No / Loyalty, its antecedents, and its consequences have been considered extensively. Store loyalty, in particular e-store loyalty, has not, however, received the same level of attention despite the increase in the number of organisations that sell directly over the Internet. This paper focuses on two antecedents of e-store loyalty, perceived switching barriers and satisfaction, and the way in which they interact. It found that customers do not consider themselves loyal to the e-store they frequent despite being largely satisfied, that the impact of switching barriers varies at different levels of customer satisfaction, and that what customers consider to be a switching barrier differs at different levels of customer satisfaction.

E-loyalty is an important aspect for practitioners to understand as it determines a digital company’s success. The Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) industry is rapidly growing and becoming more competitive, which emphasizes the need to understand the key determinants of e-loyalty towards them. A quantitative study was thereby performed to investigate these. Data was collected from a survey examining e-satisfaction, e-trust, website/application quality, switching barriers, and customization, with the purpose of testing whether these can be considered key determinants in the SVOD context. The results include a regression model explaining 51.89% of the variance in e-loyalty, and show that e-trust and e-satisfaction had the largest impact on e-loyalty. These can thereby be considered key determinants of e-loyalty towards SVOD services in this study, which is in line with previous findings. Although, the results indicate that established theories might not be fully applicable, since switching barriers and website/application quality had negative impacts on e-loyalty. / E-lojalitet är en viktig aspekt för marknadsförare att ha förståelse för, då detta påverkar digitala företags framgång. De streamingtjänster som är prenumerationsbaserade och tillhandahåller videoinnehåll, som kallas SVOD, växer snabbt och marknaden blir alltmer konkurrenspräglad. Detta betonar behovet av att förstå de avgörande faktorerna när det kommer till e-lojalitet gentemot dem, vilket denna studie ämnar undersöka. Med en kvantitativ metod och enkätundersökning samlades data in, där fokus var på faktorerna e-kundnöjdhet, e-tillit, webbside/appkvalitet, byteshinder och kundanpassning för att se om dessa är avgörande i e-lojalitet i SVOD-kontexten. Resultaten inkluderar en regressionsmodell som beskriver 51.89% av variansen i e-lojalitet, samt visar att e-tillit och e-kundnöjdhet har störst påverkan på e-lojalitet. De ses därför som de avgörande faktorerna i denna studie vilket är i linje med tidigare studier. Dock visar resultaten att etablerade e-lojalitetsteorier inte verkar vara fullt applicerbara på SVOD-kontexten, eftersom byteshinder och webbside/appkvalitet påverkade e-lojalitet negativt i denna studie.

In the past decade, the energy markets within the European Union haveincreasingly been deregulated as a means to promote increased competition, andthereby efficiency, on these markets. As a result of this, several energy institutionshave been forced to become unbundled from their parent companies and toinstead form smaller separate entities. Contracts that previously were guaranteedare now subjected to public competition and in order to not risk decreasing in size,these companies must now find new ways to grow and generate new business. To study this, a case study was conducted at a Swedish energy servicescompany who recently has been unbundled from one of the largest Swedish gridowners. Specifically, the research focused on what companies in maturebusiness-to-business services contexts can do to increase their sales. The studywas conducted primarily through gathering qualitative interview data bothinternally and externally, but secondary data from surveys were also used. The findings indicate that the case company should focus on pursuing a combinedstrategy of market penetration and service/product penetration to increase sales.In addition, the company should continue to invest substantially into relationshipmarketing practices in order to build long-term potential for growth. Specifically,the findings indicate it should improve its communication and relationshipinvestment towards its customers. Furthermore, it should adopt appropriatestrategies to reduce the switching barriers of its prospective customers. The findings contribute to the understanding of how companies in similarsituations as the case company can act in order to drive growth. The studyprovides further empirical data in a field that has received relatively little academicattention. The author also suggests venues for future research in the concludingchapters.