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Understanding and managing customer relational benefits in services: a meta-analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Dwayne D. Gremler

    (Bowling Green State University)

  • Yves Vaerenbergh

    (KU Leuven)

  • Elisabeth C. Brüggen

    (Maastricht University)

  • Kevin P. Gwinner

    (Kansas State University)

Abstract

Recent meta-analyses provide clear insights into how service firms can benefit from relationship marketing, whereas investigations of customers’ relational benefits (1) are unclear about the absolute and relative strengths by which different relational benefit dimensions induce different customer responses and (2) have not simultaneously examined the various mediating processes (including perceived value, relationship quality, and switching costs) through which relational benefits reportedly affect customer loyalty. To consolidate extant research on the benefits of relationship marketing for customers, this meta-analysis integrates 1242 effect sizes drawn from 235 independent samples across 224 papers disseminated in the past two decades. The results reveal that all three relational benefits affect loyalty, though confidence benefits and social benefits have the strongest effects. Among the three identified mediation paths through which relational benefits influence customer loyalty, the sequential path through perceived value and relationship quality is the strongest. From a service research perspective, this study provides novel empirical generalizations; managerially, the findings suggest that a primary goal for service managers should be strengthening confidence and social benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Dwayne D. Gremler & Yves Vaerenbergh & Elisabeth C. Brüggen & Kevin P. Gwinner, 2020. "Understanding and managing customer relational benefits in services: a meta-analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 565-583, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:48:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11747-019-00701-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11747-019-00701-6
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    2. Utkarsh, & Gupta, Roopak Kumar, 2022. "Effects of confidence and social benefits on consumers’ extra-role and in-role behaviors: A social identity and social exchange perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    3. Pradeep Kautish & Arpita Khare & Rajesh Sharma, 2022. "Health insurance policy renewal: an exploration of reputation, performance, and affect to understand customer inertia," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(3), pages 261-278, September.
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    5. Janine Hobeika & Insaf Khelladi & Mehmet A. Orhan, 2022. "Analyzing the corporate social responsibility perception from customer relationship quality perspective. An application to the retail banking sector," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(6), pages 2053-2064, November.
    6. Alexander B. Pratt & Stacey G. Robinson & Clay M. Voorhees & Joyce (Feng) Wang & Michael D. Giebelhausen, 2023. "Unintended effects of price promotions: Forgoing competitors’ price promotions strengthens incumbent brand loyalty," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 1143-1164, September.
    7. S.Sarifah Radiah Shariff, 2023. "Conceptualising Loyalty Benefits as the Relational benefits perceived by Malaysian Automotive manufacturers," GATR Journals gjbssr634, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.
    8. Vieira, Valter Afonso & Rafael, Diego Nogueira & Agnihotri, Raj, 2022. "Augmented reality generalizations: A meta-analytical review on consumer-related outcomes and the mediating role of hedonic and utilitarian values," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 170-184.
    9. Leckie, Civilai & Dwivedi, Abhishek & Johnson, Lester W., 2023. "Credibility and price premium-based competitiveness for industrial brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    10. Mortimer, Gary & Fazal-e-Hasan, Syed Muhammad & Strebel, Judi, 2021. "Examining the consequences of customer-oriented deviance in retail," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    11. Alex Belli & Anne-Maree O’Rourke & François A. Carrillat & Ljubomir Pupovac & Valentyna Melnyk & Ekaterina Napolova, 2022. "40 years of loyalty programs: how effective are they? Generalizations from a meta-analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 147-173, January.
    12. Desveaud, Kathleen & Mandler, Timo & Eisend, Martin, 2024. "A meta-model of customer brand loyalty and its antecedents," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    13. John Hulland & Mark B. Houston, 2020. "Why systematic review papers and meta-analyses matter: an introduction to the special issue on generalizations in marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 351-359, May.
    14. Afonso Vieira, Valter & Wolter, Jeremy S. & Falcão Araujo, Clécio & Saraiva Frio, Ricardo, 2023. "What makes the corporate social responsibility impact on Customer–Company identification stronger? A meta-analysis," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 475-492.
    15. Phuong T. Nguyen & Hieu V. Cao & Hiep M. Phuoc & Phong T. Tran, 2022. "Effects of Relational Benefits in the Model of Customers’ Benefits and Relationship Quality in Vietnam," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-20, November.
    16. Miao, Yumeng & Du, Rong & Ou, Carol, 2022. "Guanxi circles and light entrepreneurship in social commerce : The roles of mass entrepreneurship climate and technology affordances," Other publications TiSEM f19a203f-abb6-4835-9c34-2, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    17. Krishen, Anjala S. & Berezan, Orie & Agarwal, Shaurya & Kachen, Sheen, 2023. "Affective commitment recipes for wine clubs: Value goes beyond the vine," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).

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