The iGaming industry has exploded the last decade. With more competitors on the market with low switching costs, retention of players is an issue not yet resolved. Attracting players through offers has made the iGaming industry less lucrative due to its high competition, where a “bonus war” has taken over. This survey aims to find out how iGaming companies can decrease their churn rate through CRM and loyalty programs to increase revenue and thereby creating a long-term relationship with the player. Based on theory of switching costs and loyalty programs, this thesis investigates how different factors influence customer retention. Interviews with four competing casinos were made to see how they are working progressively towards decreased churn rate. The information provided concluded that management sometimes lacked the understanding of how to utilize consumer information and way of communication to increase their revenue. Loyalty programs were used to somewhat extent and correlates partly to what Berman (2006) describes as an important strategy for customer retention in a competitive, homogenous market. Further research is recommended from a legal, ethical and marketing cost perspective. / IGaming-industrin har exploderat det senaste decenniet. Med en marknad med låga bytesbarriärer och fler konkurrerande företag än någonsin är problemet med att behålla kunder ännu inte löst. Att locka spelare genom erbjudanden har gjort iGaming-industrin mindre lukrativ på grund av den höga konkurrensen och ett "bonuskrig" har tagit över. Denna undersökning syftar till att ta reda på hur iGaming-företag kan minska antalet avhoppande spelare genom CRM och lojalitetsprogram för att öka intäkterna och därmed skapa ett långsiktigt förhållande till kunden. Baserat på teorin om byteskostnader och lojalitetsprogram undersöker denna avhandling hur olika faktorer påverkar kundretentionen. Intervjuer med fyra konkurrerande casinon gjordes för att se hur de arbetar gradvis mot en ökad behållningsgrad av kunder. Den information som tillhandahålls leder till slutsatsen att ledningen ibland saknade förståelse för hur man använder konsumentinformation och olika sätt att kommunicera för att öka sina intäkter. Lojalitetsprogram användes i viss utsträckning och överensstämmer delvis med vad Berman (2006) beskriver som en viktig strategi för kundretention på en konkurrenskraftig och homogen marknad. Ytterligare forskning rekommenderas ur ett juridiskt, etiskt och marknadsföringskostnadsperspektiv.

Thesis (M.Com. (Information Systems))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2015. / This research study investigated the key factors that contribute to both current usage and future usage intention of online banking by South African users. The research was focused on online banking from all banks and regions in South Africa, hence making the results generalisable to the South African context. The variables (Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Facilitating Conditions and Social Influence) were derived from UTAUT model. Trust, Switching Costs and Availability of Alternatives were also added. The conceptual model was moderated by age, gender and experience. The variables used within the study were derived from literature review based on previous studies. From a survey of 300 online banking consumers, results were drawn from 105 responses. In South Africa, Trust, Effort expectancy and facilitating conditions, presented significant and positive impact on future usage intention of using online banking. Age and Experience were also significant to Future Usage intentions. However Social Influence, Switching Costs and Availability of Alternatives do not play a considerable role in influencing the user’s future usage in South Africa. While current usage did not directly impact future usage intentions of using online banking, the findings on frequency of usage and functionality (applications) added value to understanding the concept of current usage. The model had an R2 = 0.25 which suggests that within the South African context, there are more factors to be considered for academia and practitioners to understand online banking behaviour amongst consumers. We cannot completely apply theories and models from other countries to the South African context. There is a need to look at factors unique to South Africa, including how customers interpret questionnaires. The research also contributes to the current body of work and interest by banks in South Africa to move from “bricks to clicks”, (moving customers from the branches onto electronic platforms) that are more accessible from any location, and require less staff to operate. To do that, practitioners need add “trust” factors to online banking as well as increase frequency of users logging on to transact. It is vital for banks to also focus on functionality that is simple, reliable and dependable, as well as adds value to customers to ensure their frequent and continued usage thereof.

