo de Aceptación de Tecnología” (TAM) y la “Teoría de Usos y Gratificaciones” (UGT). Además, se utilizó SEM-PLS 3 para analizar los datos recopilados de las encuestas.

Hallazgos

La utilidad percibida y la facilidad de uso de los servicios de transmisión en línea son antecedentes significativos de la intención de utilizarlos. Además, las personas buscan gratificaciones emocionales de tales tecnologías, ya que les permiten distraerse, estar de mejor humor y relajarse en su tiempo libre. Además, las utilizan para obtener información y entretenimiento.

Implicaciones teóricas

Este estudio contribuye a la literatura académica generando nuevos conocimientos sobre las percepciones, motivaciones e intenciones de los individuos de utilizar tecnologías de transmisión en línea para ver películas grabadas, series y transmisiones en vivo.

Implicaciones prácticas

Los hallazgos implican que hay margen para que los proveedores de servicios de transmisión en línea mejoren su marketing centrado en el cliente reforzando la calidad y el contenido de sus programas grabados y la publicidad intermitente.

Originalidad/Valor

Este estudio integra las teorías TAM y UGT para comprender mejor el creciente uso de las tecnologías de transmisión para ver películas grabadas, series y transmisiones en vivo.

目的

新型冠状病毒(COVID-19)大流行的爆发及其预防性的社会隔离措施,导致付费流媒体服务订阅量大幅增加。越来越多的在线用户通过互联网和移动设备访问直播、录制视频内容和数字音乐服务。在此背景下,本研究旨在探讨COVID-19疫情期间个人对在线流媒体技术的使用和满意度。

研究设计/研究方法

为了更好地理解个体使用在线流媒体技术的意图,本研究采用了“技术接受模型”(TAM)和“使用与满足理论”(UGT)的主要测量方法。另外,作者采用了结构方程偏最小二乘验证组合方法对采集的数据进行分析。

研究结果

个人对在线流媒体服务的感知有用性和易用性是他们使用上述技术的意图的重要先行因素。此外,这项研究表明,研究中的参与者从在线流媒体技术中寻求情感满足,让自己得到一个好心情,并在闲暇时间放松。显然,他们是在用手机来满足他们对信息和娱乐的需求。

研究局限性/意义

本研究对个人使用在线流媒体技术观看电影、电视剧和直播的认知、动机和意图产生了新的认识,对学术文献的贡献。

实际意义

研究结果表明,在线流媒体服务提供商可以通过改进其录制节目的质量和内容、定期与订阅者互动以及个性化推荐系统来改善其以客户为中心的营销。

本文独创性/价值

本研究整合了TAM和UGT框架,以更好地了解COVID-19期间用户的认知、仪式化和工具动机对他们通过在线流媒体技术继续观看电影、电视剧和广播的意图的影响。

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 September 2018

Kristina Heinonen and Gustav Medberg

Understanding customers is critical for service researchers and practitioners. Today, customers are increasingly active online, and valuable information about their opinions…

69483

Abstract

Purpose

Understanding customers is critical for service researchers and practitioners. Today, customers are increasingly active online, and valuable information about their opinions, experiences and behaviors can be retrieved from a variety of online platforms. Online customer information creates new opportunities to design personalized and high-quality service. This paper aims to review how netnography as a method can help service researchers and practitioners to better use such data.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review and analysis were conducted on 321 netnography studies published in marketing journals between 1997 and 2017.

Findings

The systematic review reveals that netnography has been applied in a variety of ways across different marketing fields and topics. Based on the analysis of existing netnography literature, empirical, theoretical and methodological recommendations for future netnographic service research are presented.

Research limitations/implications

This paper shows how netnography can offer service researchers unprecedented opportunities to access naturalistic online data about customers and, hence, why it is an important method for future service research.

Practical implications

Netnographic research can help service firms with, for example, service innovation, advertising and environmental scanning. This paper provides guidelines for service managers who want to use netnography as a market research tool.

Originality/value

Netnography has seen limited use in service research despite many promising applications in this field. This paper is the first to encourage and support service researchers in their use of the method and aims to stimulate interesting future netnographic service research.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 32 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 November 2019

Monica Cortiñas, Raquel Chocarro and Margarita Elorz

Consumers are increasingly combining distribution channels, thus displaying so-called omni-channel behavior, both to complete a given purchase and between purchases. The authors…

7324

Abstract

Purpose

Consumers are increasingly combining distribution channels, thus displaying so-called omni-channel behavior, both to complete a given purchase and between purchases. The authors make a distinction between omni-channel customers, who make use of distribution services in both channels and omni-channel users, who make partial use of the distribution services of one channel to support purchases in another. This paper aims to identify the omni-channel behavior among the customers of a global fast fashion retailer dealing in a wide range of apparel and clothing accessories.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multinomial logit model, the authors perform a customer segmentation based on observed omni-channel behavior, considering the explanatory roles of demographics, distribution service features and customer service policies across the different retail channels.

