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A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing, Johannesburg 2019 / Consumer brand identification is a concept that helps us to understand the reasons behind brands helping consumers to express their identities and find the true meaning of themselves through brands. Brands are used by consumers to construct their self-image and to fulfil self-verification needs. This study sought to test the six drivers of Consumer Brand Identification, (CBI) as identified by Stokburger-Sauer, Ratneshwar and Sen (2012) and their impact on brand loyalty. The six drivers/antecedent are; brand-self similarity, brand distinctiveness, brand prestige, brand social benefits, brand warmth and memorable brand experiences. These drivers were tested on the five South African commercial banks, namely, Standard bank, First National Bank (FNB), Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA), Capitec and Nedbank. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was used. A non-probability sampling method was employed with 244 respondents dispersed throughout South Africa who completed a self-administered questionnaire. The results confirmed the influence of four of the six drivers, being brand distinctiveness, brand prestige, brand social benefits and memorable brand experiences. Further to that, it was found that brand distinctiveness has a stronger causal relationship with CBI when consumers have lower involvement in the brand’s product category. Brand social benefits had a stronger relationship with CBI when consumers have a higher involvement in the brand’s product category. CBI was found to have a positive consequence on brand loyalty which further lead to brand advocacy. The findings also revealed that FNB was the most popular bank, with ABSA being the least popular bank. From the findings, it was recommended that banks should focus on driving an emotional connection with the brand and the consumer which can be through socially lead events that make them feel like they belong and taking consumers through memorable brand experiences. Through this, brand distinctiveness can be further enhanced. / XL2019

Background: The leisure and recreational sports market, a multibillion-dollar industry, isexperiencing a transformative shift. With increased competition and changing consumerdemographics, businesses and facilities are seeking innovative strategies to ensure customerretention and maintain profitability. Golf, as a key player in this sector, has seen a resurgencein popularity due to its adaptability during social distancing measures. Amid this growth, theindustry faces challenges to engage and retain a new demographic of golfers. To address this,experiential marketing, emphasizing immersive and interactive customer experiences, hasbecome increasingly critical. This approach focuses on creating memorable experiences ratherthan simply providing product or service information. Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of experiential marketing oncustomer engagement and loyalty within the golf industry, specifically analyzing howdifferent golf course dimensions affect consumers' emotional responses and willingness toreturn. This research will provide valuable insights for the development of effectiveexperiential marketing strategies in participation sports. Method: Ontology - Constructivism; Epistemology - Interpretivism; Methodology - Multiplecase study; Data collection - 10 semi-structured interviews; Sampling - Criterion sampling,which followed the criteria: (1) recent experience, participants must have played at both golfcourses during the 2023 season, ensuring that their experiences and feedback are current andrelevant to the present-day amenities offered by the clubs, while also minimizing theinfluence of any seasonal effects. (2) geographic location, participants must reside within theJönköping region, as this helps ensure that their experiences are not biased due to traveling toa new region or country, which could potentially lead to biased conclusions. (3) time played,the golfers must have completed at least 18 holes of golf as to ensure that they get the fullexperience at both of the selected golf courses.; Data Analysis – Content Analysis (creation ofa tree-diagram based on quotes, sub-categories, generic categories and main categories) Conclusion: This research offers insights into how experiential marketing dimensions likeamenities, atmosphere, and customer service influence golfer satisfaction and returnintentions. Key findings indicate that these elements elicit strong emotional responses, drivinggolfer loyalty. A holistic approach that addresses both tangible and intangible elementsenhance overall satisfaction. This study underlines the need for continued research into thesefactors to support the development of effective strategies for the golf industry.

The digitalization of society is a major trend that is currently transforming the businesslandscape (Parviainen et al., 2017, p. 63). Within this digital era, the AI chatbot hasemerged (Hsu & Lin, 2023, p. 2), enabling companies to provide high-quality customerservice 24/7. AI chatbots offer a range of benefits and possibilities that can be utilized invarious industries. There is evidence that AI chatbots have the potential to create loyalcustomers, making it a valuable tool for businesses. Therefore, this thesis investigateswhat AI chatbot attributes can relate to the two dimensions of customer loyalty amongGen Z.The purpose of this research is to help organizations to build relationships with customersand provide insight into which attributes of an AI chatbot can be used by companies tocreate value for customers. This to further facilitate their work of building customerloyalty. In this study, we utilize a framework to quantitatively measure AI chatbotsthrough various attributes, including Availability, Ease of Use, Accuracy of Response,Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy. Then the relationship of the attributes washypothesized together with the two dimensions of customer loyalty, attitudinal andbehavior loyalty. The questionnaires was distributed to Gen Z through snowball and self-selection sampling techniques. Through the online survey, 73 responses were collected totest the hypothesis. It was found that empathy has a significant relationship with bothdimensions of customer loyalty, and assurance has a significant relationship withattitudinal loyalty.We are convinced that this strengthens and reinforces the ongoing research on customerloyalty. Moreover, the study expands the quantitative work on AI chatbots by introducingand utilizing a framework to examine the attributes of AI chatbots in a general context.Furthermore, the thesis provides knowledge to companies that are currently working onor developing AI chatbots, of which attributes that should be prioritized to enhancecustomer loyalty. Our findings suggest that these attributes are assurance and empathy.

