Many companies tailor their communication and interaction with customers by segmenting them into channel usage groups. This study argues that simply focusing on channels has limited effectiveness as increasingly customers today use multiple channels, the online channel contains many different forms, and channels are increasingly blended. We have identified several search strategies that reveal how customers find their way through a multichannel landscape during the various phases of a purchase. By explaining channel usage through these “search strategies,” we propose a clear and intuitive model that will support companies developing an effective multichannel strategy.
Aims and objectives To gain insight into the perceived added value of a decision support App for district nurses and case managers intended to support a problem assessment and the provision of advices on possible solutions to facilitate ageing in place of people with dementia, and to investigate how they would implement the App in daily practice. Background District nurses and case managers play an important role in facilitating ageing in place of people with dementia (PwD). Detecting practical problems preventing PwD from living at home and advising on possible solutions is complex and challenging tasks for nurses and case managers. To support them with these tasks, a decision support App was developed. Methods A qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews was conducted. A photo‐elicitation method and an interview guide were used to structure the interviews. The data were analysed according to the principles of content analysis. Results In five interviews with seven district nurses and case managers, the added value was described in terms of five themes: (a) providing a broader/better overview of possible solutions; (b) providing a guideline/checklist for problem assessment and advice on solutions; (c) supporting an in‐depth problem assessment; (d) being a support tool for unexperienced case managers/district nurses; and (e) providing up‐to‐date information. The participants regarded the App as complementary to their current work procedure, which they would use in a flexible manner at different stages in the care continuum. Conclusions The participants valued both parts, the problem assessment and the overview of possible solutions. An important requisite for the usage would be that the content is continuously updated. Before implementation of the App can be recommended, an evaluation of its effectiveness regarding decision‐making should be conducted. Relevance to clinical practice This study underpins the need of nurses and case managers for decision support with regard to problem assessment and providing advices on possible solutions to facilitate ageing in place of PwD. There results also show the importance of listening to users experience and their perceived added value of decision support tools as this helps to explain the lack of statistically significant effects on quantitative outcome measure in contrast to a high willingness to use the App in a previous study.
Within large service organizations there are currently two trends visible. These trends seem to be diametrically opposed. On the one hand organizations face increasing price pressure and thus a pressure to cut costs. One of the consequences of this trend is that organizations are increasingly encouraging customers to make more use of digital communication channels. At the same time, companies find it important to know their customers in order to respond adequately to their needs. To do this, organizations must have a certain degree of personal involvement to their customers and they must have regular personal contact. It is assumed that both trends – digitisation and personalisation – will have a strong impact on customer experience and (perhaps) on the relational models customers use. If it is true that relational models - so the way in which people perceive and assess a relationship - play a role in the perception of the customer, it is also interesting to know if it is possible to influence these relational models. During the last fifty years much research has been done into the possibilities to influence customers by using subliminal priming techniques. In these techniques thoughts and feelings are unconsciously activated by showing people certain words or images (eg Bargh, Chen & Burrows, 1996; Dijksterhuis, 2005). In recent years a number of experiments were performed in which customers were unconsciously primed at some type of relationship (eg Aggarwal, 2004; McGraw & Tetlock, 2005; Tuk, Verlegh, Smidts & Wigboldus, 2009). These experiments showed that it is possible to activate a certain type of relationship. The experiments however the researchers used scenario’s based on an interpersonal relationship, and often to a fictitious relationship. The question is whether priming techniques also work for an already existing and more complex relationship between an organization and its customers. From 2010-2013 we conducted research for six large service providers in banking, insurance, utilities and social welfare to discover what the customer experience of these organisations, what role relational models played in customer experience and whether it was possible to influence these relational models. The research project has provided answers to the following questions: - Which relational models are used by customers and what is the influence of these models on customer experience? - What is the influence of digitisation in customer communication on relational models and customer experience? - What is the influence of personalisation in customer communication on relational models and customer experience? And finally, - Is it possible to influence relational models (and customer experience) by using specific words and images that are associated with relational models (relational framing)?
