group one is that customers evaluate service quality based on the service's credibility such as medical, repair, legal services, ...; group two is that customers evaluate service quality
RESEARCH OVERIEW
Precursors and rationales of the research
In an increasingly competitive global market, service companies must focus on establishing and maintaining strong competitive advantages (Gentile, Spiller, and Noci, 2007; Lovelock, Patterson, and Wirtz, 2015) Customer experience has emerged as a critical strategic priority, serving as a key differentiator for service providers seeking sustained success (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016; Pine and Gilmore, 1998) Recognizing this, many service organizations are now prioritizing customer experience management by appointing dedicated executives and integrating customer-centric initiatives into their core strategies (De Keyser, et al., 2020) Additionally, companies understand the importance of managing all customer touchpoints—before, during, and after service delivery—as each stage plays a vital role in shaping overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.
A negative experience at any touchpoint can significantly undermine an organization's efforts to deliver an impressive customer experience, which is essential for generating revenue, retaining loyal customers, fostering engagement, and building a distinctive company culture (Rawson and Jones, 2013; De Keyser et al., 2020; Siqueira et al., 2020; Thakur, 2016; Homburg et al., 2017) According to the 2019 Acquia report, over 76% of consumers globally will switch to a competitor after just one poor customer experience, highlighting the critical importance of customer experience management (Brown, 2019) Focusing on delivering exceptional customer experiences can lead to substantial improvements in both top and bottom-line performance (Brown, 2019) Customer experience is defined as the internal and subjective responses—including cognitive and affective reactions—that customers have during direct or indirect interactions with a brand (Meyer and)
Understanding customer experience is essential for executives to effectively design their services and meet evolving consumer expectations (Pullman and Gross, 2004; Teixeira, et al., 2012) In today's competitive landscape, consumers seek not only quality products or services but also unique and memorable experiences, making the comprehension of customer experience crucial for maintaining a sustained competitive advantage (Stein and Ramaseshan, 2016; Pine and Gilmore, 1998; Schwager, 2007; De Keyser, et al., 2020).
Besides, previous studies have empirically demonstrated the effect of customer experience on several positive outcomes (Pine and Gilmore, 1998; Klaus and Maklan, 2012 ; Mascarenhas, Kesavan and Bernacchi, 2006; Pullman and Gross,
Companies create competitive advantages and enhance business outcomes such as customer retention and profitability by designing unique customer experiences (Bolton et al., 2009; Verhoef et al., 2009) Positive customer emotions linked to these experiences drive satisfaction and repurchase behavior, while negative emotions can lead to dissatisfaction and avoidance (Holbrook & Batra, 1987; Russell, Weiss & Mendelsohn, 1989) Customer experience significantly influences business performance, especially marketing outcomes, with successful experiences correlating with improved performance (Prahalad & Ramaswamy, 2004; Camarero, 2007; Rose et al., 2012) Today’s modern marketing emphasizes brand and customer engagement, making it crucial to understand the factors influencing engagement both academically and practically (Kumar, 2019; Khan et al., 2020; Pansari & Kumar, 2016) Despite extensive debate on the conceptual structure of customer engagement, empirical research on the antecedents and consequences remains limited, raising important questions about whether customer experience leads to engagement or vice versa, and the nature of this relationship, emphasizing the need for further exploration.
In the evolving role of customers as active participants in service creation, they often act as “partial employees,” influencing service quality and operational efficiency through voluntary behaviors such as customer citizenship (Groth, 2005; Keh and Teo, 2001) According to social identity theory, individuals derive part of their self-concept from their membership in social groups, which carries emotional significance (Tajfel, 1974) This theory suggests that social identity motivates consumers to recognize themselves as part of online communities, fulfilling social needs and maintaining a positive social image through group-related behaviors (Dholakia et al., 2004) Furthermore, people tend to define themselves based on their group affiliations and strive to enhance their group’s status (Brewer, 1991) A higher level of customer-company identification leads consumers to see themselves as integral to the organization, exhibiting positive attitudes and behaviors aligned with the company’s goals (Ran and Zhou, 2019) Consequently, the research applies Social Identity Theory to explore mediators that link customer experience with customer engagement, emphasizing the importance of social identity in fostering consumer involvement.
Individuals exhibit differences in their dispositional need for cognitive closure (NFC), with some seeking quick decisions and predictability—characteristics of high NFC—while others tolerate ambiguity and prefer open, deliberate judgment, reflecting low NFC (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Webster & Kruglanski, 1994) High NFC individuals tend to be closed-minded and dislike ambiguity, whereas low NFC individuals demonstrate greater epistemic motivation, openness, and slower decision-making processes (Calogero et al., 2009) Facial expressions are crucial in interpersonal interactions, as they can elicit affective reactions and influence behavior predictions based on emotional cues (Hatfield et al., 1992; Frith & Frith, 2007; Alguacil et al., 2017) Specifically, people with low epistemic motivation often rely directly on emotional expressions of others to guide their actions, as emotional cues impact their affective states (Van Kleef et al., 2009) This study investigates how customers' personal characteristics, particularly their motivation to process cues related to beauty services, are influenced by their NFC and emotional expression perceptions.
Customer experience is increasingly vital for service businesses, serving as a sustainable competitive advantage and a core focus for service designers in every project (Teixeira et al., 2012) Experiential marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy to satisfy consumers' emotional desires by creating sensational and memorable experiences, even within the beauty services industry (Jeon, 2013).
Recent years have seen increased research on experiential marketing across industries such as culture, fashion, cultural content, and design, focusing on elements like senses, feelings, thoughts, actions, and relationships (Schmitt, 1999) While significant studies have been conducted on experiential marketing in the cosmetics and beauty industries, research specifically targeting beauty salons remains limited, often focusing only on aspects like emotion or relationship marketing Comprehensive studies on experiential marketing within beauty salons are largely absent, highlighting a gap in current research (Jeon, 2013).
Research gaps
Despite extensive research on customer experience within the service industry, there is a notable gap in understanding how customer experience varies across different contexts such as industry and culture (Alnawas and Hemsley-Brown, 2019; Quach et al., 2020) Prior studies highlight that factors like playfulness, aesthetics, and service excellence are valued differently by customers in various regions, for example, more by US consumers than Chinese consumers (Shobeiri, Mazaheri, and Laroche, 2018) While efforts have been made to develop a global measure of customer experience, most existing research has focused on financial services, with limited empirical testing across other service sectors (Rose et al., 2012; Klaus et al., 2013; Garg et al., 2014; Fernandes and Pinto, 2019) Klaus and Maklan’s (2012) four-dimensional model—encompassing product experience, outcome focus, moments-of-truth, and peace-of-mind—offers a promising framework but has only been tested in specific contexts like mortgage and hotel industries (Klaus and Maklan, 2012; Lemon and Verhoef, 2016) Given that customer experience perceptions differ significantly across sectors, applying this model to beauty services in Vietnam can provide valuable insights and tailored managerial strategies, emphasizing the need for further validation and nuanced understanding in diverse service contexts.
Current research has largely overlooked the importance of understanding customers’ perspectives and the service context that facilitate positive business outcomes through customer experience (Teixeira et al.,., 2012; Klaus and Maklan, 2012) Most studies focus solely on customer experience as a factor influencing commitment, perception, and behavior (Khan, Garg, and Rahman, 2015; Klaus and Maklan,., 2012; Klaus et al., 2013; Sharma and Chaubey, 2014; Garg, Rahman, and Qureshi, 2014; Van Doorn et al., 2010; Rose et al., 2012; Keiningham et al., 2017; Kumar et al., 2019; Kuo and Chen, 2015; Sari and Wijaya, 2019; Karnowati and Astuti, 2020; Heo and Kim, 2016) Therefore, investigating the mechanisms and conditions that convert customer experience into positive company outcomes is essential Understanding customer-engagement behaviors—actions that benefit companies—requires a multi-dimensional conceptual approach to capture the comprehensive relationship between customer experience and engagement (Roy et al., 2020).
Previous studies have explored the impact of various factors on customer engagement behavior; however, these research approaches are grounded in different theoretical frameworks Notably, few studies have employed Social Identity Theory to examine this relationship, as seen in the works of Libai et al (2010), Brodie et al (2011), Kumar, Peterson, and Leone (2010), Kumar et al (2013), Hollebeek, Glynn, and Brodie (2014), and Bueno et al This gap highlights the need for further research utilizing Social Identity Theory to better understand customer engagement dynamics.
Recent research emphasizes the need for further studies to understand how customer experience can lead to customer engagement behaviors through new approaches Customer experience is shaped by customers' personal aspects, such as personality traits like extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness, which influence their responses to companies’ offerings and touchpoints (Heinonen & Strandvik, 2015; Mann & Rawat, 2016) Social identity theory suggests that when customers value their interactions with the company and staff, they are more likely to identify with the brand, which influences their post-experience behaviors (Mael & Ashforth, 1992; Hong & Yang, 2009) During service interactions, customers co-create value and contribute to profits, making motivation a critical factor in this process The study integrates customer dominant logic and need for cognition theories, focusing on individual motivation, particularly epistemic motivation—the desire to develop a comprehensive understanding of one’s current situation—which plays a key role in customer engagement (D'Andrade, 1992; Wang et al., 2017).
Beauty services are defined as personal services where customer experience plays a crucial role in co-creating the service outcome (Konishi, 2016) According to Konishi (2016), services are classified into two categories: one based on service credibility, such as medical, legal, and repair services, and the other based on customer experience, including beauty care, resorts, and restaurants Beauty services fall into the latter category, highlighting the importance of customer experience in delivering quality Despite this, there is limited research on how customer experience translates into positive business outcomes in the beauty industry, especially within the Vietnamese context Therefore, this study focuses on beauty services in Vietnam to explore the mechanisms and conditions that influence customer experience and company success.
Research aims
This research, conducted within the Vietnamese beauty service industry, aims to validate the customer experience scale and explore how and under what conditions customer experience influences customer engagement behavior Drawing on Customer-Dominant Logic, Social Identity Theory, and the Need for Cognition, the study proposes that customer experience positively impacts engagement behaviors through customer-employee and customer-company identification Furthermore, the relationship between customer experience and engagement behavior is moderated by customer’s epistemic motivation The research framework is structured into three key sections, emphasizing the mediating role of customer-employee identification in the link between customer experience and engagement behavior.
This study explores the mediating role of customer-company identification in the relationship between customer experience and customer engagement behavior Additionally, it examines how customer epistemic motivation conditionally influences the indirect link between customer experience and engagement behaviors The article presents the development of formal hypotheses, detailed methodology, key results, and a comprehensive discussion of findings, providing valuable insights into customer behavior and engagement strategies.
Research objectives and questions
Relating to the aim of the research showed in section (1.2), the following research questions/objectives are formulated with expected solutions
Objective 1: Determine whether customer engagement behavior is the outcome of customer experience in the beauty service context The two corresponding research questions developed were:
1.1 Is customer engagement behavior the outcome of customer experience in the beauty service context?
1.2 How does customer experience effect customer engagement behavior in the beauty service context?
Objective 2: Examine the mediating roles of customer-firm and customer-employee identification in the relationship between customer experience and customer engagement behavior of the beauty service context The two corresponding research questions developed were:
2.1 Are customer-firm and customer-employee identification the mediators in the relationship between customer experience and customer engagement behavior of the beauty service context ?
2.2 How are the mediating roles of customer-firm and customer-employee identification in the relationship between customer experience and customer engagement behavior of the beauty service context?
Objective 3: Examine the moderating roles of customer epistemic motivation in the indirect relationship between customer experience and customer engagement behavior of the beauty service context The two corresponding research questions developed were:
3.1 Does customer epistemic motivation play the moderating role in the relationship between customer experience and customer engagement behavior of the beauty service context?
3.2 How is the moderating role of customer epistemic motivation in the relationship between customer experience and customer engagement behavior of the beauty service context?
Objective 4: Identifying the demographic variables control customer engagement behavior in the beauty service context The corresponding research question developed was:
4.1 Which demographic variables control customer engagement behavior in the beauty service context?
Objective 5: Provide recommendations to increasing customer engagement in the beauty service context The corresponding research question developed was:
5.1 What recommendations for the managers on the mechanism that translate customer experience to customer engagement behavoir, especially in the beauty service industry?
Research context
The beauty service industry is a thriving sector that enhances individuals’ appearance while providing emotional and physical benefits, driving its sustained growth even during economic downturns (Professional Beauty Association, 2020) According to the Global Wellness Institute (2018), the global healthcare market expanded by 12.8% from 2015 to 2017, reaching approximately $4.2 trillion USD, with the beauty industry growing at an impressive rate of 8% annually and valued at around $100 billion Recent statistics highlight the sector’s strong performance, with it worth over $500 billion globally, the US market reaching $93.5 billion in 2019, and the skincare market at nearly $135 billion USD Rapid innovation leads to new products and services daily, and employment in beauty services is projected to grow by 10% for barbers, hairdressers, and estheticians, and nearly 22% for massage therapists by 2024 Asia, particularly Vietnam, is emerging as a fast-growing beauty market after Europe, fueled by the rise of cosmetic brands, salons, and spas, and a growing beauty consciousness among young and middle-aged individuals with moderate incomes.
The British Beauty Council and BritainThinks have collaborated to define the beauty service industry, with the final version reflecting consensus among diverse industry stakeholders This definition primarily includes beauty services such as holistic treatments, beauty treatments, and hair services (British Beauty Council, 2019) Additionally, a survey conducted by the Research Office and Legislative Council Secretariat provides insights into the beauty service market in Asian countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and Korea, highlighting the industry's regional diversity and growth potential.
In 2019, beauty service providers can be categorized into three main types: beauty salons offering traditional services such as hairdressing, perming, and make-up; aesthetic salons that specialize in skincare and bodycare using manual techniques, cosmetics, and equipment; and cosmetic surgery clinics that focus on enhancing appearance through surgical and medical procedures, with plastic surgery defined as a surgical specialty dedicated to reconstructing facial and body defects caused by birth disorders, trauma, burns, or disease.
Schmenner (1986) classifies the service industry into four patterns based on labor intensity and customer interactions, where labor intensity measures labor waste relative to value added, and customer interaction indicates the frequency of contact between service providers and customers Beauty services are identified as labor-intensive, requiring highly skilled professionals, with the interaction between beauticians and customers playing a crucial role in shaping the service experience The quality of this interaction significantly influences the positive outcomes of beauty treatments, making it a focal point for understanding customer experience in beauty services This dissertation centers on exploring the dynamics of customer-beautician interaction within this context.
Figure 1.1 Categorize services by customer interaction
According to Konishi (2016), goods and services can be categorized into two groups based on ease of quality evaluation: tangible products, which are easy to assess, and intangible services, which are more difficult to evaluate He further classifies products and services into three aspects for quality assessment: tangible products are evaluated through search qualities, general services through credence qualities, and personal services through experience qualities This framework helps in understanding how consumers perceive and assess the quality of different types of goods and services.
Figure 1.2 Quality evaluations for goods and services
According to Konishi (2016), services can be classified into two groups: one where customers assess service quality based on credibility, such as medical, legal, and repair services, and another where evaluation is centered on customer experience, including beauty care, resorts, restaurants, and tourism Beauty services fall into the second category, making them more challenging to evaluate; instead, their quality is assessed through customer experience measurement Customer touchpoints during interactions with beauty brands help customers connect with beauticians and the firm, leading to positive outcomes for the business This importance of customer experience and interaction is why the dissertation focuses on beauty services as its subject of study.
1.5.2 Beauty service industry in Vietnam
The Vietnamese beauty industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, transforming from an unpopular and unofficial profession into a lucrative market, especially in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Binh Duong Rising consumer demand for skin and body care services has fueled a rapid increase in the number of beauty service businesses, with approximately 2,000 new establishments opening annually to meet market needs Currently, there are around 2 million people employed in the beauty sector in Vietnam, and skilled beauticians are highly sought after due to high remuneration and strong job security However, despite this growth, many beauty businesses face challenges such as losing customers to competitors and ineffective communication strategies, which contribute to a 15-20% annual increase in new establishments but also highlight the competitiveness of the industry (VietNamNet Bridge, 2016).
As the demand for beauty services rises worldwide, Vietnam's beauty industry has experienced rapid development, driven by economic growth and increasing social engagement The market features numerous establishments like salons, spas, and clinics across cities and provinces, reflecting a thriving industry However, this growth has led to intense competition, making it challenging for beauty businesses to succeed To survive and thrive, these establishments must deeply understand their target market, analyze customer needs, and tailor unique value experiences Ho Chi Minh City, the largest beauty market in Vietnam, plays a significant role in this industry, especially as part of the country's health tourism strategy, attracting both domestic and international tourists seeking aesthetic and medical beauty services By September 2019, Ho Chi Minh City hosted 1,329 beauty service businesses, highlighting its importance as a hub for beauty and wellness.
The beauty service industry in Vietnam is divided into two main sectors: beauty care services and beauty surgery services Beauty care services involve non-invasive treatments that do not cause bleeding or alter the internal parts of the body, setting them apart from invasive procedures In contrast, beauty surgery services involve surgical or medical procedures performed to enhance physical appearance for cosmetic reasons This division is officially recognized under Decision No 27/2018/QD-TTg dated July 6, 2018, issued by the Prime Minister, which delineates the two types of beauty services in Vietnam.
Beauty salons offer a comprehensive range of services in hair cutting, hairdressing, and hair washing, including haircutting, shampooing, drying, curling, dyeing, and hair straightening These salons cater to both men and women, providing additional beauty services such as eyelash extensions and manicures to enhance overall appearance.
Aesthetic salons primarily offer health and wellness services such as sauna sessions, sunbathing, and massage therapies, excluding sports-related activities These establishments focus on non-surgical treatments, providing skincare and body care services to promote relaxation and overall well-being.
Cosmetic surgery clinics specialize in procedures that enhance a person's physical appearance for cosmetic reasons rather than medical necessity These clinics offer both surgical and nonsurgical treatments, including options like Botox and dermal fillers, aimed at reshaping and improving body features By focusing on aesthetic enhancements, cosmetic surgery clinics help boost confidence and personal satisfaction through tailored treatments.