Background: The consulting industry’s growth has continuously outpaced the gen- eral economy, leading to more new entrants and increased intra-industry competition. Thus, competitive practices must be revised to ensure existing consultancies’ market position. Since customer loyalty is today’s most prominent success factor for con- sultancies, this is what to increase. Customer loyalty’s most influential factor is the competitive practice of customer intimacy, which in turn consists of subgroups. The investigated subgroups are employee and business specific traits. Objectives: This master thesis aims to uncover what direct and underlying factors of customer intimacy increase customer loyalty and how they compare to each other. Methods: This paper will take a quantitative approach by utilizing the concept of Structural Equation Modeling. Surveys will gather primary data for the model and consist of a questionnaire aiming to retrieve valid and reliable answers from people with experience working with consultants. Results: The results show that most direct factors used in customer intimacy have a positive influence on customer loyalty while the underlying factors thin out. Busi- ness specific traits showed to have a significant impact on customer intimacy while employee specific traits did not. Conclusions: This study concludes that direct and underlying factors of customer intimacy help consultancies improve their competitive practices to increase customer loyalty.

Covid-19 affected all industries worldwide and were affected differently, but one industry that faced many setbacks due to the Covid-19 pandemic is the restaurant industry. According to SCB (2021), cities between 50 000 – 99 999 inhabitants decreased by 18,9% in sales. My aim with the thesis is to examine the impact of digital marketing strategies on the sales and customer loyalty of restaurants during the Covid-19 pandemic in medium-sized cities. This thesis is intended to contribute information on how restaurants have worked to keep their customers during the pandemic with the help of digital tools such as social media marketing and online delivery services.  The usefulness of online delivery services and the shift toward digital and social media marketing because of covid-19 are the focus of this thesis research into the restaurant industry's marketing strategies. The thesis emphasizes how digital tools can help restaurants keep customers during the pandemic and speed up their recovery. Digital marketing was a cost-effective way to reach customers during the pandemic, according to the thesis conducted with six restaurant owners and managers in a medium-sized city. Despite the competitive advantage of online delivery services, maintaining customer loyalty was primarily driven by existing relationships. / Covid-19 påverkade alla branscher globalt och alla påverkades olika, men en bransch som ställdes inför många bakslag på grund av Covid-19-pandemin är restaurangbranschen. Enligt SCB (2021) minskade försäljningen 18% i städer med mellan 50 000 - 99 999 invånare.Mitt syfte med uppsatsen är att undersöka digitala marknadsföringsstrategiers påverkan på försäljning och kundlojalitet för restauranger under Covid-19-pandemin i medelstora städer. Denna uppsats är avsedd att bidra med information om hur restauranger har arbetat för att behålla sina kunder under pandemin med hjälp av digitala verktyg som sociala medier marknadsföring och online-leveranstjänster.Nytta av online-leveranstjänster och skiftet mot digitala och sociala medier-marknadsföring på grund av Covid-19 är fokus för denna uppsats om restaurangbranschens marknadsföringsstrategier. Uppsatsen betonar hur digitala verktyg kunde hjälpa restauranger att behålla kunder under pandemin och påskynda deras återhämtning. Digital marknadsföring var en kostnadseffektiv metod för att nå kunder under pandemin, enligt uppsatsen som genomförts med sex restaurangägare och chefer i en medelstor stad. Trots fördelen med online-leveranstjänster var bibehållandet av kundlojalitet främst av befintliga relationer.

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Control and involvement are well researched concepts in traditional marketing, while interactivity is a relatively new concept associated with Internet marketing and communication. From an Internet interaction perspective, the research examines the impact of interactivity, control and involvement on customer satisfaction and loyalty in an eBanking context. Using Flow Theory as the theoretical foundation, it is proposed that these three Internet communication constructs lead to eService dependency and eService encounter satisfaction, which, in turn, enhance the overall satisfaction and loyalty to the principal bank at corporate level. A mixed methodology using both qualitative and quantitative approaches of data collection is adopted. In-depth interviews with eBankers and focus group studies with eBanking customers support the importance of interactivity, control and involvement in the eService encounter. The in-depth interviews and focus groups facilitate the identification of eService dependency as a new construct in the model. Participants¿ views also help the operationalisation of constructs and development of questionnaire for quantitative data collection. ii Analysis of the quantitative data using structural equation modelling shows support for all three constructs¿ hypothesised positive relationships with eService dependency and eService encounter satisfaction i.e. satisfaction at the service encounter level. It is also confirmed that eService dependency and eService encounter satisfaction have a positive impact on overall satisfaction with the principal bank i.e. satisfaction at corporate level. However, the influence of eService dependency and eService encounter satisfaction on loyalty to principal bank is not supported. The research concludes with the theoretical contributions and managerial implications of the research. Strategies to enhance interactivity with, control of and involvement by eBanking customers are recommended to eBankers. Limitations of the research and directions for future research in Internet and eService are also suggested.

