Marketing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Exploring the role of extrovert-introvert customers’ personality prototype as a driver of customer engagement: Does relationship duration matter?

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-2020

Abstract

Highlights

  • The process of customer personality-engagement allows better understating of customer engagement phenomenon.

  • The more extravert (introvert) customers are, the more (less) they engage with service firms and service employees.

  • Extraversion has direct/indirect impacts on customer engagement & relationship duration plays a significant contingent role.

  • Extraverted customers’ interactions with service employees create utilitarian & hedonic value leading to customer engagement.

  • Nurturing relationships with customers can indirectly help service firms increase customer engagement.

Abstract

Drawing on social exchange theory, the current study examines new drivers and their associated processes of customer engagement. In spirit, the study tests the direct and indirect impacts of the extraversion–introversion personality trait on customer engagement. The study takes into consideration the contingency role of time by testing the moderating role of relationship duration. Results demonstrate that the more extraverted customers are, the more they are likely to engage with service firms. Further, extraversion is positively related to customer–employee interaction, which in turn leads to more utilitarian and hedonic values perceived by customers. Both types of value, then, induce higher customer engagement behaviors in terms of customer referrals, knowledge sharing, and social-influence. Findings demonstrate that relationship duration moderates some of the examined relationships. The current study contributes to the literature by extending the knowledge on customer engagement's predisposition and social causes.

Comments

Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101980

Publication Title

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101980

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