Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Customer experience quality: an exploration in business and consumer contexts using repertory grid technique

  • Original Empirical Research
  • Published:
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study proposes a conceptual model for customer experience quality and its impact on customer relationship outcomes. Customer experience is conceptualized as the customer’s subjective response to the holistic direct and indirect encounter with the firm, and customer experience quality as its perceived excellence or superiority. Using the repertory grid technique in 40 interviews in B2B and B2C contexts, the authors find that customer experience quality is judged with respect to its contribution to value-in-use, and hence propose that value-in-use mediates between experience quality and relationship outcomes. Experience quality includes evaluations not just of the firm’s products and services but also of peer-to-peer and complementary supplier encounters. In assessing experience quality in B2B contexts, customers place a greater emphasis on firm practices that focus on understanding and delivering value-in-use than is generally the case in B2C contexts. Implications for practitioners’ customer insight processes and future research directions are suggested.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aaker, J., Fournier, S., & Brasal, S. A. (2004). When good brands do bad. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(1), 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aggarwal, P. (2004). The effects of brand relationship norms on consumer attitudes and behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 31, 87–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, E. W., Fornell, C., & Rust, R. T. (1997). Customer satisfaction, productivity, and profitability: differences between goods and services. Marketing Science, 16, 129–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold, M. J., Reynolds, K. E., Ponder, N., & Lueg, J. E. (2005). Customer delight in a retail context: investigating delightful and terrible shopping experiences. Journal of Business Research, 58, 1132–1145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnould, E. J., & Price, L. L. (1993). River magic: extraordinary experience and the extended service encounter. Journal of Consumer Research, 20, 24–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bargh, J. A. (1992). Does subliminality matter to social psychology? Awareness of the stimulus versus awareness of its influence. In R. F. Bornstein & T. S. Pittman (Eds.), Perception without awareness: Cognitive clinical and social perspectives. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barsalou, L. (1991). Deriving categories to achieve goals. In G. H. Bower (Ed.), The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and theory. New York: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Vohs, K. D., DeWall, C. N., & Zhang, L. (2007). How emotion shapes behavior: feedback, anticipation, and reflection, rather than direct causation. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 11, 167–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bender, M. P. (1974). Providing versus elicited constructs—An explanation of Warr and Coffman’s anomalous finding. The British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 13, 329–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry, L. L., Carbone, L. P., & Haeckel, S. H. (2002). Managing the total customer experience. MIT Sloan Management Review, 43(3), 85–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton, R. N., & Drew, J. H. (1991). A multistage model of customers’ assessments of service quality and value. Journal of Consumer Research, 17, 375–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolton, R. N., Lemon, K. N., & Verhoef, P. (2008). Expanding business-to-business customer relationships: modeling the customer’s upgrade decision. Journal of Marketing, 72, 46–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, D., & Narayandas, D. (2004). Linking customer management effort to customer profitability in business markets. Journal of Marketing Research, 41, 433–447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brakus, J. J., Schmitt, B. H., & Zarantonello, L. (2009). Brand experience: what is it? How is it measured? Does it affect loyalty? Journal of Marketing, 73, 52–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, E., & Grisaffe, D. (2010). Service performance loyalty intentions in a business-to-business context: the role of relational exchange outcomes and customer characteristics. Journal of Service Research, 13(1), 37–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, C. A., & Detoy, C. J. (1988). A comparison of the personal constructs of management in new and experienced managers. In P. Banyard & A. Grayson (Eds.), Introducing psychological research: Sixty studies that shape psychology (pp. 426–432). London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burr, V., & Butt, T. (1992). Invitation to personal construct psychology. London: Whurr.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caruana, A., Money, A. H., & Berthon, P. R. (2000). Service quality and satisfaction: the moderating role of value. European Journal of Marketing, 34(11/12), 1338–1353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chitturi, R., Raghunathan, R., & Mahajan, V. (2008). Delight by design: the role of hedonic versus utilitarian benefits. Journal of Marketing, 72, 48–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cova, B., & Salle, R. (2008). Marketing solutions in accordance with the S-D logic: co-creating value with customer network actors. Industrial Marketing Management, 37, 270–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coviello, N. E., Brodie, R. J., Danaher, P. J., & Johnston, W. J. (2002). How firms relate to their markets: an empirical examination of contemporary marketing practices. Journal of Marketing, 66, 33–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cowley, E. (2008). Looking back at an experience through rose-colored glasses. Journal of Business Research, 61, 1046–1052.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social exchange theory: an interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31, 874–900.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Canniere, M. H., De Pelsmacker, P., & Geuens, M. (2009). Relationship quality and the theory of planned behavior models of behavioral intentions and purchase behavior. Journal of Business Research, 62, 82–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Wulf, K., & Odekerken-Schroder, G. (2003). Assessing the impact of a retailer’s relationship efforts on consumers’ attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Retailing, 10, 95–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deighton, J. (1992). The consumption of performance. Journal of Consumer Research, 19, 362–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, N., Sherry, J. F., Jr., Muñiz, A. M., Jr., McGrath, M. A., Kozinets, R. V., & Borghini, S. (2009). American girl and the brand gestalt: closing the loop on sociocultural branding research. Journal of Marketing, 73, 118–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dorsch, M. J., Swanson, S. R., & Kelley, S. W. (1998). The role of relationship quality in the stratification of vendors as perceived by customers. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 26(2), 128–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang, E., Palmatier, R. W., & Evans, K. R. (2008). Influence of customer participation on creating and sharing of new product value. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36, 322–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisk, R., Brown, S. W., & Bitner, M. J. (1993). Tracking the evolution of services marketing literature. Journal of Retailing, 69, 61–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fransella, F., & Bannister, D. (1977). A manual for repertory grid technique. London: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frow, P., & Payne, A. (2007). Towards the ‘perfect’ customer experience. Journal of Brand Management, 15, 89–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gammack, J. G., & Stephens, R. A. (1994). Repertory grid technique in constructive interaction. In C. Cassell & G. Symon (Eds.), Qualitative methods in organizational research: A practical guide (pp. 72–90). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentile, C., Spiller, N., & Noci, G. (2007). How to sustain the customer experience: an overview of experience components that co-create value with the customer. European Management Journal, 25, 395–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilmore, J. H., & Pine, B. I. I. (2002). Customer experience places: the new offering frontier. Strategy & Leadership, 30, 4–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goffin, K. (2002). Repertory grid technique. In D. Partington (Ed.), Essential skills for management research (pp. 199–225). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goffin, K., & Koners, U. (2011). Tacit knowledge, lessons learned and new product development. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28(2).

