New distribution channels in service firms: marketing and organizational consequences.

This paper aims at showing marketing and organizational impacts of the diversification of distribution channels, i.e. interfaces between distributor and consumer, on the service encounter between customers and a service firm in retail banking. Interactions between branches, the outgoing call-centre and the incoming call-centre are scrutinized. Our study highlights four main results : (a) New distribution channels use is linked to customer profile, and lack of customer capacity to participate is a major restraint to customer willingness to participate. (b) New distribution channels favour potential customer opportunism for a limited number of customers. Two forms of opportunism are shown: active and premeditated opportunism versus the incoming call-centre, “spontaneous” or “incident” opportunism when called by the outgoing call-centre. (c) To limit potential opportunism, the bank insists on formal coordination mechanisms: process standardization, qualification standardization, direct supervision. (d) the customer acts as a “perception filter” between the different channels employees. The customer’s actions modify - positively or more generally negatively - the internal perception of branch sales people about their colleagues working in the call centre.opportunism; retail banking sector; distribution channels; multichannel distribution; intra-organizational coordination;

Conventions de qualification et technologies de l'information : une analyse appliquée à la relation prestataires logistiques – clients.

L’évolution des Technologies de l’Information et des Communications (TIC) et leur intégration dans les services rendus par les prestataires de services logistiques (PSL) ont entraîné une réduction des coûts, et encouragé une meilleure communication entre les PSL et leurs clients au sein d’une Supply Chain. Ces TIC ont eu aussi des implications importantes au niveau de la qualité de service attendue et fournie sur le marché. C’est ce que nous montrons ici en mobilisant le concept de convention de qualification, tel qu’il a été défini par Gomez (1994). Nous soutenons dans cet article la thèse selon laquelle cette convention de qualification se voit profondément transformée par le recours croissant aux TIC dans la relation PSL / client, ce qui a des effets sur le degré de complexité et de cohérence de cette convention. Ces effets sont en fait révélateurs de l’existence d’un paradoxe dans la gestion de cette relation, qui est marquée d’un côté par le besoin du recours à des mécanismes formels relativement rigides qui vont encadrer la relation, et d’un autre côté par une impérieuse nécessité de souplesse, de flexibilité pour assurer la meilleure adéquation possible entre l’offre du prestataire et les besoins du client.The evolution of information and communications technologies (ICT) and their integration within logistical provider services have brought costs cuts and led to a better communication between these providers and theirs customers within a supply chain. ICTs have also had great consequences on the level of quality both offered and expected on a market. We show that using the qualification convention concept (Gomez, 1994). This convention, we argue, has been profoundly changed since ICTs are more and more used in a logistical service provider / customer relationship. Both complexity and consistency of this convention have evolved, revealing the following paradox in this relationship: on the one hand, relatively formal and rigid coordination mechanisms (such as a contract) are needed to control the relationship, but on the other hand, it needs to be flexible so that supply qualitatively matches demand.TIC; Supply Chain; coordination inter organisationnelle; Convention de qualification; Technologies de l’information et des communications.;

L'impact du client sur la coordination d'un réseau de distribution multicanal : le cas de la banque de détail.