Plastic surgery clinics: This is a surgical specialty involved with the reconstruction of facial and body tissue defects caused by illness, trauma, or birth disorders
Table 1.1 Classification of beauty services in Vietnam Beauty care service Beauty surgery service
Beauty salons Aesthetic salons Cosmetic surgery Plastic surgery
Spa (Day spa, beauty spa, clinic spa)
Manicure salons Massage (Foot massage,
According to legal provisions, beauty care business owners must select between two business models: registering as an individual business household or establishing a company The level of participation and interaction varies between different service sections, such as beauty care services and beauty surgery services Beauty care services typically include common establishments like beauty salons and aesthetic salons, which are highlighted in Table 1.1 Due to their accessibility and ease of reaching respondents during surveys, beauty salons have been chosen as the focus for this research.
The origins of beauty salon services can be traced back to the ancient art of hairstyling in Egypt, Rome, and Greece The modern beauty service industry began to develop along commercial lines in the late 19th century, driven by technological innovations that created new demands for hairstyles Schools of cosmetology were established in America in the late 1890s to train primarily women for this expanding profession Initially, small sole proprietorships dominated the industry; however, the rise in purchasing power among working women in the 1970s and 1980s led to significant industry growth and a dramatic increase in corporate-owned salons.
In recent years, women have increasingly prioritized their appearance alongside their health and wellness As a result, numerous beauty salons have emerged to cater to this growing demand for aesthetic enhancement Utilizing specialized techniques and personalized experiences, these salons help women improve their looks, boost their confidence, and achieve a more radiant appearance.
Table 1.2 Services offered by beauty establishes
Key terms
The beauty industry encompasses sales of cosmetics, perfume, and products for skin and hair care Beauty salons and spas are considered the service sector of the beauty industry (Grindstaff, 2020)
The beauty service industry primarily encompasses three key areas: hairdressing, personal care, and body art services (City Of Adelaide, 2020) According to the Research Office & Legislative Council Secretariat (2019), these services are dominated by three main categories: beauty salons, aesthetic salons, and cosmetic surgery clinics.
Beauty salons providing conventional beauty services through hairdressing, perming and make-up (Research Office & Legislative Council Secretariat, 2019).
Research subject and scope
This research explores the impact of customer experience on customer engagement in beauty salons, providing valuable insights for salon managers to better understand customer behavior Conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam—an emerging hub for the country's booming beauty industry—the study focuses on premium salons aimed at the upper middle class, ensuring more insightful feedback on customer perceptions A total of 1,200 questionnaires were distributed across twelve top-tier beauty salons in the city, targeting female consumers with varying levels of experience The research aims to assess how premium-priced salon customers’ experiences influence their engagement, offering key implications for improving service quality and customer loyalty.
Structure of the research
Introducing the research topic and a brief background following by problem statement, research question, research objectives, scope and limitations, the significance and structure of the thesis
Presenting the related literature concerning customer experience, customer engagement
Providing detail instrument of research model, research process, measurements and questionnaire design, data collection method and data analysis method
Analyze collected data and interpret into the findings of the research
Draw out conclusion and propose recommendations to enhance customer toward beauty salons in Ho Chi Minh City.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Review of Customer experience (EX)
In the early days, Abbott (1955) and Alderson (1957) focused on emphasizing that
People’s true desire extends beyond products to include satisfying experiences that engage emotions and senses Experiential theorists like Hirschman, Holbrook, and others emphasize the importance of emotional aspects in decision-making and consumption experiences, which are multifaceted and context-dependent Although many definitions of experience exist—ranging from broad to component-specific—they collectively highlight the complexity of consumer interactions Recognizing these dimensions, early research by Holbrook and Hirschman in the 1980s identified hedonic aspects of consumption, focusing on senses, emotions, and fantasies Schmitt’s multidimensional model further expanded the understanding by identifying five experience components: sensory, affective, cognitive, physical, and social-identity Brand experience is also characterized by sensory, affective, intellectual, and behavioral dimensions Customer experience encompasses cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual responses resulting from interactions with market actors, creating a holistic perception of brand and service encounters Recent studies highlight that customer experience is inherently multi-dimensional, involving internal responses and social interactions, and includes sensorial, rational, physical, emotional, and spiritual evaluations of service touchpoints.
Pine and Gilmore (1998) pioneered the concept of customer experience, sparking significant interest in both research and practice Recent definitions describe customer experience as a series of interactions between customers and a product or organization that elicit a response (Gentile, Spiller, and Noci, 2007) Verhoef et al (2009) emphasized the importance of past experiences in shaping current perceptions, noting that experiences are personal, exceptional, and emotionally engaging, often shared and remembered over time (Walls, 2009) Pimpakorn and Patterson (2010) highlight that customer experience results from their evaluation of cumulative service interactions Taking a broader perspective, Patrício et al (2011) argued that interactions do not occur in isolation but within a network of companies, moving beyond traditional views Klaus and Maklan (2012) defined customer experience as stemming from both cognitive and affective responses, though the sequencing of these responses and their impact on customer behavior remain unclear, underscoring the expanding responsibility of managers for customer outcomes Finally, Srivastava and Kaul (2014) pointed out that personal interactions are crucial in building customer experience, as they form the core of customer-employee relationships.
Customer experience has become a prominent marketing concept in recent years, emphasizing the creation of unique, enjoyable, and memorable interactions that foster differentiation and sustainable competitive advantage (Shaw and Ivens, 2002; Carbone and Haeckel, 1994; Pine and Gilmore, 1998) Traditional service value propositions are no longer sufficient; businesses must design comprehensive customer experiences that combine multiple components to generate true customer value (Gronroos, 2006) As a multidimensional concept, customer experience encompasses cognitive, affective, sensory, and conative elements, with models like Klaus and Maklan (2012) offering highly comprehensive frameworks for understanding service experiences, although these are not yet widely adopted Developing competencies in designing and managing customer experiences is crucial for creating memorable experiential memories and gaining a competitive edge in today's service market.
Table 2.1 Overview of some important definitions of EX
Customers’ perceptions of a service experience are shaped by three key factors: the technical performance of the service (functional clues), the tangibles associated with the service (mechanic clues), and the behavior and appearance of service providers (humanic clues) These elements each play a distinct role in crafting the overall customer experience, impacting both rational assessments and emotional responses to service quality Optimizing functional, mechanic, and humanic clues is essential for delivering a high-quality, satisfying service experience.
Customer experience is shaped by a series of interactions between the customer and the product or organization, which elicit specific reactions It is fundamentally a personal journey that involves multiple levels of engagement, including rational understanding, sensorial perception, physical interaction, and emotional connection.