Findings

The authors observe that the key retail channel features for explaining omni-channel customer behavior are product accessibility, both in store and online; the assurance that goods purchased online will satisfy the customer’s needs and expectations; and the option to return goods found unsatisfactory.

Practical implications

The results clearly show that the nature of the visits and purchases made by customers is determined by various components of the companýs customer service policy, which can, therefore, be used to guide the retailer’s segmentation strategy.

Originality/value

Future lines of research should explore the economic implications of this customer segmentation. The price perception data emerging from our findings suggest a greater sensitivity to prices in the mono-channel segment, which might be worth exploring in future research.

Future research

Future lines of research should explore the economic implications of this customer segmentation. The price perception data emerging from our findings suggest a greater sensitivity to prices in the mono-channel segment which might be worth exploring in future research.

Propósito

Los consumidores combinan canales de distribución en el denominado comportamiento omni-canal cada vez en mayor medida, tanto para completar una misma compra como entre distintas compras. Distinguimos entre clientes omni-canal, que hacen uso de los servicios de distribución de ambos canales, y usuarios omni-canal, que hacen solo un uso parcial de los servicios de distribución de un canal para apoyar las compras en el otro canal. En este trabajo identificamos este comportamiento omni-canal entre los clientes de una empresa global del sector de la moda que vende un amplio rango de productos de ropa y complementos.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Mediante un modelo logit multinomial, realizamos una segmentación de los clientes en base a su comportamiento omnicanal. En esta segmentación, consideramos el papel explicativo, no solo de las características de los individuos, sino también el de los servicios de distribución y las políticas en cada canal.

Resultados

Obtenemos cómo el acceso al producto, tanto en el establecimiento como a la página web, la garantía de que el producto comprado online tendrá las características esperadas y las facilidades para devolver el producto adquirido online si no cumple las expectativas, son rasgos clave de los canales que explican el comportamiento omnicanal de los clientes.

Implicaciones prácticas

Nuestros resultados muestran claramente que diferentes aspectos de la oferta de servicios y de políticas de la empresa determinan las compras y las visitas y estos aspectos pueden ser utilizados para guiar la estrategia de segmentación del detallista.

Originalidad/valor

En este trabajo contribuimos a la literatura sobre el marketing omnicanal presentando un modelo de segmentación, basado en los servicios de distribución ofertados por los minoristas, para las empresas que comercializan productos a través de distintos canales. Aportamos una distinción conceptual entre usuarios de un canal y compradores que tiene un amplio rango de aplicación.

Líneas futuras

Es necesario proseguir con las líneas futuras de investigación para investigar las implicaciones financieras de esta segmentación. La percepción de los precios que se detecta en nuestros resultados puede sugerir una sensibilidad mayor a los precios en el segmento mono-canal lo que puede ser una línea interesante a contrastar en investigaciones futuras.

Palabras clave

Omni-canal, Moda rápida, Trabajo de investigación, Segmentación, Servicios de distribución, Comercio electrónico

Tipo de artículo

Trabajo de investigación

Details

Spanish Journal of Marketing - ESIC, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2444-9709

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 March 2022

Wai Chuen Poon and Serene En Hui Tung

This study aims to understand consumer behaviour in the context of online food delivery (OFD), especially given the mandatory lockdown imposed in some countries that have modified…

27190

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand consumer behaviour in the context of online food delivery (OFD), especially given the mandatory lockdown imposed in some countries that have modified the behaviour of consumers. Using model goal-directed behaviour (MGB), this study was conducted to investigate consumer perceived risk on the use of OFD services.

Design/methodology/approach

Responses of food delivery services users were collected online throughout April 2020 to understand their risk profile and behaviour. A total of 339 responses were collected and subsequently analysed using partial least square (PLS). Both measurement and structural model were evaluated to ensure that the structural equation modelling (SEM) is valid.

Findings

The results revealed that attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), positive anticipated emotion (PAE) and negative anticipated emotion (NAE) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) significantly influenced users' desire. It was also found that PBC significantly influenced users' intention. The empirical result suggests that performance, privacy, financial, physical and the risk of contracting COVID-19 negatively influenced users' desire. In contrast, only physical and the risk of contracting COVID-19 negatively influenced users' intention to use OFD services.

Practical implications

These findings provide OFD service providers and scholars with significant insights into what compels urbanites to adopt OFD services amid a health pandemic. It also allows OFD companies to realign their operation in addressing these concerns and changes in consumer behaviour.

Originality/value

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, this study provides insights for OFD providers in developing new strategies and approaches for business development and consumer retention in a post-pandemic world.

