Should Your Chatbot Joke? Driving Conversion Through the Humour of a Chatbot Greeting

Despite the increasing number of companies employing chatbots for tasks that previously needed human involvement, researchers and managers are only now beginning to examine chatbots in customer-brand relationship-building efforts. Not much is known, however, about how managers could modify their chatbot greeting, especially incorporating humour, to increase engagement and foster positive customer–brand interactions. The research aims to investigate how humour in a chatbot welcome message influences customers’ emotional attachment and conversion-to-lead through the mediating role of engagement. The findings of the experiment indicate that conversion-to-lead and emotional attachment rise when chatbots begin with a humorous (vs neutral) greeting. Engagement mediates this effect such that a humorous (vs neutral) greeting sparks engagement and thus makes users more emotionally attached and willing to give out their contact information to the brand. The study contributes to the existing research on chatbots, combining and expanding previous research on human–computer interaction and, more specifically, human–chatbot interaction, as well as the usage of humour in conversational marketing contexts. This study provides managers with insight into how chatbot greetings can engage consumers and convert them into leads

Estimating consumer perceived value distances between private label and proprietary brands : the conjoint analysis approach

Privatūs mažmenininkų prekės ženklai nebėra pigių produktų sinonimas, kaip buvo prieš kelis dešimtmečius. Jie pakilo vertikalioje kainų skalėje ir dabar kartais net užtemdo gamintojo prekės ženklą. Straipsnio tikslas – išsiaiškinti santykinę vertę, kurią Lietuvos vartotojai priskiria privačiam mažmenininko prekės ženklui ryšium su gamintojo prekės ženklu. Empirinės jungtinės analizės rezultatai leidžia teigti, kad Lietuvos mažmenininkų prekių ženklai dabar įkūnija požiūrį, artimesnį gamintojo prekės ženklui, negu bevardžiam, o „MAXIMA“ prekės ženklas yra tipinis to pavyzdys. Šie rezultatai rodo, kad negalima neįvertinti privačių prekės ženklų grėsmės gamintojų prekių ženklams, parduodamiems Lietuvoje. Privatūs prekių ženklai įgijo gamintojų prekės ženklų bruožų. Tyrimo rezultatai turi praktinę reikšmę marketingo darbuotojams, dirbantiems tiek su privačiais mažmenininkų prekių ženklais, tiek su gamintojų prekių ženklais, nes jie rodo santykines distancijas, kurias vartotojai priskiria įvairiems prekės ženklo pateikimo režimams. Prekių ženklų savininkai turėtų rimtai apgalvoti savo prekių ženklų strategijas orientuojant jas į gilesnę diferenciaciją ir gal būt taikant horizontalios plėtros strategijas. Nauja privačių prekės ženklų realybė taip pat reikalauja, kad mažmenininkai, norėdami ir toliau sėkmingai dirbti, apsvarstytų pamirštų verslo ir prekės ženklų skatinimo įrankius. Privatūs prekių ženklai aiškiai įgijo savo stiprius diferencijuotus prekės ženklo atributus. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Privačios etiketės; Nuosavybės ženklai; Suvokiama vertė; Bendroji analizė; Private labels; Proprietary brands; Perceived value; Conjoint analysisThe aim of the article is to gain understanding of the relative value that Lithuanian consumers assign to the private-label brands in relation to the proprietary (original manufacturer) brands. This aim is achieved by revealing the historical role of private labels in grocery price competition, substantiating choice of conjoint analysis method, employing this method to estimate the value distances that Lithuanian category- involved consumers assign to a private label brand in a typical fast moving consumer goods category and, finally, discussing the value of a private label brand in relation to proprietary brand. Empirical research results confirm shifting role of a private label in intra-category (within-category) price competition. The empirical study results indicate that, in the eyes of Lithuanian consumer, private label brand has already become closer to the proprietary brand than to its no-name counterpart. These findings imply that the threat of private labels shouldn't be underestimated by proprietary brands sold in Lithuania. Private labels have acquired brand attributes of their own. Proprietary brand owners should seriously rethink their brand strategies towards more profound differentiation and probably towards employing horizontal extension strategies. Empirical research findings have practical significance for both private-label and proprietary (manufacturer's own) brand marketers, as they indicate the relative distances that consumers place on various branding regimes