  • Goffin, K., Lemke, F., & Szwejczewski, M. (2006). An exploratory study of ‘close’ supplier-manufacturer relationships. Journal of Operations Management, 25, 189–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grewal, D., Levy, M., & Kumar, V. (2009). Customer experience management in retailing: an organizing framework. Journal of Retailing, 85, 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grönroos, C. (2000). Service management and marketing: A customer relationship management approach. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grove, S. J., & Fisk, R. P. (1997). The impact of other customers on service experiences: a critical incident examination of “getting along”. Journal of Retailing, 73, 63–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gwinner, K. P., Gremler, D. D., & Bitner, M. J. (1998). Relational benefits in services industries: the customer’s perspective. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 26(2), 101–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holbrook, M. B. (2006). ROSEPEKICECIVECI versus CCV. In R. F. Lusch & S. L. Vargo (Eds.), The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions (pp. 208–221). Armonk: Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Homburg, C., Wieseke, J., & Bornemann, T. (2009). Implementing the marketing concept at the employee-customer interface: the role of customer need knowledge. Journal of Marketing, 73, 64–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hussey, J., & Hussey, R. (1997). Business research. London: Macmillan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jankowicz, D. (2004). The easy guide to repertory grids. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joy, A., & Sherry, J. F. Jr. (2003). Speaking of art as embodied imagination: a multisensory approach to understanding aesthetic experience. Journal of Consumer Research, 30, 259–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, G. A. (1955). The psychology of personal constructs: Volume one—a theory of personality. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, G. A. (1963). A theory of personality: The psychology of personal constructs. London: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohli, A. K., & Jaworski, B. J. (1990). Market orientation: the construct, research propositions, and managerial implications. Journal of Marketing, 54, 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kwortnik, R. J., & Ross, W. T. (2007). The role of positive emotions in experiential decisions. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 24, 324–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • La, V., Patterson, P., & Styles, C. (2009). Client-perceived performance and value in professional B2B services: an international perspective. Journal of International Business Studies, 40, 274–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemke, F., Keith, G., & Szwejczewski, M. (2003). Investigating the meaning of supplier-manufacturer partnerships: an exploratory study. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 33, 12–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, L. H., & Dugan, R. D. (1956). A factorial study of personal constructs. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 20, 53–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macdonald, E. K., Wilson, H. N., Martinez, V., & Toosi, A. (2009). Assessing the value-in-use of integrated product-service offerings: A repertory grid approach. Frontiers in Service Conference, Hawaii, October.