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase the knowledge about technology based services affection of the ability of retail banks to build customer based brand equity among students. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model has been developed from theories regarding customer based brand equity, switching barriers and choice criteria. Based on this conceptual model, seven in depth interviews including several brand elicitation techniques were conducted. Findings – The findings show that students perceive the target banks to be rather similar, especially regarding technologies. In addition, the students are satisfied with their bank, however; the technology based services have difficulties in creating true customer based brand equity. Behind this difficulties are the special character of financial service combined with the student role. Together, these results suggest that the banks need to do something besides the actual services in order to build customer based brand equity and keep the customers for a long term relationship. These strategies must be developed and implemented carefully in order to keep the current image of credibility. Research limitations/implications – The paper has not included comprehensive eliciting techniques and this must be taken into account when reflecting about unconscious brand associations.  Practical implications – The findings include good insights and advices that bank managers can use to create meaningful differentiations in the future and attract and keep students as customers for a long time.  Originality/value - The paper combines customer based brand equity with switching barriers, which give valuable insights to both banks and researchers. Moreover, the time period of the study related to the technological innovation provides the brand equity research in the financial sector with updated knowledge.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Hotel, Restaurant, Institution Management and Dietetics / Ki-Joon Back / Elizabeth B. Barrett / This study attempted to develop a multi-item scale that measures restaurant customers' emotional experiences and has desirable reliability and validity, and to examine the relationships among consumption emotions, customer satisfaction, switching barriers, and revisit intention in the full-service restaurant industry. In the process of developing a consumption emotion measurement scale, this study followed Churchill's (1979) paradigm during the early stage and confirmatory factor analytic approach suggested by Gerbing and Anderson (1988) and Anderson and Gerbing's (1988) in the later stage. The scale development process began with a specification of domain of construct, generation of 40 items, and data collection. The collected data were subjected to item refinement (i.e., outlier detection, descriptive and reliability analysis, and exploratory factor analysis). Four underlying dimensions of consumption emotions with 32 refined items were identified from the data. A new sample of data was collected for additional testing (i.e., reliability and validity). A confirmatory factor analysis using the new data indicated that the finalized measure using categorical dimension approach was unidimensional, reliable, and valid. The results of structural equation modeling supported the criterion validity indicating that the finalized measure behaves as expected in relation to additional construct. In study two, a theoretical framework for understanding the relationships among consumption emotions, customer satisfaction, switching barriers, and revisit intention was proposed and tested. A series of modeling comparisons provided a best fit model. A measurement model estimated on the basis of Anderson and Gerbing's (1988) approach tested validity of measures. The results of structural equation modeling using the data from a web-based survey addressed the effect of consumption emotions on satisfaction and revisit intention. The partial/full mediating impact of satisfaction was verified following Baron and Kenny’s (1986) suggested process. The switching barriers, two positive (i.e., preference and relational investment) and two negative (i.e., switching costs and lack of alternatives), that restaurant customers are likely to perceive were identified through the qualitative approach, using the guidelines suggested by Maxwell (2005). The quantitative approach validated the scale applicability. The moderating role of switching barriers in forming revisit intention was verified by testing for metric invariances. Grouping was done by using K-means cluster analysis. Measurement invariance tests supported full metric/partial metric invariances. Structural invariance tests and invariance tests for a hypothesized path provided the evidence of moderating effect of switching barriers. Finally, theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were discussed.

