Customer brand engagement during service lockdown. Issue 2 (27th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hollebeek, Linda D.; Smith, Dale L.G.; Kasabov, Edward; Hammedi, Wafa; Warlow, Alexander; Clark, Moira K.
• Is Part Of: Journal of services marketing. Volume 35:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 201
• Page End: 209
• Publication Date: 2020-10-27
• Subjects: Customer brand engagement -- Lockdown -- (Non-)essential service -- COVID-19 -- Regulatory focus theory -- Social distancing -- Platform-mediated service -- Maslow's needs hierarchy; Service industries -- Periodicals; Customer services -- Periodicals; 658.802
• DOI: 10.1108/JSM-05-2020-0199
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-6045

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: While the customer brand engagement (CBE) research has advanced important insight, most studies to date explore CBE under regular, free-market conditions, yielding an important knowledge gap regarding its manifestation under less regular conditions, including disaster/pandemics. This study, therefore, aims to explore CBE with essential/non-essential service during COVID-19-prompted citizen lockdown. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a review, the authors develop a framework of lockdown-based CBE with essential/non-essential service interactions, which are conceptualized by their respective capacity to meet differing needs in Maslow's hierarchy. The authors view lockdown-based essential/non-essential service interactions to differentially impact CBE, as summarized in a set of propositions. Findings: The framework depicts lockdown-based essential/non-essential service interactions and their respective impact on CBE. The authors propose two essential service modes (i.e. socially distant/platform-mediated interactions) and two non-essential service modes (i.e. service closure/platform-mediated interactions), which the authors hypothesize to differently affect CBE. Moreover, the authors view the associations between our lockdown-based service modes and CBE to be moderated by customers' regulatory focus (i.e. promotion/prevention), as formalized in the propositions. Research limitations/implications: Given the authors' focus on lockdown-based CBE, this paper adds unique insight to the literature. It also raises ample opportunities for further study, as outlined. Practical implications: This study yields important managerial implications, including the suggested adoption of differing tactics/strategies to leverage promotion/prevention-focused customers' brand engagement during lockdown. Originality/value: By exploring the effects of lockdown-based essential/non-essential service modes on promotion/prevention-focused customers' brand engagement, this paper adds novel insight.