Santykių kokybės dimensijų tyrimas greitųjų siuntų pristatymo rinkoje

Santykių marketingo mokslinėje literatūroje yra keletas modelių ir instrumentų santykių kokybei matuoti. Tyrimo tikslas – remiantis T. Hennig-Thurau ir kt. modeliu, ištirti santykių kokybės dimensijų struktūrą greitųjų siuntų paslaugų rinkoje. T. Hennig-Thurau ir kt. modelį sudaro septynios dimensijos: pasitikėjimo nauda, socialinė nauda, ypatingo požiūrio į paslaugos vartotoją nauda, pasitenkinimas, prisirišimas, ketinimas rekomenduoti ir lojalumas. Pasak T. Hennig-Thurau ir kt., vartotojų pasitenkinimas yra dimensija, turinti didžiausią poveikį vartotojų lojalumui ir ketinimui rekomenduoti. R. Bennet ir kt. atlikta empirinių tyrimų apžvalga parodė, kad pasitenkinimas ir lojalumas gali priklausyti vienam faktoriui. Jeigu tarp šių konstruktų yra stiprus koreliacinis ryšys, būtina tikrinti, ar šie konstruktai nepriklauso vienam faktoriui. Vartotojų prisirišimas yra antroji pagal stiprumą dimensija, lemianti vartotojų lojalumą ir gyvąjį žodį. Remiantis šiuo teoriniu pagrindu, buvo iškeltos 23 hipotezės, apklausta 200 respondentų ir atlikta faktorinė analizė. Faktorinės analizės rezultatai parodė, kad visos iškeltos hipotezės pasitvirtino, t.y. greitųjų siuntų paslaugų rinkoje egzistuoja septynios santykių kokybės dimensijos, identiškos išskirtoms T. Hennig-Thurau ir kt. modelyje. Apibendrinant galima teigti, kad T. Hennig-Thurau ir kt. matavimo instrumentas yra validus ir patikimas santykių kokybei tarp kliento ir greitųjų siuntų paslaugų teikėjo tirti.The scientific literature on relationship marketing indicates several models and instruments to measure the relationship quality. The study aims to use Thorsten Hennig-Thurau et al. model to investigate the structure of relationship quality dimensions in the market of express mail services. Hennig-Thurau et al. model consists of seven dimensions: confidence benefit, social benefit, special treatment benefit, satisfaction, commitment, word of mouth, and loyalty. According to Hennig-Thurau, consumer satisfaction is a dimension that has the greatest impact on consumer loyalty and word of mouth. The overview of empirical studies carried out by Rebekah Bennet et al. showed that satisfaction and loyalty may belong to one factor. If there is a strong correlation between these constructs, it is necessary to check whether these constructs do not belong to one factor. Consumers’ commitment is the second strongest dimension determining consumers’ loyalty and word of mouth. Based on this theoretical foundation, 23 hypotheses were raised, 200 respondents were surveyed, and a factorial analysis was conducted. The results of the factorial analysis confirmed all hypotheses, i.e. seven relationship quality dimensions identical to those distinguished in Hennig-Thurau et al. model exist in the express mail market. It could be stated that Hennig-Thurau at al. measuring instrument is valid and reliable for the investigation of relationship quality between the client and the express mail services provider

Lojalumo dimensijos paslaugų sektoriuje

Paper indicates that a traditional bi-dimensional definition may be far from a complete picture of loyalty while the multidimensional concept of loyalty is more extended. Following the multidimensional attitude towards loyalty, measurement of loyalty becomes problematic from the methodological point of view: application of different loyalty measurement dimensions produces different levels of loyalty. The results of this study, which was conducted in the field of fuel services, suggest that loyalty can be defined as a concept of four interrelated dimensions, on which customers exhibit different degrees of loyalty. The study findings also provide statistical evidence and using both correlation and factor analysis demonstrate four dimensions of loyalty and the relationship between them. A questionnaire (Cronbach alfa=0.88), which was used in this study of petrol station customers for the measurement of loyalty dimensions, is expected to be applied successfully in the research of customer loyalty in other service industries

Gamintojo ir mažmenininko prekių ženklų patrauklumas skirtingo įsitraukimo lygio pirkėjams

Lietuvoje, sparčiai augant mažmeniniam sektoriui, kartu auga ir mažmenininkų prekių ženklų populiarumas. Straipsnio tikslas - įvertinti gamintojo ir mažmenininko prekių ženklų patrauklumą skirtingo įsitraukimo lygio pirkėjams. Įvairiose pirkimo situacijose vartotojams paprastai rūpi, kas yra prekės ženklo savininkas - ar gerai žinomas gamintojas, mažmenininkas, kurio parduotuvėje tuo metu lankomasi, ar visai nežinomas, anoniminis subjektas. Galima teigti, kad prekes ženklo savininko tipas pirkėjui atlieka svarbų informacinį vaidmenį Tačiau vieni pirkėjai linkę gamintojo prekes ženklo savininko tipą laikyti kur kas patrauklesniu nei kiti. Marketingo mokslininkus ir praktikus domina veiksniai, padedantys išskirti tokius pirkėjus iš kitų ir suprasti jų sprendimus. Atliktas empirinis tyrimas patvirtino prielaidą, kad vartotojų įsitraukimas veikia jų suvokiamą gamintojų ir mažmenininkų prekių ženklų diferenciaciją. Žemo įsitraukimo pirkėjų grupei prekės ženklo signalai yra svarbesni. Aukšto įsitraukimo pirkėjų grupei didesnę vertę turi apčiuopiamos charakteristikos, reikalaujančios intensyvesnio informacijos apdorojimo, tokios kaip kainos rėmimas ir pardavimo skatinimas. Tyrimas atskleidžia ir kitus įdomius skirtumų tarp aukšto ir žemo įsitraukimo lygio pirkėjų dėsningumus. Tyrimo rezultatai leidžia teigti, kad vartotojų pirkimo įsitraukimas yra tinkamas kriterijus, pagal kurį rinkas galėtų segmentuoti mažmenininkai ir gamintojai. Straipsnyje pateikiama keletas tyrimo praktinių implikacijų.The rapid growth of the retail sector in Lithuania has been accompanied by the increase of popularity of the retailers’ trademarks. The article aims at evaluation of attractiveness of the manufacturer’s and retailer’s trademarks for the buyers of different involvement level. In different buying situations the consumers are usually concerned with the owner of the trademark, i. e. whether it is a well-known manufacturer or retailer or a virtually unknown and anonymous subject. One can state that the type of the owner of a trademark performs an important informational role to the buyer however some buyers are inclined to consider the type of the owner of the manufacturer’s trademark significantly more attractive than others. The scholars and practitioners of marketing are concerned with the factors, helping to distinguish such buyers from others and understand their decisions. The performed empirical study substantiated the precondition that the involvement of consumers influences the perceived differentiation of manufacturers’ and retailers’ trademarks. The signals of trademark are more important for the group of buyers of low involvement. The tangible characteristics, requiring more intensive processing of information, such as price support and encouraging of sales, have a greater value. The study also reveals other interesting regularities of the differences between the buyers of low and high level of involvement. The results of the study allow for stating that the buying involvement of consumers is an appropriate criterion, according to which the manufacturers and retailers could segment the markets. The article also presents several practical implications of the study

Cultural values research of the academic youth

Harsher competition determines the relevance of the research regarding the cultural impact on consumers’ behaviour, when the implementation of consumer interests depends on to what extent they are able to satisfy the consumer needs. The aim of the research is to explore cultural values characteristic of Lithuanian young academia. When adopting decisions which help to acquire competitive advantage, one must have a good knowledge of society’s culture and priorities of consumers’ values. If we stick to the opinion that currently we notice the revaluation of cultural values of young people, Lithuanian young academia was chosen for the empirical research. The methods of the conducted empirical research is based on Hawkins and other [13] schedule of cultural values’ research used in developed countries, consisting of three main cultural values’ groups which have impact on consumer behaviour: values orientated towards others, values orientated towards the environment, and values orientated towards oneself. In the group of values orientated towards others the following are characteristic to Lithuanian young academia: individual (3.25 points), romantics (4.01), adult (3.28), cooperation (3.86), feminism (3.24), youth (3.22). Environment orientated academic youth cares about such values: cleanliness (4.85), social status (4.02), changes (3.86), risk (2.92), problem solution (3.64), and values related to nature (2.78). In the group of values orientated towards oneself the following are characteristic to Lithuanian young academia: activity (4.86), materialism (2.88), leisure time (3.21), momentary satisfaction of needs (3.56), sensitive satisfaction (2.55), freedom (4.85)

Loyalty programs challenges in retail banking industry

The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges of loyalty programs in retail banks in Lithuania. Case study methodology was chosen to analyze the loyalty programs launched by various banks to show how banks are building the loyalty of individual customers and what challenges these banks face. The findings suggest that the majority of analyzed loyalty programs reward a repeat purchasing. Lithuanian retail banks launching loyalty programs for two customer segments - the potentially profitable customers and customers who are willing to keep money in bank accounts. Most of the retail banks loyalty programs offer their customers only a discount on the transaction costs and it could be viewed as an indirect price cut policy which leads to the constant battle for the price. Furthermore, a conclusion is reached that Lithuanian retail banks are offering non-customized loyalty programs and that marketing specialists are not enough familiar with the factors that determine the choice of loyalty programs

Brand and brand equity : conception and valuation

Straipsnyje nagrinėjamos prekės markės ir markės kapitalo sampratos bei vertės matavimo problemos. Pirmojoje straipsnio dalyje analizuojama markės samprata ir jos raidos aspektai. Antroje dalyje tiriama, kokią naudą markė teikia vartotojui, gamintojui, paskirstymo kanalo dalyviams ir visuomenei. Trečioje dalyje ieškoma sąsajų tarp skirtingų markės kapitalo koncepcijų ir elemente aptariami ir grupuojami skirtingi markės kapitalo įvertinimo metodai, pateikiama metodika, pagal kurią markės vertę apskaičiuoja UAB „SICrinkos tyrimai“.The concept of brand equity has been debated both in the accounting and marketing literature. However, accountants tend to define brand equity differently from marketers. As usuall accountants define the total value of a brand as a separable asset. When marketers use the term "brand equity" they tend to mean brand strength or brand description (brand image), distinguishing them from the asset valuation meaning. The different points of view of brand equity by accountants and marketers raise the problem of discovering relationship between different interpretations of brand equity and application of various methods of brand quantification. There is a relationship between diverse concepts of brand equity: the brand value is the function of brand strength (brand loyalty) and the brand strength is a function ofbrand description (brand image). The given brand equity description indicates, that brand equity cannot be estimated unilaterally: it's impossible to grant the quantitative expression to brand image, while the brand strength and total value can be quantified. Due to this reason in the world practice there are used both financial and non-financial methods to measure the brand equity. The estimating of brands is a sufficiently new subject in Lithuania. In the year 1999 Lithuanian joint-stock company "SIC rinkos tyrimai" launched and published the TOP-10 of valuables Lithuanian brands for the first time. Unfortunately, the applied methods to estimate the brand values were not comprehensive and given results didn't show the definite data of separate brand value in the Lithuanian market