According to Grundey (2008), a subjective episode plays a crucial role in the construction and transformation of the individual, emphasizing the significance of emotions and sensory experiences during immersion This process prioritizes emotional and sensory dimensions over cognitive aspects, highlighting the importance of lived experiences in personal development Incorporating these insights can enhance understanding of how immersive experiences shape individual growth, making it a valuable focus for those studying emotional and sensory influences on personal transformation.
Customer experience encompasses the internal and subjective responses individuals have during any direct or indirect interactions with a company Direct contact typically happens during purchase, usage, or service processes and is usually initiated by the customer Indirect contact, on the other hand, often involves unplanned encounters such as word-of-mouth recommendations, criticisms, advertising, news reports, or reviews, shaping customer perceptions and brand reputation.
The customer experience stems from a series of interactions between the customer and a product, company, or organizational component, which elicit a response This experience is highly personalized and requires the customer's active engagement, ultimately shaping their perception of the brand and influencing loyalty.
Authors Definitions different levels (rational, emotional, sensorial, physical and spiritual)
The customer experience is a holistic construct that encompasses cognitive, affective, emotional, social, and physical responses to the retailer This experience is shaped not only by elements within the retailer's control but also by external factors, making it a comprehensive and multi-dimensional aspect of consumer interaction Understanding this complexity is essential for creating meaningful and memorable customer experiences that foster loyalty and satisfaction.
According to Palmer (2010), experience is a learned outcome linked to predictable behaviors; however, it also involves processes that introduce novelty, potentially leading to unpredictable responses from consumers.
2011) “Three characterisations of the concept of service experience are identified in the literature review: phenomenological service experience, process-based service experience and outcome- based service experience”
(Schmitt, 2011) “Brand experience consists of four separate, though related, dimensions: sensory, affective, intellectual, and behavioral”
Service experience reflects a customer's overall evaluation of their interactions with a service provider, encompassing both direct and indirect contacts It significantly influences behavioral loyalty, leading to repeat purchases Key dimensions of service experience include product experience, outcome focus, moments-of-truth, and peace-of-mind, all contributing to customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Service experience is a multidimensional concept that encompasses both cognitive and affective aspects The cognitive dimension pertains to perceptions of service quality, while the affective dimensions include positive activation—such as enthusiasm or boredom—and positive deactivation, like relaxation or stress Understanding these dimensions is essential for enhancing overall customer satisfaction and engagement.
(2014) Customer experience as a journey that customers goes through where they accumulate awareness and response through every carrier contact with the service provider.
Customer experience encompasses cognitive, emotional, physical, sensorial, spiritual, and social elements that arise from both direct and indirect interactions with market actors According to De Keyser et al (2015), these interactions generate raw data that collectively form the overall customer experience Understanding these diverse components is essential for businesses aiming to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Optimal experience describes a psychological state where an individual is fully immersed in an activity, experiencing energized concentration, intrinsic enjoyment, and complete involvement This state is characterized by focused motivation, positive feelings, and a sense of alignment with the task at hand, fostering a highly fulfilling and engaging experience.
Customer experience is a critical factor driving business success and establishing a competitive advantage (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016) According to the 2019 Customer Experience Trends Report, over 75% of consumers switch to a competitor after just one negative experience (Brown, 2019), highlighting the importance of consistently exceeding customer expectations to foster long-term loyalty and increase revenue Satisfied customers are powerful brand promoters through word-of-mouth and online reviews, making investment in customer experience essential, especially for modern, informed consumers (Kriss, 2014) Enhancing customer experience not only boosts customer spending and loyalty but also helps reduce operational costs, leading to significant improvements in overall business performance (Brown, 2019) Given its elusive nature, measuring and managing customer experience remains a key focus of research in service marketing (Geyskens et al., 1999), with an understanding that customers go through different experience stages during their journey, which companies should consider when designing their strategies (Schmitt et al., 2009).
Review of Customer engagement behavior (EG)
Customer engagement, a concept that has gained significant attention in recent years, is recognized as a crucial factor in building strong relationships between companies and customers Over the past decade, marketing researchers have identified customer engagement as a key construct that can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage (Islam and Rahman, 2016; Brodie et al., 2013; Hollebeek, 2012) Many scholars agree that engaged customers are more likely to contribute to increased company revenue and loyalty (Kumar and Pansari, 2016) As an extension of relationship marketing, customer engagement plays a vital role in fostering long-term connections and helping companies achieve a competitive edge (So et al., 2016; Vivek et al., 2012).
2.2.1 Conceptualization of Customer engagement behavior
Engagement has been explored for over a century across diverse contexts, with various interpretations In the social sphere, it encompasses civic, social, and community participation, fostering stronger societal bonds In business, engagement relates to contractual relationships and management practices that strengthen internal connections Within marketing, engagement signifies the positive, interactive relationship between a brand and its customers, driving loyalty and brand affinity.
Customer engagement is both a psychological state and an ongoing process, with its complexity and intensity varying across different situations and times Bowden (2009) emphasizes that customer engagement as a psychological process drives customer loyalty Vargo and Lusch (2004), grounded in Service-Dominant Logic, highlight that customer engagement involves developing and nurturing meaningful relationships Research by Schaufeli et al (2002) and Salanova et al (2005) describe customer engagement as a specific psychological state experienced with certain intensity at specific moments Brodie et al (2011) further clarify that customer engagement is an evolving process that fluctuates over time, and various definitions and conceptualizations exist within the literature, as summarized in Table 2.3.
Table 2.3 Overview of some important definitions of EG
2014) “The level of a person’s cognitive, emotional and behavioral presence in brand interactions with an online community.”
(2011) “The level of a customer’s motivational, brand-related and context dependent state of mind characterized by specific levels of cognitive, emotional and behavioral activity in brand interactions.”
(2014) “A consumer's positively valenced cognitive, emotional and behavioral brand related activity during, or related to, specific consumer/brand interactions.”
Van Doorn, et al., (2010) The customer’s behavioral manifestation toward the brand or firm, beyond purchase, resulting from motivational drivers
Customer engagement, as defined in 2006, is the psychological state reflecting a customer's physical, cognitive, and emotional connection with a service organization It encompasses key elements such as vigor, dedication, absorption, and active interaction, highlighting the depth of their relationship Enhancing customer engagement is crucial for fostering loyalty, satisfaction, and long-term relationships in today's competitive service industry.