In a time where the retail sector is undergoing continuous changes and increased competition, establishing and maintaining long-term customer relationships become increasingly critical for a company's success. Marketing constitutes the core of creating and communicating value to customers, as well as sustaining robust customer relationships. This study sheds light on the strategies and methods employed by retail companies in Sweden to address this challenge. The purpose of this study is to examine the strategies retail companies employ to obtain long-term customer relationships. Through semi-structured interviews and an abductive research perspective, the study not only identified challenges and opportunities for retail companies but also provides concrete insights and tools to develop and preserve strong customer relationships. With a specific focus on membership programs, the study revealed companies' unique strategies to enhance customer loyalty and meet today's complex consumer needs. The results reveal that successful retail companies not only offer quality products but also create customer experiences and build long-term customer relationships. Membership programs, sustainability efforts, and technological adaptation are common themes in their strategies. The study provides valuable insights for industry players striving to strengthen their customer relationships in a competitive environment.

It is estimated that there are approximately 42,000 beverage establishments in the U.S. whose annual revenue surpasses $20 billion (First Research, 2014). To facilitate discussion of beverage establishments, it is essential to recognize beverage establishments as businesses whose majority of sales come from alcoholic drinks (Moss, 2010a). In this research, beverage establishments are divided into beverage-only bars, bar/entertainment combinations, and food and beverage combinations. Even though they are a well-established industry, beverage establishments have received little academic attention (Moss, 2010b). For example, previous studies have given little attention to the development of the model that examines the relationships between quality attributes, convenience, perceived price fairness, customer experience, and customer loyalty in beverage establishments. However, current research in other service sectors has showed that quality, pricing and convenience have a strong effect on customer experience and behavioral intentions (Baker & Crompton, 2000; Cronin et al., 2000; Taylor & Baker, 1994; Tian-Cole, Crompton, & Willson, 2002; Woodside et al., 1989). Quality is tightly related to customer experience since it positively affects customer satisfaction and therefore company's profitability (Hallowell, 1996). This study has the following objectives: (1) to develop an instrument to measure the antecedents of customer experience in beverage establishments; (2) to examine the relative importance of different antecedents of customer experience in different types of beverage establishments; and (3) to build a model of various antecedents of customer experience in beverage establishments. This study was conducted in six phases. The first phase was the analysis of previous literature regarding quality attributes, convenience, perceived price fairness, customer experience, customer loyalty, and beverage establishments. The second phase was a development of mixed methodology research design. The third phase was the data collection based on interviews with management of beverage establishments, customer focus groups, and a survey of customers of beverage establishments. The fourth phase was a pilot study that involved a refinement of the study instrument. The fifth phase was a main quantitative study based on the survey design. The results from each qualitative and quantitative phase of the study were integrated and analyzed. The results from the instrument development part of the study identified the following eleven antecedents of customer experience in beverage establishments: (1) service quality, (2) product quality, (3) physical environment design, (4) physical environment layout, (5) music quality, (6) social environment, (7) information convenience, (8) location convenience, (9) parking convenience, (10) entrance fee fairness, and (11) perceived price fairness. Additionally, the second instrument development study was used to recognize different customer experiential state dimensions. The factor structure included two customer experiential states: (1) the affective experiential state and (2) the cognitive experiential state. A comprehensive theoretical model that integrates different dimensions of antecedents of customer experience, customer experiential states, customer loyalty and the moderating affect of the type of the beverage establishment was developed. One of the most important findings of the study is the relationship between the social environment and the affective experiential state. The results of the study indicate that the majority of other antecedents of customer experience did not have a significant effect on two experiential states or that effect was relatively weak. However, social environment was the strongest predictor of customers' positive emotions and therefore customer loyalty and behavioral intentions. Finally, the study results confirmed Oliver's (1997) theory of customer loyalty by providing support for the sequential relationship between cognitive, affective, and conative loyalty. This study has several important theoretical contributions. Different antecedents of customer experience in beverage establishments were recognized and an instrument that measures these dimensions was developed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scale specifically developed to measure experience in beverage establishments. Additionally, the importance of each of the antecedent of customer experience was examined in regards to their effect on customer experience. Additionally, an instrument that measures cognitive and affective experiential states was developed and was a foundation for the study model. Finally, this study integrates different customer experience and customer loyalty dimensions into a comprehensive theoretical model that could be applied and retested in other service settings.