研究目的

本研究擬瞭解與網上訂餐相關的消費行為;尤其當有些國家推行了改變消費者行為的強制性封鎖政策的情況下,這類研究更具意義。透過應用目標導向行為模型,本研究擬探討消費者在使用網上訂餐服務時所意識到的風險。

研究設計/方法/理念

研究人員於 2020年4月網上收集使用訂餐服務人士的意見,以瞭解其風險狀況和行為。研究共收集了339位人士的意見,並以偏最小二乘法進行分析。測量和結構模型均加以評估,以確保結構方程模型是站得住腳的。

研究結果

研究結果顯示,態度、主觀規範、預期的正面和負面情緒、以及感知的行為控制,顯著地影響了用戶的慾望。研究結果亦發現,感知的行為控制顯著地影響了用戶的意圖。研究的經驗性結果暗示了表現、私隱、金錢上的爭議、可能會導致的身體損傷和感染2019冠狀病毒病的風險,負面地影響用戶的慾望。相比之下,影響著用戶使用網上訂餐服務的意圖的因素就只有可能會導致的身體損傷和感染2019冠狀病毒病的風險。

實務方面的啓示

研究的結果,為提供網上訂餐服務的營運者和研究學者提供了重要的啟示,使他們更瞭解是什麼因素會迫使都市人在與健康息息相關的大流行病期間使用網上訂餐服務。而且,提供網上訂餐服務的公司亦可藉此重新調整其營運,以能處理客戶的憂慮和應付消費行為的變化。

研究的原創性/價值

在大流行病肆虐的背景下,本研究為網上訂餐服務提供者給予了啟示,以便他們能在後疫情時代制定新的策略和營運方法,以拓展其業務和留住消費者。

Details

European Journal of Management and Business Economics, vol. 33 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2444-8451

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 December 2019

Adi Kuswanto, Sundari Sundari, Ashur Harmadi and Dwi Asih Hariyanti

This study aims to analyze the effect of service quality on trust, satisfaction and loyalty by adopting two models, namely, conventional service quality model from Parasuraman and…

5577

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the effect of service quality on trust, satisfaction and loyalty by adopting two models, namely, conventional service quality model from Parasuraman and information systems (IS) success model from Delone and McLean.

Design/methodology/approach

Respondents of this study were users of shared-motorcycle services who filled out a complete questionnaire totaling 507. This research used a second-order structural equation model. All question items had quite high reliability and validity based on the result of confirmatory factor analysis with a value of average variance extracted and composite reliability which was higher than 0.70. The goodness of fit was quite good with the values x2/df = 2.493, incremental fit index = 0.921, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.917, comparative fit index = 0.921 and root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.054.

Findings

Online and offline ride-sharing services reveal a strong and positive influence on trust and satisfaction. Trust reveals a strong and positive influence on satisfaction and loyalty. Finally, satisfaction reveals a strong and positive influence on loyalty. The research in general shows that the quality of offline service is more influential than the quality of online service in the case of ride-sharing service provided by two companies in Indonesia.

Research limitations/implications

The sampling frame of the research was diverse, including students of various collages and junior high schools, various private company workers and government employees. So, the results cannot be generalized to all populations especially to all Indonesian customers. It is recommended to increase the number of samples by focusing on the community groups of customers of public motorbikes, so that these groups can be compared. Next, the research finds that both service quality based on IS and service quality models reveal a strong and positive influence on loyalty both directly and indirectly.

Originality/value

The research uses respondents who use motorcycle services both online and offline. The findings of the research are important for online and offline ride-sharing motorbike service providers. They have to maintain their excellent services to the customers.

Details

Innovation & Management Review, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2515-8961

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 April 2020

Jonna Pauliina Koponen and Saara Rytsy

Currently, online chat is in common use in e-commerce. By adding social interaction to the online context, companies hope to increase customers’ purchasing intentions. However…

5513

Abstract

Purpose

Currently, online chat is in common use in e-commerce. By adding social interaction to the online context, companies hope to increase customers’ purchasing intentions. However, previous studies have not investigated how social presence is embedded in online business-to-business (B2B) chat conversations between buyers and sellers. Moreover, the functions of online chat in B2B sales have not been investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was collected at a case company over the course of four years, from which the authors analyzed 157 online chat conversations between buyers (n = 157) and sellers (n = 9) with a theory-driven thematic analysis. In addition, data from the company’s customer relationship management system was collected to specify buyer types.

Findings

The results reveal that social presence was embedded in online B2B chat via buyers’ interactive, affective and relationship maintenance responses. Social presence differed depending on the type of buyer, with only existing customers having relationship maintenance responses. E-commerce B2B chat functions can be described as multiple and changing depending on the buyer–seller relationship stage.

Research limitations/implications

Having data only from one case company limits the results to one type of industry.

Practical implications

The results can be used in sales training and when developing online chat services.

Originality/value

Results bring scientific utility to B2B sales and marketing research, as the authors build a bridge between social presence, the existing theoretical model on B2B buyer–seller relationship development and online chat as a communication medium. Other researchers may use this understanding when exploring B2B buyer–seller interaction in different digitalized communication media.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 54 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 5000