In the dynamic landscape of global commerce, the business-to-business (B2B) sector stands out for its significance and changing nature. Traditional values used to evaluate a supplier, such as price and quality, are becoming accompanied by "soft" values, such as cultural and social fit. This change makes the B2B market more intricate and illuminates a fundamental change in how businesses and customers evaluate their relationships. Another factor straining the relationship between companies and customers is prolonged lead times, i.e., when the lead time is longer than usual. Prolonged lead times are an imperative problem for markets and companies, heavily affecting customer retention and relationships, and can result in a loss of business and monetary punishments. Given the changes in how businesses and customers evaluate B2B relationships and the effects of prolonged lead times, companies must evaluate and develop existing customer retention strategies to meet the changing demands. Thus, this thesis explores how B2B companies with long lead times can manage and develop their customer relationships to increase customer retention and decrease customer churn in the long term.  Given the comprehensive scope of the thesis, the literature review assumes a pivotal role. It provides the foundation for answering the purpose and research questions, including relationship marketing, organizational buying behavior, switching behavior, and customer success management. In addition to the literature review, 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect primary data. The primary data was later analyzed through thematic analysis to assist answering the purpose and research questions. A descriptive purpose and deductive and qualitative approach characterize the thesis.  The thesis reached the following conclusions concerning factors affecting the willingness to remain in a long-term B2B relationship: Delivery and track record are standard evaluation criteria for customers evaluating a supplier, heavily affecting the willingness to remain in a long-term B2B relationship. Relationship value dependence is critical in the willingness to remain in a long-term B2B relationship. Relationship development affects commitment, trust, communication, transparency, and customer satisfaction, which are critical factors. Non-task dimensions, such as the degree of innovation and values, are becoming more prevalent concerns for customers evaluating their suppliers. Value in Use monitoring and Value in Use enhancement measures, i.e., value measurements during and after a process, affect the willingness to remain in a long-term B2B relationship. Co-creation is increasingly prioritized and positively affects the willingness to remain in a long-term B2B relationship. / I globala handelns dynamiska landskap sticker B2B-marknaden ut för sin betydelse och förändrande natur. Traditionella värderingar använda för att utvärdera en leverantör, till exempel pris och kvalitet, blir numera en del av en större utvärdering, där mjuka värderingar, till exempel kulturell och social lämplighet, blir allt vanligare. Dessa förändringar gör B2B-marknaden mer invecklad och belyser den fundamentala förändringen i hur företag och kunder utvärderar sin relation. En annan faktor som påverkar förhållandet mellan företag och kunder är förlängda ledtider, det vill säga när ledtiden är längre än vanligt. Förlängda ledtider är ett signifikant problem för marknadsförare och företag som påverkar kundretention och förhållandet, samt kan medföra risken att förlora en affär eller monetära bestraffningar.  Givet förändringarna i hur företag och kunder utvärderar sitt förhållande samt effekterna från förlängda ledtider måste företag utvärdera och utveckla sina befintliga kundretentionsstrategier för att möta kundernas förändrande krav. Således undersöker denna masteruppsats hur B2B-företag med förlängda ledtider kan hantera och utveckla sina kundrelationer för att öka kundretention och minska kundomsättning på lång sikt.  Givet studiens omfattning ges litteraturstudien en betydande roll. Litteraturstudien är basen för besvarandet av syftet och forskningsfrågorna, och inkluderar relationsmarknadsföring, organisatoriskt köpbeteende, bytesbeteende och customer success management. Utöver litteraturstudien genomfördes 19 semi-strukturerade intervjuer för att samla in primärdata, som sedan analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys för att underlätta besvarandet av syftet och forskningsfrågorna. Uppsatsen karaktäriseras av ett deskriptivt syfte med deduktiv och kvalitativ ansats.   Studien resulterade i följande slutsatser avseende vilka faktorer som påverkar benägenheten att stanna i en långsiktigt B2B-relation: Leverans och historisk framgång är vanligt förekommande utvärderingskriterier för kunder som utvärderar en leverantör med stor påverkan på benägenheten att stanna i en långsiktigt B2B-relation. Beroendet av värdet från förhållandet är kritiskt när det kommer till benägenheten att stanna i en långsiktigt B2B-relation. Utvecklingen av relationen påverkar de kritiska faktorerna engagemang, tillit, kommunikation, transparens och kundnöjdhet. Olika roller inom köpprocessen är unika och mötesdeltagare bör anpassas. Non-task dimensioner, till exempel grad av innovation och värderingar blir alltmer vanligt förekommande kriterier när kunder utvärderar sina leverantörer. Value in Use monitoring och Value in Use enhancement, det vill säga mätningar under och efter en process, påverkar benägenheten att stanna i en långsiktigt B2B-relation. Samskapande blir alltmer prioriterat och påverkar benägenheten att stanna i en långsiktigt B2B-relation positivt.