La multiplication de nouveaux canaux de distribution, définis comme les interfaces entre les clients et l’entreprise, constitue une orientation stratégique majeure des en treprises de services. La banque de détail, en particulier, est fortement concernée par cette évolution puisque, en sus des agences, points de vente historiques des produits et services bancaires, se sont développés les centres d’appels, les services sur Internet, téléphonie mobile, ou télévision interactive,... En d’autres termes, sont apparus de nouvelles possibilités de contacts et de nouveaux interlocuteurs pour les clients, alors que le conseiller commercial de l’agence était auparavant seul maître de la relation, dont la gestion lui incombait totalement. Dans ce cadre, le client participe de plus en plus activement à la création du service qui lui est fourni (Prahalad & Ramaswamy, 2000). Le corollaire de cette participation est une incertitude croissante que doit gérer le prestataire de services (Argote, 1982 ; Larsson et Bowen, 1989 ), laquelle est accrue par un comportement potentiellement opportuniste, au sens de Williamson, du client. Cette situation nécessite l’établissement de mécanismes de coordination entre les personnels en contact avec les clients. Une étude de cas exploratoire, menée au sein d’une banque de détail française, nous permet de valider deux hypothèses. La première suppose l’existence d’un lien entre le nombre de canaux de distribut ion et le degré d’opportunisme potentiel des clients. La seconde porte sur le degré de formalisation des mécanismes de coordination instaurés entre les canaux, qui semble d’autant plus fort que la potentialité d’opportunisme du client est importante. Par ailleurs, a émergé de cette étude empirique un résultat inattendu, qui laisse envisager que le client joue un rôle de « filtre » entre les canaux de distribution, notamment entre les agences et les centres d’appels. Sur un plan théorique, cela renforce l’exigence d’un renouvellement de la perspective institutionnaliste, qui exclut le client de sa réflexion (Joffre & Montmorillon, 2001).Banque de détail; Opportunisme; Distribution multicanale; Canal de distribution; Coordination intra-organisationnelle;

La co-construction des conventions comme mode de coordination des canaux de distribution : le cas de la convention d'appropriation

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Managing multichannel coordination in retail banking: the impact of customer participation

International audienc

Not Just my Business Model Anymore: Advantages and Limitations of Joining Business Cooperatives

International audienc

Business cooperatives: when does sharing become a drawback?

International audienc

Managing multichannel coordination in retail banking: the impact of customer participation

The purpose of this research is to explore the combining of marketing and organizational literature. This paper seeks to evaluate the relationships between multichannel coordination and customer participation, as seen through the lens of potential customer opportunism. It aims at showing the impact of this opportunism on the organizational design of multiple channels structures. Design/methodology/approach – The research reports on an exploratory case study in a French retail bank. A total of 25 in-depth interviews were conducted, and the use of other sources enabled data triangulation. Findings – The results show first that an increase in the number of distribution channels is liable to favor customer opportunistic behavior. To counter this, the bank mainly relies on impersonal coordination modes. An emerging result highlights the role of the customer as a ‘perceptual filter’ between the different channels of employees. Research limitations/implications – Customer opportunism is studied via channels employees perceptions. An investigation using a customer survey may help to better understand this construct, e.g. to identify its antecedents, and to measure it precisely. Moreover, further qualitative and/or quantitative studies with larger sample sizes are needed to try and generalize these results. Practical implications – It is recommended not to forget that customers can facilitate or hinder multichannel coordination. Retail banks have the power to use them conveniently, provided that they are fully conscious of the scope of the ‘partial employee’ role played by the customer. Originality/value – This paper broadens understanding of how multichannel distribution structures are coordinated, and in a way belies traditional organizational design literature. The emerging result gives birth to the concept of ‘reversed interactive marketing’, which has interesting...ou

Studying customers' resource integration by service employees in interactional value co-creation

International audiencePurpose Noting that resource integration is a pivotal dimension of value co-creation in Service-Dominant logic, this paper aims to explore how service employees engaged in co-creation processes with customers integrate the latter’s resources. Design/methodology/approach To address the limitations of previous research on customer resources and their integration by service employees, this study turns to the concept of customer participation to identify the nature of customers’ resources. A conceptual framework of their integration by service employees underpins nine key propositions. This foundation leads to the development of theoretical contributions, managerial implications and avenues for research. Findings Customers can use 12 types of resources in value co-creation. Contrasting with earlier findings, the conceptual framework reveals that service employees may not only integrate these customers’ resources but also either misintegrate or not integrate them. Non-integration and misintegration may be intentional or accidental. Accordingly, value co-creation or co-destruction may result from interactions. Research limitations/implications This conceptual and exploratory text requires complementary theoretical and empirical investigations. It also does not adopt an ecosystems view of co-creation. Practical implications Knowing the different steps of resource integration and what influences them should increase the chances of value co-creation and limit the risks of value co-destruction. Originality/value Scant research has examined the nature of customer resources and how service employees integrate them. This paper also is the first to distinguish among resource integration, misintegration and non-integration