The 2015 mandate of Europay MasterCard and Visa (EMV) “chip card” technology in the U.S. left the payments market primed for the adoption of alternative technologies. The goal of this study is to determine the factors that contribute to the adoption of new, alternative payment technologies by integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Switching Cost Theory and operationalizing both theories in a consumer context. Through a survey of 210 chip card and mobile payment users, this study finds the TAM dimensions of self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, and social influence are key determinants of a user’s propensity to use a new technology in a mandated consumer context and introduces switching costs as an important antecedent to a consumer’s likelihood to use an alternative payment technology. More generally, this work integrates those theories to gain insight into how industry mandates influence user behavior with regards to consumer acceptance of alternative technologies. / Business Administration/Interdisciplinary

近年來，服務業佔據台灣的 GDP 比例已超過一半以上，成為支撐台灣經濟的重要支柱。隨著服務業競爭越來越激烈，許多企業尋求提高顧客忠誠度以創造並維持其競爭優勢。 從 20 世紀末開始，許多針對轉換成本的研究都證明了轉換成本是影響顧客忠誠度的重要原因之一，轉換成本可分為主構陎和次構陎，主構陎分別是程序性轉換成本、財務類轉換成本與關係類轉換成本，而主構陎之下又可分為八個次構陎。在提高顧客忠誠度上，此八個次構陎可歸納為正向轉換成本與負向轉向成本，而這兩種轉換成本又分別影響著組成顧客忠誠度中不同的因子。本研究運用轉換成本與顧客忠誠度作為研究框架，並選定台灣服務業中具有代表性的企業作為研究對象，透過文獻、深度訪談、線上資料收集等方式收集資料，整理出個案公司執行轉換成本的方式後，透過檢視其執行方法提出參考建議以提高顧客忠誠度。 本研究訪談來自零售業與餐飲業的三家台灣本土龍頭企業，透過訪談了解企業在轉換成本上的實務做法，並經由受訪者了解受訪企業顧客在再購意願、主動推薦和價格容忍度上相較於競爭對手的比較。 在分析企業的轉換成本執行與其顧客忠誠度以後，本研究發現，個案企業在顧客忠誠度上皆有進步的空間。而在影響顧客忠誠度的正負向轉換成本中，個案企業都應以正向轉換成本的執行作為提高顧客忠誠度的方法，因此本研究在給予個案企業的建議上以正向轉換成本為主軸。 最後，本研究也歸納出以下研究發現：1.個案研究企業著重於經濟風險成本的建置 2.個案研究企業認為評估成本非首要考量 3.個案研究企業皆未使用金錢性損失 成本 4.個案研究企業皆認為流動率影響個人關係損失成本的建立 5.關係類轉換成本 與服務-產品連續性有關 6.個案研究企業在三大類轉換成本上皆有著墨。

O presente estudo aborda os efeitos dos custos de mudança no setor de serviços, medindo seu reflexo no comprometimento, intenção de recompra e boca-a-boca (positivo e negativo). Conceituado por Burnham, Frels e Mahajan (2003), custos de mudança significam custos que os clientes associam com o processo de troca de um fornecedor para outro. Estudos com base nesse construto se fazem presentes de forma crescente na literatura, passível de ser ampliada. Assim, essa dissertação busca preencher a lacuna referente aos efeitos dos diferentes tipos de custos de mudança. Para tanto, além da revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema, foi conduzida uma pesquisa do tipo survey com alunos do ensino superior, tendo como objeto a verificação do papel dos custos de mudança e seus efeitos positivos e negativos no contexto de serviço educacional em nível de graduação. A análise dos dados foi realizada através de modelagem de equações estruturais, a partir de uma amostra de 467 casos. Os resultados demonstram uma influência dos custos de mudança relacionais, financeiros e processuais no comprometimento afetivo, normativo e calculativo, respectivamente. Por sua vez, comprometimentos afetivo e normativo demonstraram estar associados a efeitos positivos, como intenção de recompra, sendo que o primeiro se destaca por obter também uma relação com o boca-a-boca positivo. Por outro lado, o comprometimento calculativo gera efeitos negativos – maior boca-a-boca negativo e menor nível de intenção de recompra. Efeitos moderadores das relações interpessoais e da atratividade da concorrência nas relações estabelecidas não foram confirmados. Os resultados são discutidos, bem como suas implicações para futuras pesquisas e prática gerencial. / This study addresses the effects of switching costs in the services sector, measuring their reflection on commitment, repurchase intention and word-of-mouth (positive and negative). According to Burnham, Frels and Mahajan (2003), switching costs are the onetime costs that customers associate with the process of switching from one provider to another. Studies based on this construct are present in literature, but can be expanded. Thus, this work seeks to bridge the gap regarding the effects of different types of switching costs. A survey was conducted in the higher education sector aims to verify the role switching costs and their positive and negative effects. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling, from a sample of 467 cases. As expected, the switching costs (relational, financial and procedural) have a significant and positive impact on affective, normative and calculative commitment, respectively. Furthermore, affective and normative commitments are positively associated with repurchase intentions, and the first one also obtained is related to positive word-of-mouth. In the other hand, calculative commitment creates negatives effects - higher negative word-of-mouth and lower levels of repurchase intentions. The moderation effects of interpersonal relationships and attractiveness of competitors in some relationships of the model was explored as well, but none was confirmed. The results, academic and managerial implications are discussed in the final part of this work Finally, suggestions for future studies are provided.