“It is holistic in nature and involves the customer’s cognitive, affective, emotional, social and physical responses to the entity, product and service.”
“Behavior through which customers make voluntary resource contributions that have a brand or film focus but go beyond what is fundamental to transactions”
“The intensity of an individual’s participation and connection with the organization’s offerings and activities initiated by either the customer or the organization."
Customer engagement in marketing literature is understood as both a unidimensional and a multidimensional concept Early research focused on customer behavior to define engagement as a simple, one-dimensional construct (Sprott et al., 2009; Van Doorn et al., 2010), but this approach cannot capture the full complexity of engagement Recent studies have expanded this understanding, conceptualizing customer engagement as a multi-dimensional construct that includes affective, behavioral, and cognitive components (Brodie et al., 2013; Chandler and Lusch, 2015; Mollen and Wilson, 2010) King and Sparks (2014) proposed a second-order model of customer engagement comprising five dimensions—identification, enthusiasm, attention, absorption, and interaction—representing more abstract aspects of engagement This reflective model has been validated in both employee and customer engagement literature (Rich, Lepine, and Crawford, 2010; Patterson et al., 2006).
Figure 2.3 Conceptual model of Customer engagement
(Source: So, King and Sparks, 2014)
Customer engagement is a strategic necessity in dynamic, interactive business environments, driving key performance outcomes such as sales growth, competitive advantage, and profitability (Brodie et al., 2011; Vivek et al., 2012; Kumar et al., 2010) Over the years, marketing research has increasingly focused on customer engagement as a vital measure of a firm's activities and success.
2.2.2 Antecedences of Customer engagement behavior
Previous research indicates that antecedents of customer engagement evolve over time (Van Doorn et al., 2010) Customer engagement is a psychological state resulting from a customer's interactive experience with an agent or focal object within specific service relationships (Brodie et al., 2011) Multiple dimensions and diverse perspectives have been identified in studying the antecedents of customer engagement, with a strong connection to customer experience As summarized in Table 2.4, most studies examine customer engagement through cognition, emotion, and behavior, with Clause's research highlighting that this structure involves four key behaviors: augmenting, co-developing, influencing, and mobilizing behavior.
Table 2.4 Relevant literature on EG’s dimensions and antecedences
Petzer, (2018) Customer satisfaction, Customer perceived value Interaction, Attention,
Absorption, Identification Insurance service, South Africa Vivek, et al., (2014) - Conscious attention, Enthused participation, Social connection
Involvement Interactivity, Rapport, Trust, Brand attachment, Commitment, Brand performance perception
Identification, Enthusiasm, Attention, Absorption, Interaction
Hollebeek, (2011) Co-created value, Brand experience, Satisfaction, Trust, Commitment, Customer value, Brand loyalty, Customer equity, Firm reputation, Brand recognition, Financial outcomes
Roy, et al., (2018) Service convenience,
Service quality, Service fairness Augmenting behavior,
Co-developing behavior, Influencing behavior, Mobilizing behavior
Retail banking and mobile services
Co-developing behavior, Influencing behavior, Mobilizing behavior
Islam, et al., (2019) Service quality Cognitive, Emotional,
Ahn and Back, (2018) Brand experience Cognitive, Emotional,
Behavioral Hospitality service (resorts) Romero, (2018) Relationship quality, Rewards,
Self-enhancement, Learning, Social integration, Company identification
Loyalty, Word-of- Mouth, Customer interaction, Co-creation
Barari, et al., (2020) Organic pathway (Perceived quality, Perceived value);
Promoted pathway (Functional initiative, Experiential initiative);
Relationship quality (Satisfaction, Trust, Commitment)
Tourism service, Moc Chau - Vietnam
Brand usage experience Vigor, Dedication, Absorption Brand engagement, India Cheung, Lee and Jin,
Identity, Consumption goals, Resources, Perceived costs/benefits
Valence, Form/modality, Scope, Nature of impact, Customer goals
Theoretical background
Managers and researchers utilize mental models, often referred to as logics, to guide decision-making in service settings (Gummesson, 2007; Gronroos, 2006) In the marketing field, there has been a significant shift from a goods-dominant logic to a service-dominant logic, reflecting a change in focus toward services as the core of value creation (Vargo and Lusch).
In 2016, a distinction was made between traditional views that see companies solely as value producers and newer perspectives emphasizing that value is co-created through interactions between providers and customers (Heninenon, et al., 2010) While Service-Dominant Logic incorporates the customer's perspective, both traditional and modern approaches primarily view service from the provider’s standpoint, highlighting the ongoing focus on the provider’s role in delivering value (Heninenon, et al., 2010; Brown, 2007).
Figure 2.5 Characteristics of the offering and actor focus
Service-dominant logic emphasizes that providers control and participate in the co-creation process, often focusing solely on visible customer value and experiences while neglecting customers' invisible mental models and underlying logic (Heinonen & Strandvik, 2015) For instance, companies applying SDL utilize service blueprinting to visualize the customer’s service journey, facilitating better understanding of the co-creation process (Bitner et al., 2008) Additionally, Payne et al (2009) explore opportunities for co-creation from the perspective of companies, highlighting strategies to engage customers more effectively in value creation.
Figure 2.6 Customer-dominant logic of service and service management
Customer dominant logic shifts the focus from provider-centered to customer-centered perspectives, emphasizing understanding customer systems, behaviors, and value creation processes (Heninonen et al., 2010; Heinonen and Strandvik, 2015) It posits that value is co-created through customers’ interpretation of experiences within their ecosystems and life spheres, where value is embedded (Heinonen et al., 2013) This approach broadens the understanding of customer value by addressing the how, when, and where value is formed, providing a comprehensive view of customer experiences (Heinonen et al., 2013; Heninonen et al., 2010) Applying customer dominant logic in research highlights the importance of understanding both visible and invisible customer logics to ensure value is effectively created, leading to positive outcomes Specifically, it focuses on identifying when and how customer experiences foster engagement by analyzing customer ecosystems and their underlying logics.