  • McColl-Kennedy, J. R., Vargo, S. L., Dagger, T., & Sweeney, J. C. (2009). Customers as resource integrators: Styles of customer co-creation. Naples Forum on Services, Capri, June.

  • Meyer, C., & Schwager, A. (2007). Understanding customer experience. Harvard Business Review, February, 117–126.

  • Mollen, A., & Wilson, H. (2010). Engagement, telepresence and interactivity in online consumer experience: reconciling scholastic and managerial perspectives. Journal of Business Research, 63, 919–925.

    Google Scholar 

  • Narver, J. C., & Slater, S. F. (1990). The effect of a market orientation on business profitability. Journal of Marketing, 54, 20–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neely, A. (2008). Exploring the financial consequences of the servitization of manufacturing. Operations Management Research, 1, 103–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neu, W. A., & Brown, S. W. (2005). Forming successful business-to-business services in goods-dominant firms. Journal of Service Research, 8(1), 3–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, R. (1999). Value as excellence in the consumption experience. In M. Holbrook (Ed.), Consumer value: A framework for analysis and research (pp. 43–62). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmatier, R. W., Scheer, L. K., Evans, K. R., & Arnold, T. J. (2008). Achieving relationship marketing effectiveness in business-to-business exchanges. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36, 174–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing, 49, 41–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: a multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64, 12–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne, A., Storbacka, K., & Frow, P. (2008). Managing the co-creation of value. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36, 83–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterman, M. L. (1997). The effects of concrete and abstract consumer goals on information processing. Psychology and Marketing, 14, 561–583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puccinelli, N. M., Goodstein, R. C., Grewal, D., Price, R., Raghubir, P., & Stewart, D. (2009). Customer experience management in retailing: understanding the buying process. Journal of Retailing, 85, 15–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pullman, M. E., & Gross, M. A. (2004). Ability of experience design elements to elicit emotions and loyalty behaviors. Decision Sciences, 35, 551–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raghubir, P., & Corfman, K. (1999). When do price promotions affect pretrial brand evaluations? Journal of Marketing Research, 36(2), 211–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reinartz, W., & Ulaga, W. (2008). How to sell services more profitably. Harvard Business Review, 86, 90–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchins, M. L. (1994). Valuing things: the public and private meanings of possessions. Journal of Consumer Research, 21, 504–521.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohm, A. J., & Swaminathan, V. (2004). A typology of online shoppers based on shopping motivation. Journal of Business Research, 57, 748–757.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rust, R. T., & Thompson, D. V. (2006). How does marketing strategy change in a service-based world? Implications and directions for research. In R. F. Lusch & S. L. Vargo (Eds.), The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions (pp. 381–392). Armonk: Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryals, L. (2005). Making customer relationship management work: the measurement and profitable management of customer relationships. Journal of Marketing, 69, 252–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez-Fernandez, R., Iniesta-Bonillo, M. A., & Holbrook, M. B. (2009). The conceptualisation and measurement of consumer value in services. International Journal of Market Research, 51, 93–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sautter, P., Hyman, M. R., & Lukosius, V. (2004). E-tail atmospherics: a critique of the literature and model extension. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 5, 14–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schau, H. J., Muñiz, A. M., Jr., & Arnould, E. J. (2009). How brand community practices create value. Journal of Marketing, 73, 30–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schembri, S. (2009). Reframing brand experience: the experiential meaning of Harley-Davidson. Journal of Business Research, 62(12), 1299–1310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt, B. (1999). Experiential marketing: How to get customers to sense, feel, think, act and relate to your company and brands. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schouten, J. W., McAlexander, J. H., & Koenig, H. F. (2007). Transcendent customer experience and brand community. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 35, 357–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seddon, J., & Sant, R. (2007). Increasing business value through improved customer experiences. E-Perspectives, December. Retrieved October 22, 2009 from http://www.millwardbrown.com.