This thesis explores issues related to bank switching costs, in the context of the New Zealand banking market. Switching costs comprise the range of economic costs faced by customers changing bank, including monetary switching costs, the loss of the relationship with bank staff, and needing to learn new systems. An important effect of switching costs is customers become locked in to their bank, which has implications for market competition, and this raises questions about the need for a regulatory response. The study comprised a mail survey to 2983 people drawn from New Zealand electoral rolls, with a response rate of 34%. The survey instrument was a questionnaire of 70 questions in four sections: banking relationships, switching behaviour, switching costs, and demographic information. Nine categories of switching costs were used: Learning, Search, Monetary Loss, Benefit Loss, Personal Relationship, Brand Relationship, Service Disruption, Uncertainty, and Hassle. These categories are found to be appropriate. Furthermore, the three higher order categories of Procedural, Financial and Relational found by Burnham, Frels and Mahajan (2003) are confirmed. Although prior studies have recognised different switching costs, there has been limited work to understand whether they differ in their impact on attitudes and behaviour around switching. Different switching costs are found to have different effects. The study also examined whether the experience of switching matches the perception, and found switching is easier than expected. Furthermore, customers who have switched banks have different perceptions of switching costs to those who have not. Customers are different, and their attitudes and needs should therefore vary. Prior research has found differences in attitudes towards financial issues based on the family life cycle, but the relationship between switching costs and family life cycle has not been explored. This thesis finds perceptions of switching costs and switching behaviour vary significantly between life cycle groups, which appears in part to be related to associated changes in the complexity of the banking relationship. Four recommendations for regulators are generated from the results of the study. These include recommending greater acknowledgement of the existence and effect of switching costs, and investigation of bank account number portability.

The purpose of this thesis is to find if the Swedish Generation Y is more brand loyal to cell phones compared to other consumerelectronic, and to find out if some set factors of loyalty affects Generation Y's loyalty more than other.  The conclusion of this thesis is that Generation Y is more loyal to their cell phone brand compared to other consumer electronics, and that the set factors presented are affecting their brand loyalty to different extent.

This thesis consists of four essays, mainly related to the fields of industrial organization and political economy. The focus is on deregulation of electricity retail markets and on the continued regulation of parts of such markets after the introduction of competition. The first essay is an empirical essay on the causes of deregulation. The timing of implementation of competition in retail electricity markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand is studied. One conclusion is that there exist important qualitative differences between the United States and Europe. While deregulation in the United States to a large extent seems to have been driven by consumer interest concerns, the influence from interest groups is more pronounced in Europe.The second (theoretical) and third (empirical) essays deal with the interaction between the regulation of distribution networks and the retail market. When the regulated and unregulated operations are conducted within vertically integrated companies the regulation may not only have an effect on the regulated market, but also affect the behavior in the unregulated market. In the third essay a test that uses prices to detect patterns of cross-subsidization is developed and used on Norwegian data. Especially the effects of a regulatory change on cross-subsidization behavior are analyzed. The results both highlight the importance of a well-designed regulation of the regulated market and give support to requirements of vertical separation between regulated and unregulated operations.The fourth essay is a study of domestic electricity demand. It is thus somewhat different than the other papers since it is not directly connected to the issue of electricity market deregulation. Since the energy sector is an essential part of any modern economy and energy production has considerable environmental effects, the sector has for a long time been subject to political interventions. To some extent the policy instruments available to the legislator are reduced by deregulations. The use of taxes to affect prices and thus the demand for electricity may at the same time become an even more important policy instrument and more difficult to implement due to the internationalization of the electricity market. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2003