Social identity theory suggests that individuals go beyond personal identity to develop a social identity that shapes their sense of self (Tajfel & Turner, 1985; Bhattacharya & Sen, 2003) People tend to define themselves by categorizing or associating with groups such as gender, ethnicity, occupation, or sports teams, including short-term and transient groups (Kramer, 1991; Scott & Lane, 2000) Social identity is often described as self-perceptions formed through cognitive links between an individual’s identity and the identities of the groups or organizations they belong to (Ashforth & Mael, 2000) These group associations are key to understanding how individuals perceive themselves within social contexts.
People’s identity is not deterministic; individuals can choose and negotiate their group affiliations based on personal preferences (Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003) They may seek to identify with attractive or socially enriching groups that enhance their self-identity (Scott and Lane, 2000; Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003) Consumers are motivated to affiliate with specific groups when such groups help fulfill self-definitional needs, such as aiding self-identity formation (Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003; Dutton, Dukerich, and Harquail, 1994) Additionally, the perception of how relevant others view the group influences identification strength, with individuals more likely to identify strongly when referent others regard the group with high esteem (Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003).
Moreover, people can also choose to be identified with a group even when they are not a formal member of the group (Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003; Scott and
Consumers can identify with an organization or service employees even if they are not formal members of those groups, fostering a sense of connection (Ahearne, Bhattacharya, and Gruen, 2005; Tuskej, Golob, and Podnar, 2013) While some researchers suggest that customer identification with a company stems from their identification with service employees, other studies indicate that these constructs can occur independently and each play a unique role in influencing company outcomes (Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003; Chan, Gong, Zhang, and Zhou, 2017; Yim, Tse, and Chan, 2008).
Research indicates that strong social identity with a group leads to positive outcomes, with individuals more likely to support and evaluate organizations favorably (Ahearne, Bhattacharya & Gruen, 2005; Kelley, Donnelly & Skinner, 1990) Consumers who identify closely with a company tend to engage in extra-role behaviors such as positive word-of-mouth, recruiting new customers, and suggesting product improvements (Dutton, Dukerich & Harquail, 1994; Scott & Lane, 2000) Importantly, studies show that this identification fosters customer engagement behaviors, enhancing brand loyalty and participation (He, Li & Harris, 2012; Lam et al., 2010) Incorporating social identity into marketing strategies can therefore strengthen customer support and deepen engagement with brands.
Researchers have consistently explored the antecedents of customer identification with companies and service employees, emphasizing factors such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, loyalty programs, and customers' relationships with service staff (Netemeyer, Heilman, and Maxham, 2012; Ahearne, Bhattacharya, and Gruen, 2005; Martinez and del Bosque, 2013; Cho, Kim, and Kim, 2015) These studies collectively suggest that such antecedents foster positive customer experiences, which in turn enhance customer evaluations and strengthen identification with both the companies and their service personnel (Brashear-Alejandro, Kang, and Groza, 2016; Martinez and Bosque, 2013; Netemeyer, Netemeyer, Heilman, and Maxham III, 2012; Yim, Tse, and Chan, 2008).
According to Stein and Ramaseshan (2016), customer perception of valuing their interactions with the company and service employees significantly enhances their connection to the brand When customers feel appreciated during these interactions, they are more likely to identify personally with both the company and its employees, fostering stronger brand loyalty (Mael and Ashforth, 1992; Hong and Yang, 2009) This emphasizes the importance of excellent customer service in building positive brand relationships.
During the service experience, positive interactions between customers and company employees foster customer identification with the brand, which is essential for enhancing customer engagement behavior post-service This connection indicates that customers who identify with the company and its staff are more likely to engage further, benefiting the business Grounded in social identity theory, this study explores how customer identification with the company and employees mediates the relationship between customer experience and subsequent engagement behaviors in the beauty services industry.
Research by Cacioppo and Petty (1982) demonstrates that individuals with a high need for cognition are more motivated to think deeply about information, whereas those with a low need for cognition tend to rely on external sources such as celebrities or experts Cacioppo, Petty, and Kao (1984) define the need for cognition as an individual's tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive efforts, which influences their approach to processing information According to their 1996 study, high cognitive need individuals seek, absorb, and reflect on information to understand the world, unlike low cognitive need individuals who depend more on others’ information Feist (2006) links need for cognition to curiosity and interest in science, suggesting that it fosters wonder and questioning about the world Olson, Camp, and Fuller (1984) found that need for cognition correlates positively with a desire to learn more about academic subjects Petty and Brinol (2006) distinguish between two cognitive systems: an emotional, impulsive, or slow-learning system associated with high cognitive needs, and a rational, reflective, or fast-learning system High cognitive need individuals tend to scrutinize information more thoroughly, prioritize quality over superficial details, and actively seek additional information beyond initial messages (Verplanken, Hazenberg, and Palenéwen, 1992) Numerous studies also indicate that individuals with a high need for cognition process media content more carefully and analytically, affecting how they respond to marketing and communication strategies (Cacioppo, Petty, and Morris, 1983; Xiao et al., 2021; Su et al., 2021) Furthermore, research supports that the effectiveness of marketing and business strategies is moderated by the need for cognition, highlighting its importance in driving more engaged and critical consumer behaviors (Putrevu, Tan, and Lord, 2004; Martin et al., 2003; Pilli and Mazzon, 2016; Obiedat, 2013; Pan et al., 2020; Khan and Abid Usman, 2021).
Personal service establishments (PSEs), including beauty salons offering manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing, and hairstyling, provide a range of personalized services (Barn and Chen, 2012) Personal services rely heavily on the interaction between customers and front-line employees, making customer-employee engagement crucial (Ganesh, Arnold & Reynolds, 2000; Beatson, Coote & Rudd, 2006) Customers' cognitive needs influence their interaction behaviors before, during, and after the service, highlighting the importance of understanding varying customer expectations The Need for Cognition theory serves as a valuable framework to analyze and improve customer engagement in beauty service experiences.
Proposal framework
Based on an in-depth review of literature and theories related to customer experience and customer engagement behavior, four key insights emerge First, customer experience is the fundamental premise that influences customer engagement behavior; while extensively studied, it is often viewed merely as an influencing factor rather than an asset that can boost profits Second, Customer-Dominant Logic underscores the vital role of both businesses and customers in co-creating value, emphasizing the customer’s active participation throughout the service journey—from pre-service to post-service experiences Third, Social Identity Theory indicates that customers with a high sense of social identity are more likely to see themselves as integral parts of the organization, thereby actively contributing to value creation Fourth, Cognitive Theory highlights that individuals’ cognitive motivations significantly impact their behaviors; those with high cognitive motivation tend to be more closed and decisive, whereas those with low motivation are typically more open but hesitant in decision-making.
