Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student, Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Department of Social Communication Sciences, Tabriz-Iran

2 Faculty member of Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch. Department of Sociology-Tabriz-Iran

3 Media Management Group School of Management and Economics; Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran

10.22034/jcsc.2021.525085.2354

Abstract

The present study aims at designing an optimal customer relationship model based on analysing touch points in customer journey. It incorporates a hybrid method of mixed exploratory research, carried out in two consecutive stages: qualitative and quantitative. In the first phase (qualitative), it examines the qualitative nature of the study. To do this, it firstly reviews and evaluates the studies that were conducted in the subject field of study. Then, it will do in-depth interviews with Customer Relationship Management experts. Finally, in the analysis stage, it will collect the necessary information and analyse them via coding and categorising the data in order to present a conceptual model. The researcher has done her best to make alterations in the organisational culture to create a suitable environment. The second stage (quantitative) is through structural equation modelling. For this purpose, the data collected from questionnaire is evaluated by smart PLS software. The results show that the proper pattern of customer relationship includes three main variables: before the purchase, during the purchase and after the purchase with an overall number of six indicators. In the quantitative section, a questionnaire that includes 46 items was handed in to 385 participants. They had a shopping experience in a hyper market last year. The results revealed that the variables before, during and after the purchase effect the relationship with the customer. They rely on analysis of touch points in the customer journey.

Keywords

Main Subjects

 
Anne-Madeleine Kranzbühler & Mirella H. P. Kleijnen & Peeter W. J. Verlegh. (2019).Outsourcing the pain, keeping the pleasure: effects of outsourced touchpoints in the customer journeyJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science 47:308–327 https://doi.org /10.1007/s11747-018-0594-5
Asbjørn Følstad, Knut Kvale, (2018) "Customer journeys: a systematic literature review", Journal of Service Theory and Practice
Christian Homburg1 & Danijel Jozić1 & Christina Kuehnl1.(2017).Customer experience management: toward implementing an evolving marketing concept,J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 45:377–401
Christina Kuehnl & Danijel Jozic & Christian Homburg.(2017).Effective customer journey design: consumers’ conception, measurement, and consequences, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
Kranzbühler, A., & Mirella H. P., & Verlegh P. W. J. (2019). Outsourcing the pain, keeping the pleasure: effects of outsourced touchpoints in the customer journeyJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science 47:308–327
Følstad, A., Kvale K. (2018). Customer journeys: a systematic literature review, Journal of Service Theory and Practice
Boag, P. (2015). All you need to know about customer journey mapping. Retrieved April 16, 21-45.
Christina, K., Danijel, J., & Christian, H.( 2017). Effective customer journey design: consumers’ conception, measurement, and consequences, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 3, 56-67.
Comparis, Ch. (2016). Drei von vier Schweizern sind smart unterwegs. Retrieved August 24, 46-61
De Keyser, A., Lemon, K.N., Klaus, P. and Keiningham, T.L. (2015). A framework for understanding and managing the customer experience, 4, 56-68.
Marketer, E., (2015). ‌Most digital travel bookers will use mobile devices. Retrieved September 10, 43-57.
Frank, J., & McKelvey, H. (2017). EXJM project toolkit: Employee experience journey mapping. 2, 88-91.
Heidenreich, S., Wittkowski, K., Handrich, M., & Falk, T. (2015). The dark side of customer co-creation: Exploring the consequences of failed co-created services. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43, 279 –296.
Jaakkola, E., Helkkula, A. and Aarikka-Stenroos, L. (2015), “Service experience co-creation: conceptualization, implications, and future research directions”, Journal of Service Management, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 182-205.
Bustamante, J. C., Rubio, N., (2017) Measuring customer experience in physical retail environments, Journal of Service Management, 4, 76-89.
Kannan, P. K., Reinartz, W., & Verhoef, P. C. (2016). The Path to Purchase and Attribution Modeling: Introduction to Special Section. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 33, 449–456.
Kumar, V., Bhagwat, Y., & Zhang, X. (2015). Regaining “Lost” Customers: The Predictive Power of First Lifetime Behavior, the Reason for Defection, and the Nature of the Winback Offer. Journal of Marketing, 79(4), 34–55.
Lipkin, M. (2016), “Customer experience formation in today’s service landscape”, Journal of Service Management, Vol. 27 No. 5, 678-703.
Marco I., & Cristina Z., (2018) Mapping touchpoint exposure in retailing: Implications for developing an omnichannel customer experience, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 5, 87-99.
Marquez, J., Downey, A., & Clement, R. (2015). Walking a mile in the user's shoes: Customer journey mapping as a method to understanding the user experience. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 20(3–4), 135–150
Hair, J., (2017) A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PL S-SEM), second ed. SAGE, Los Angeles.
Henseler, J., Hubona, G., Ray, P., (2016) Using PL S path modeling in new technology research: updated guidelines. Ind. Manag. Data Syst. 116 (1), 2-20.
Straub, D., Boudreau, M., Gefen, D., (2004) Validation guidelines for is positivist research. Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 13 (24), 380-427.
Chin, W. (1998). The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling. In G. A. Marcoulides (Ed.),Modern methods for business research (pp. 295–336). London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
 
Acker, David (2016). Strategic market management, Hossein Safarzadeh, Mehdi Khademi, and Ali Akbar Farhangi, Tehran, Payam Pooya Publishing House, second edition.)In persian)

Hasanqolipour, Tahmoures. Seyed Javadin, Seyed Reza. Rusta, Ahmad. and Khanlari, Amir (2011). Evaluation model of customer relationship management process in private commercial banks. Information Technology Management Monthly, Volume 4, Number 10, Pages:14-25. .)In persian)
 
.Rezaee Malek, Narges. and Radfar, Reza (2012). A model for prioritizing knowledge management factors in improving customer relationship management performance (case study: Sepah Bank ). Information Technology Management Monthly, Year 5, Number 3, Pages: 24-38. .)In persian)
 
Tazri, Nagin. and Bolourian Tehrani, Mohammad (2012) Investigating success factors in customer relationship management of insurance companies (case study: Saman Insurance).
 Marketing Management No. 7, Pages: 81-97. .)In persian)
 
.Forouzandeh Dehkordi, Lotfollah. Ardestani Amel, Hamidreza. and Yazdanian, Hadi (2011). The effect of customer relationship management on customer satisfaction in Saderat Bank of Isfahan. Bank of Iranian Marketing Articles, 1-22. .)In persian)
 
Mohammadpour, Ahmad (2011). (philosophical and practical foundations of combined research method in social and behavioural sciences). Tehran: Sociologists. Determine the marked words correctness. .)In persian)
.Hadizadeh Moghadam, Akram. Haj Moqani, Reza. and Ramin Mehr, Hamid (2012) presenting the success model of customer relationship management (CRM) implementation. Conference on Customer Relationship Management, Tehran, 1-20. .)In persian)
 
.Bamdad Sufi, Jahanyar and Karimi, Saeeda and Mirab Astane, Peyman. (2010). CRM performance Evaluation in Iran Khodro based on balanced scorecard. Quarterly Journal of Improvement and Transformation Management Studies, No. 61, pp. 167-191. .)In persian)
 
Tarokh, Mohammad Jafar and Yazdani Fard, Mostafa and Mehraban, Hossein. (2017). customer relation management. Khaje Nasir University Press, first edition. .)In persian)