This thesis explores issues related to bank switching costs, in the context of the New Zealand banking market. Switching costs comprise the range of economic costs faced by customers changing bank, including monetary switching costs, the loss of the relationship with bank staff, and needing to learn new systems. An important effect of switching costs is customers become locked in to their bank, which has implications for market competition, and this raises questions about the need for a regulatory response. The study comprised a mail survey to 2983 people drawn from New Zealand electoral rolls, with a response rate of 34%. The survey instrument was a questionnaire of 70 questions in four sections: banking relationships, switching behaviour, switching costs, and demographic information. Nine categories of switching costs were used: Learning, Search, Monetary Loss, Benefit Loss, Personal Relationship, Brand Relationship, Service Disruption, Uncertainty, and Hassle. These categories are found to be appropriate. Furthermore, the three higher order categories of Procedural, Financial and Relational found by Burnham, Frels and Mahajan (2003) are confirmed. Although prior studies have recognised different switching costs, there has been limited work to understand whether they differ in their impact on attitudes and behaviour around switching. Different switching costs are found to have different effects. The study also examined whether the experience of switching matches the perception, and found switching is easier than expected. Furthermore, customers who have switched banks have different perceptions of switching costs to those who have not. Customers are different, and their attitudes and needs should therefore vary. Prior research has found differences in attitudes towards financial issues based on the family life cycle, but the relationship between switching costs and family life cycle has not been explored. This thesis finds perceptions of switching costs and switching behaviour vary significantly between life cycle groups, which appears in part to be related to associated changes in the complexity of the banking relationship. Four recommendations for regulators are generated from the results of the study. These include recommending greater acknowledgement of the existence and effect of switching costs, and investigation of bank account number portability.

This thesis explores issues related to bank switching costs, in the context of the New Zealand banking market. Switching costs comprise the range of economic costs faced by customers changing bank, including monetary switching costs, the loss of the relationship with bank staff, and needing to learn new systems. An important effect of switching costs is customers become locked in to their bank, which has implications for market competition, and this raises questions about the need for a regulatory response. The study comprised a mail survey to 2983 people drawn from New Zealand electoral rolls, with a response rate of 34%. The survey instrument was a questionnaire of 70 questions in four sections: banking relationships, switching behaviour, switching costs, and demographic information. Nine categories of switching costs were used: Learning, Search, Monetary Loss, Benefit Loss, Personal Relationship, Brand Relationship, Service Disruption, Uncertainty, and Hassle. These categories are found to be appropriate. Furthermore, the three higher order categories of Procedural, Financial and Relational found by Burnham, Frels and Mahajan (2003) are confirmed. Although prior studies have recognised different switching costs, there has been limited work to understand whether they differ in their impact on attitudes and behaviour around switching. Different switching costs are found to have different effects. The study also examined whether the experience of switching matches the perception, and found switching is easier than expected. Furthermore, customers who have switched banks have different perceptions of switching costs to those who have not. Customers are different, and their attitudes and needs should therefore vary. Prior research has found differences in attitudes towards financial issues based on the family life cycle, but the relationship between switching costs and family life cycle has not been explored. This thesis finds perceptions of switching costs and switching behaviour vary significantly between life cycle groups, which appears in part to be related to associated changes in the complexity of the banking relationship. Four recommendations for regulators are generated from the results of the study. These include recommending greater acknowledgement of the existence and effect of switching costs, and investigation of bank account number portability.