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Overcoming vulnerability: Channel design strategies to alleviate vulnerability perceptions in customer journeys

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journal contribution
posted on 2019-08-09, 09:52 authored by Jens Hogreve, Nancy V Wünderlich, Ilma Nur Chowdhury, Hannes Fleischer, Sahar MousaviSahar Mousavi, Julia Rötzmeier-Keuper, Rui Sousa

Research has shown that any individual consumer, regardless of membership in any particular class, may experience vulnerability in the marketplace. While studies have identified core determinants of customer vulnerability states and perceptions and outlined their impact on consumers and firms, there is little research on how channel design, as part of service design strategies, can be employed to alleviate or prevent states and perceptions of vulnerability. This study extends the current literature on customer vulnerability by developing a framework that delineates determinants and consequences of vulnerability that manifest in problems of accessing or processing resources. We outline three relevant channel design strategies that service providers might employ to alleviate vulnerability: (1) flexibility through multiple multichannel paths, (2) guidance through constrained channel paths and (3) proactive initiation of interactions. Additionally, we propose a future research agenda and offer recommendations for managerial practice regarding how to identify customer vulnerability and employ countermeasures.


History

School

  • Business and Economics

Department

  • Business

Published in

Journal of Business Research

Volume

116

Pages

377-386

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Rights holder

© Elsevier

Publisher statement

This paper was accepted for publication in the journal Journal of Business Research and the definitive published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.027

Acceptance date

2019-07-19

Publication date

2019-07-30

Copyright date

2020

ISSN

0148-2963

Language

  • en

Depositor

Dr Sahar Mousavi

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