Analyzing the reputational and profitable consequences of service touchpoints: A chain of effects model
(A2021-92911)

AUTHORS

Iguácel Melero Polo, University of Zaragoza; Lily(Xuehui) Gao, University of Zaragoza; Andreea Trifu, University of Zaragoza; Miguel Ángel Ruz, University Pablo de Olavide

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to shed more light on B2B interactions, assessing the effect of customer-provider touchpoints on both customer perceptions and customer outcomes—as a chain of effects path. A 5-year panel dataset is used to test the proposed model. Data is obtained from B2B insurance services from 2013 to 2017 and contains a sample of 2175 companies. Study results demonstrate the importance of the sales force in B2B relationships, along with the relevance of firm expertise, service excellence and service reliability as drivers of profitability, cross-buy and relationship strength. This paper provides empirical evidence of how touchpoints and customer perceptions impact outcomes over time. This is a vital issue for marketers, as firms gain a better understanding of company-customer interactions and the extent to which different factors impact decisive customer outcomes in a B2B context.