Going beyond the service exchange: Investigating an engagement platform for customer learning

Abstract

Current service research emphasizes that a pressing new challenge for firms is to support customer learning. This study examines engagement platforms for customer learning. Given the voluntary nature of these platforms, their effectiveness strongly depends on customers’ willingness to engage. A conceptual model is presented that discerns between an economic and social route to engagement. Preliminary qualitative findings confirm the existence of these two routes. A large scale quantitative study will be conducted to test the hypothesized relationships. Besides an in-depth theoretical understanding of engagement platforms for customer learning, our study offers practical implications for the effectiveness of such platforms.