This research, grounded in customer-dominant logic, social identity theory, and need for cognition theory, demonstrates that positive customer experiences foster identification with the company and service employees, which in turn promotes customer engagement behavior Additionally, the study identifies customer epistemic motivation as a moderating factor in the mediated relationship between customer experience and engagement behavior The research framework illustrating these relationships is shown in Figure 2.7, with detailed explanations of the main variables and hypotheses provided in the subsequent section.
Operationalization of the selected variables
Customer experience occurs every time customers engage with services across multiple channels and touchpoints, both before and after the interaction (Stein and Ramaseshan, 2016; Klaus and Maklan, 2012) It results from their evaluation of the cumulative contacts with the service, reflecting a multi-dimensional process that includes spiritual, sensorial, physical, rational, and emotional assessments (Gentile et al., 2007; Pekovic and Rolland, 2020; Kuppelweiser and Klaus, 2020).
Customer experience dimensions vary across different contexts, with factors such as material quality, signage, and personal artifacts being critical for luxury hotel guests, whereas these aspects are less significant for budget hotel customers (Bustamante & Rubio, 2017; Happ et al., 2020; De Keyser et al., 2020).
Customer epistemic motivation influences how customers perceive and evaluate their experiences (Walls et al., 2011; Ren et al., 2016) The dimensions of customer experience vary across different cultures within the same industry, highlighting the importance of cultural context (Shobeiri, Mazaheri, & Laroche, 2018; Srivastava & Kaul, 2014) For example, Indian customers prioritize social interaction and convenience when assessing retail store experiences (Srivastava & Kaul, 2014) Additionally, customers evaluate online and offline experiences differently; elements crucial in an online context may not be as significant in offline settings (Rose et al., 2012; Bustamante, 2017).
Measuring customer experience remains challenging due to its complex and multifaceted nature, with existing measures often focusing on evaluating individual product or service dimensions (Klaus & Maklan, 2012; Gentile et al., 2007) This has resulted in a lack of a unified metric for customer experience in research, given the variability across different service dimensions (Lemon & Verhoef, 2016) Additionally, customer experience arises from interactions among customers, services, and contextual factors, making it difficult to assess solely based on companies' offerings (Verhoef et al., 2009; Teixeira et al., 2012) Researchers emphasize that while some aspects of customer experience are controllable by companies, others remain external and uncontrollable (Teixeira et al., 2012; Verhoef et al., 2009).
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Customer experience is a multi-dimensional concept that includes spiritual, sensorial, physical, rational, and emotional evaluations of service touchpoints (Gentile et al., 2007; Klaus and Maklan, 2012) It results from customers’ evaluations of cumulative interactions with services across various channels and times (Rose et al., 2012; Stein and Ramaseshan, 2016) As a co-creative process, customer experience is shaped through interactions between customers and services, making it partly controllable by companies and partly influenced by uncontrollable factors (Verhoef et al., 2009; Teixeira et al., 2012) Understanding personal customer elements, such as social influences and shopping motivations, can help companies design experiences that better align with customer expectations, despite some aspects being beyond direct control.
The customer experience quality scale, developed by Klaus and Maklan (2012), assesses both cognitive and emotional value from the customer's perspective by capturing the overall value-in-use, including emotional responses, functionality, and service attributes Despite its potential, this scale has not been widely empirically tested, prompting this study to evaluate its applicability in a Vietnamese beauty salon context (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016) The research aims to determine whether the scale effectively measures customer experience with salon services in Vietnam through a qualitative approach that refines measurement items, followed by testing the proposed research framework (Figure 2.7).
Previous research indicates that customers’ identification with a company and its employees motivates them to engage in behaviors that support the brand beyond simple transactions, known as customer engagement behaviors (Kang et al., 2015; Jaakola & Alexander, 2014; Bhattacharya & Sen, 2003; Chan et al., 2017) Kumar and Pansari (2016) found that higher customer engagement positively impacts a firm’s performance Customer engagement is defined as a psychological process where customers are fully absorbed in a specific interaction, characterized by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral involvement (Thakur, 2016; Bowden, 2009) Essentially, customer engagement behaviors go beyond their expected roles, driven by customers’ initiative and motivation to support the company (Roy et al., 2018; Cheung et al., 2020).
Customer engagement encompasses behaviors such as positive word-of-mouth, helping the company and other customers, suggesting product improvements, recruiting new customers, and proactively communicating potential issues (Jaakola and Alexander, 2014; Pansari and Kumar, 2016) These actions involve customers contributing resources that enhance the overall value of the company's offerings, ultimately strengthening the customer-company relationship (Jaakola and Alexander, 2014; Pansari and Kumar).
Customer-engagement behavior offers companies access to a loyal customer base that goes beyond simple transactions, serving as a vital source of competitive advantage By fostering active engagement, businesses can build stronger relationships, enhance customer loyalty, and differentiate themselves in the marketplace (Roy et al., 2018) Ultimately, engaging customers effectively transforms them from one-time buyers into long-term brand advocates, driving sustained business success.
Research indicates that various factors influence customer engagement with services, with contextual factors playing a significant role (Patterson et al., 2006; Fernandes and Esteves, 2006) Customers are more inclined to engage when services are high-involvement, interaction-based, characterized by low availability, and entail high switching costs (Fernandes and Esteves, 2006; Bolton and Saxena-Iyer).
Customer identification with the context is a crucial factor that enhances customer engagement, as supported by various studies (Coelho et al., 2018; Ahearne et al., 2005) Specifically, research on brand identification demonstrates that when customers identify strongly with a brand, it leads to increased engagement and loyalty (Coelho et al., 2018; Stephenson and Yerger, 2014).
Customer experience is shaped by the interactions between customers, the company, and service providers (Stein and Ramaseshan, 2016; Tynan et al., 2014) When customers perceive these interactions as positive, they are more likely to engage actively with the service This enhanced engagement leads to beneficial outcomes for the firm, including increased customer engagement behavior (Yi and Gong, 2009; Yim et al., 2008; Coelho et al., 2018) Effective management of customer-company interactions is therefore crucial for fostering loyalty and driving business success.