Understanding and managing engagement journeys
ISSN: 1757-5818
Article publication date: 7 May 2024
Issue publication date: 14 May 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Existing research on customer journeys has tended to focus on the customer’s purchase decision-making and firm-controlled touchpoints, overlooking indirect touchpoints where customer resources and behaviors influence the firm and other actors, beyond financial patronage. This article develops the concept of engagement journeys and discusses their implications on journey design and management.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual article synthesizes the customer journey and engagement literature to delineate the concept of engagement journeys. Insights from engagement research are reflected in the current journey management orthodoxy to provide novel implications for the management of engagement journeys.
Findings
The engagement journey is defined as the customer’s process of diverse brand-related resource investments in interactions with the brand/firm and/or other customers, reflecting the customer’s cognitive, emotional and behavioral disposition. The analysis outlines the manifestations and nature of different types of touchpoints along the engagement journey, and the novel requirements for journey management.
Research limitations/implications
The developed conceptualization opens up new avenues in both journey and engagement research.
Practical implications
Some commonly held assumptions regarding journey quality and management do not hold true for engagement journeys, so there is a need for new approaches.
Originality/value
Despite the proliferation of both journey and engagement research, only a handful of studies have considered the link between the concepts. The proposed novel conceptualization of an engagement journey breaks free from a predominant focus on purchase decisions. The analysis of engagement journeys and their management advances both customer journey and engagement research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Elina Jaakkola would like to thank the Foundation for Economic Education (Liikesivistysrahasto) for supporting this research.
Citation
Jaakkola, E. and Alexander, M. (2024), "Understanding and managing engagement journeys", Journal of Service Management, Vol. 35 No. 3, pp. 357-380. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-02-2024-0066
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited