A CIT investigation of other customers' influence in services
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the different forms of other customers' influence in various service settings.
Design/methodology/approach
The critical incident technique (CIT) method was used to collect and analyze the data. A total of 142 critical incidents involving other customers' influence in services were collected.
Findings
Based on CIT analysis, nine types of other customers' influence involving positive and negative, direct and indirect customer‐to‐customer interactions emerge. In addition, the researchers find that the degree of other customers' influence varies for different service settings.
Research limitations/implications
Methodologically, there are a number of limitations of the CIT method used in this research. The paper suggests ways to overcome these limitations. Moreover, findings of this research suggest a number of additional directions for future research.
Practical implications
This research suggests the importance of proactively managing customer‐to‐customer interactions during a service encounter experience.
Originality/value
This paper builds on previous research and provides empirically based analysis of the different forms of other customers' influence across service settings.
Keywords
Citation
Zhang, J., Beatty, S.E. and Mothersbaugh, D. (2010), "A CIT investigation of other customers' influence in services", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 389-399. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876041011060495
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited