Antecedents of peripheral services cross-buying behavior

This study is the first attempt to empirically investigate the determinants of a key type of relationship breadth extension strategy for retailers – buying of peripheral services. Assessing customers’ relationship and value perceptions, we find that convenience and social benefits significantly influence peripheral services cross-buying. Notably, our study demonstrates that the factors stimulating customers to cross-buy peripheral services in a retail setting differ from those previously found in other contexts. For instance, commitment and payment equity, considered crucial for stimulating cross-buying behavior in prior research, do not appear to be a significant driver for peripheral services cross-buying in the retailing context. The findings suggest that to increase the breadth of customer relationships, retailers should focus on strengthening the social benefits customers perceive from the relationship and increasing key antecedents of convenience

Moving the customer experience field forward : introducing the Touchpoints, Context, Qualities (TCQ) nomenclature

In response to initial voices that put the customer experience (management) (CX(M)) movement into question, this article aims to introduce a formal nomenclature to push the CX(M) field toward a more mature state. First, drawing from an inductive analysis of 143 CX(M) papers, the authors identify 12 basic CX components that aggregate into three overarching building blocks-touchpoints (T, i.e., points of interaction between the customer and brand/firm), context (C, i.e., situationally available resources internal and/or external to the customer), and qualities (Q, i.e., attributes that reflect the nature of customer responses and reactions to interactions with the brand/firm). The TCQ nomenclature offers a language to make CX actionable, moving beyond the breadth of the current definition and frameworks by disentangling CX into small bite-sized chunks (i.e., the CX components) that any academic and practitioner, regardless of their discipline, may understand and use to discuss and manage CX. Second, using the TCQ nomenclature, the authors assess the current state of the CX(M) literature and identify mature (e.g., firm-controlled touchpoints and cognitive and emotional qualities associated with CX) and underdeveloped (e.g., nonfirm controlled touchpoints and the market and environmental context in which CX emerges) areas ripe for future research. In addition, they also provide a set of recommendations to strengthen the methodological rigor of the field. Third, the TCQ nomenclature may support managers in auditing their current CXM practices and/or serve as a basis for CX design and innovation

Gaining Customer Experience Insights that Matter

Contextualized in post-purchase consumption in B2B settings, the authors contribute to customer experience management theory and practice in three important ways. First, by offering a novel customer experience conceptual framework that integrates prior customer experience research to better understand, manage, and improve customer experiences - comprised of value cocreation elements (resources, activities, context, interactions and customer role), cognitive responses and discrete emotions at touchpoints across the customer journey. Second, by demonstrating the usefulness of a longitudinal customer experience analytic based on the conceptual framework that combines quantitative and qualitative measures. Third, by providing a step-by-step guide for implementing the text mining approach in practice, thereby showing that customer experience analytics that apply big data techniques to the customer experience can offer significant insights that matter. The authors highlight six key insights practitioners need in order to manage their customers’ journey, through: (1) taking a customer perspective; (2) identifying root causes; (3) uncovering at-risk segments; (4) capturing customers’ emotional and cognitive responses; (5) spotting and preventing decreasing sales; and (6) prioritizing actions to improve customer experience (CX). The article concludes with directions for future research

Comparative Analyses of the Bacterial Microbiota of the Human Nostril and Oropharynx

The nose and throat are important sites of pathogen colonization, yet the microbiota of both is relatively unexplored by culture-independent approaches. We examined the bacterial microbiota of the nostril and posterior wall of the oropharynx from seven healthy adults using two culture-independent methods, a 16S rRNA gene microarray (PhyloChip) and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. While the bacterial microbiota of the oropharynx was richer than that of the nostril, the oropharyngeal microbiota varied less among participants than did nostril microbiota. A few phyla accounted for the majority of the bacteria detected at each site: Firmicutes and Actinobacteria in the nostril and Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in the oropharynx. Compared to culture-independent surveys of microbiota from other body sites, the microbiota of the nostril and oropharynx show distinct phylum-level distribution patterns, supporting niche-specific colonization at discrete anatomical sites. In the nostril, the distribution of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes was reminiscent of that of skin, though Proteobacteria were much less prevalent. The distribution of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in the oropharynx was most similar to that in saliva, with more Proteobacteria than in the distal esophagus or mouth. While Firmicutes were prevalent at both sites, distinct families within this phylum dominated numerically in each. At both sites there was an inverse correlation between the prevalences of Firmicutes and another phylum: in the oropharynx, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and in the nostril, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. In the nostril, this inverse correlation existed between the Firmicutes family Staphylococcaceae and Actinobacteria families, suggesting potential antagonism between these groups

Composition of the Adult Digestive Tract Bacterial Microbiome Based on Seven Mouth Surfaces, Tonsils, Throat and Stool Samples

Background: To understand the relationship between our bacterial microbiome and health, it is essential to define the microbiome in the absence of disease. The digestive tract includes diverse habitats and hosts the human body's greatest bacterial density. We describe the bacterial community composition of ten digestive tract sites from more than 200 normal adults enrolled in the Human Microbiome Project, and metagenomically determined metabolic potentials of four representative sites. Results: The microbiota of these diverse habitats formed four groups based on similar community compositions: buccal mucosa, keratinized gingiva, hard palate; saliva, tongue, tonsils, throat; sub- and supra-gingival plaques; and stool. Phyla initially identified from environmental samples were detected throughout this population, primarily TM7, SR1, and Synergistetes. Genera with pathogenic members were well-represented among this disease-free cohort. Tooth-associated communities were distinct, but not entirely dissimilar, from other oral surfaces. The Porphyromonadaceae, Veillonellaceae and Lachnospiraceae families were common to all sites, but the distributions of their genera varied significantly. Most metabolic processes were distributed widely throughout the digestive tract microbiota, with variations in metagenomic abundance between body habitats. These included shifts in sugar transporter types between the supragingival plaque, other oral surfaces, and stool; hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide production were also differentially distributed. Conclusions: The microbiomes of ten digestive tract sites separated into four types based on composition. A core set of metabolic pathways was present across these diverse digestive tract habitats. These data provide a critical baseline for future studies investigating local and systemic diseases affecting human health

Mere Measurement “Plus”: How Solicitation of Open-Ended Positive Feedback Influences Customer Purchase Behavior

In two studies (a longitudinal field experiment with an established B2C national chain, and a field experiment with a B2B software manufacturer), we demonstrate that starting a survey with an open-ended positive solicitation increases customer purchase behavior. Study 1, a longitudinal field experiment, showed that one-year following the completion of a survey that began by asking customers what went well during their purchase experience, customers spent 8.25% more than customers who completed a survey that did not include the positive solicitation. In Study 2, we utilized multiple treatment groups to assess the step-wise gains of solicitation, measurement, and solicitation frame. The results demonstrated (a) a mere solicitation effect, (b) a traditional mere measurement effect, and (c) an additional “mere measurement plus” effect of an open-ended positive solicitation; all effects increased customer spending. Specifically, starting a survey with an open-ended positive solicitation resulted in a 32.88% increase in customer spending relative to a survey with no open-ended positive solicitation. The findings suggest that firms can proactively influence the feedback process. Soliciting open-ended positive feedback can create positively biased memories of an experience; the subsequent expression of those memories in an open-ended feedback format further reinforces them, making them more salient and accessible in guiding future purchase behavior

A longitudinal implementation evaluation of a physical activity program for cancer survivors: LIVESTRONG(R) at the YMCA

Purpose: Increased physical activity (PA) levels in cancer survivors are associated with decreased risk of recurrence and mortality as well as additional positive health outcomes. PA interventions have shown to be efficacious, though many lack translation to and sustainability in community settings. We used dimensions of the RE-AIM framework to evaluate LIVESTRONG(R) at the YMCA, a nation-wide community-based PA program for cancer survivors delivered at Ys. Methods: This was a longitudinal study design using national LIVESTRONG at the YMCA data compiled between 2010 and 2018. Data is from all YMCAs who deliver LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, submitted by Program Directors to the YMCA-USA. We assessed reach (number of participants), adoption (associations offering the program), implementation (conducting 3 fidelity checks), and organizational level maintenance (associations recently offering program). We also examined relationships between organizational characteristics (years of program existence and association area household income) and program implementation factors with member conversion rates. Results: As of 2018, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA has reached 62,044 survivors and 245 of the 840 (29.2%) of Y associations have adopted the program. Among the adopters, 91% were aware of fidelity checks; implementation of observational (62.3%), goal setting (49.9%), and functional (64.6%) checklists varied. Most (95.1%) adopters reported offering \u3e /= 1 LIVESTRONG session per year (organizational-level maintenance) and a facility-level mean membership conversion percentage of 46.9 +/- 31.2%. Fewer years implementing the program and higher association area household income were significantly associated with a greater membership conversion rate vs their comparison. In a multiple regression model controlling for organizational characteristics, conducting the fidelity checks independently (observational, beta = 8.41; goal-setting, beta = 9.70; and functional, beta = 9.61) and collectively (beta = 10.82; 95% CI 5.90-16.80) was positively associated with higher membership conversion rates. Conclusions: LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, in its early years, has shown promise for high reach, while adoption at more associations could be facilitated. Implementing fidelity checks along with organizational characteristics were associated with membership conversion rate. Identification of association-level strategies to increase reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance may increase the impact of this community-based PA program