  • Sengupta, J., Goodstein, R. C., & Boninger, D. S. (1997). All cues are not created equal: obtaining attitude persistence under low-involvement conditions. Journal of Consumer Research, 23, 351–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, C. (2002). The DNA of customer experience: How emotions drive value. New York: Palgrave.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. A. (1995). Repertory grids: An interactive, case-study perspective. In J. A. Smith, R. Harré, & L. V. Langenhove (Eds.), Rethinking methods in psychology (pp. 162–177). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. K., Bolton, R. N., & Wagner, J. (1999). A model of customer satisfaction with service encounters involving failure and recovery. Journal of Marketing Research, 36, 356–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sousa, R., & Voss, C. A. (2006). Service quality in multichannel services employing multiple channels. Journal of Service Research, 8, 356–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, F. I., & Tax, S. (2004). Toward an integrative approach to designing service experiences: lessons learned from the theatre. Journal of Operations Management, 22, 609–627.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuart-Menteth, H., Wilson, H., & Baker, S. (2006). Escaping the channel silo: researching the new consumer. International Journal of Market Research, 48(4), 415–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, J. C., & Soutar, G. N. (2001). Consumer perceived value: the development of a multiple item scale. Journal of Retailing, 77, 203–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swinyard, W. R. (1993). The effects of mood, involvement, and quality of store experience on shopping intentions. Journal of Consumer Research, 20, 271–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szwejczewski, M., Goffin, K., Lemke, F., Pfeiffer, R., & Lohmüller, B. (2001). Supplier management in German manufacturing companies: an empirical investigation. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 31, 354–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szwejczewski, M., Lemke, F., & Goffin, K. (2005). Manufacturer-supplier relationships: an empirical study of German manufacturing companies. Journal of Operations and Production Management, 25, 875–897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tax, S. S., Brown, S. W., & Chandrashekaran, M. (1998). Customer evaluations of service complaint experiences: implications for relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 62, 60–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thakor, M., Suri, R., & Saleh, K. (2008). Effects of service setting and other consumers’ age on the service perceptions of young consumers. Journal of Retailing, 84, 137–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tindall, C. (1994). Personal construct approaches. In P. Banister, E. Burman, I. Parker, M. Taylor, & C. Tindall (Eds.), Qualitative methods in psychology: A research guide (pp. 72–91). Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trope, Y. (1986). Identification and inferential processes in dispositional attribution. Psychological Review, 93(3), 239–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuli, K. R., Kohli, A. K., & Bharadwaj, S. G. (2007). Rethinking customer solutions: from product bundles to relational processes. Journal of Marketing, 71, 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tynan, C., McKechnie, S., & Chhuon, C. (2010). Co-creating value for luxury brands. In press for Journal of Business Research. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.10.012.

  • Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2004). Evolving to a new dominant logic of marketing. Journal of Marketing, 68, 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2008). Service-dominant logic: continuing the evolution. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36, 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vargo, S. L., Maglio, P. P., & Akaka, M. A. (2008). On value and value co-creation: a service systems and service logic perspective. European Management Journal, 26, 145–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verhoef, P., Lemon, K. N., Parasuraman, A., Roggeveen, A., Tsiros, M., & Schlesinger, L. A. (2009). Customer experience creation: determinants, dynamics and management strategies. Journal of Retailing, 85, 31–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voss, C., Roth, A. V., & Chase, R. B. (2008). Experience, service operations strategy, and services as destinations: foundations and exploratory investigation. Production and Operations Management, 17, 247–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter, A., Müller, T. A., Helfert, G., & Ritter, T. (2003). Functions of industrial supplier relationships and their impact on relationship quality. Industrial Marketing Management, 32, 159–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. C., & Ostrum, A. L. (2006). Complaining to the masses: the role of protest framing in customer-created complaint web sites. Journal of Consumer Research, 33, 220–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodruff, R. B. (1997). Customer value: the next source for competitive advantage. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 25, 139–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodruff, R. B., & Flint, D. (2006). Marketing’s service-dominant logic and customer value. In R. F. Lusch & S. L. Vargo (Eds.), The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions (pp. 183–195). Armonk: Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeithaml, V. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: a means-end model and synthesis of evidence. Journal of Marketing, 52, 2–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeithaml, V. A., Berry, L. L., & Parasuraman, A. (1996). The behavioral consequences of service quality. Journal of Marketing, 60, 31–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge support from IBM and the practitioner members of Cranfield Customer Management Forum and the Henley Centre for Customer Management for funding and research access. We would like to thank Keith Goffin, Kerstin Lemke and Emma Macdonald for their advice and assistance with data analysis. We also thank four anonymous reviewers, the editor and Guy Champniss, Pennie Frow, Philipp Klaus, Emma Macdonald, Stan Maklan, Adrian Payne and Lynette Ryals for their helpful comments on previous versions of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marshall Goldsmith School of Management, Alliant International University, San Diego, CA, 92131, USA

    Fred Lemke

  2. Henley Business School, Greenlands, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 3AU, UK

    Moira Clark

  3. Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, Beds., MK43 0AL, UK

    Hugh Wilson

Authors
  1. Fred Lemke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Moira Clark
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hugh Wilson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fred Lemke.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lemke, F., Clark, M. & Wilson, H. Customer experience quality: an exploration in business and consumer contexts using repertory grid technique. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 39, 846–869 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-010-0219-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-010-0219-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation