More and more companies are faced with fierce competition; ergo, companies are consistently trying to build a long term relationships with their customer. In addition, a decade ago, relationship marketing gained more and more credibility among the companies and is still a topic of discussion today. Therefore, this study is aimed to describe how service firms can use relationship marketing as a strategy to develop customer satisfaction.   A theoretical framework has been developed derived from a review of the existing literature in order to describe how service firms can use relationship marketing as a strategy to develop customer satisfaction. Five different tactics have been empirically investigated, namely the service quality, brand image, price perception, value offers and communication. A qualitative method has been chosen for this study. Three different companies have been studied within the banking sector and have been led by an inductive and deductive approach which will aim to investigate the aforementioned theoretical framework.   The analysis of the empirical findings exposed and discovered some relevant findings. Indeed, empirical evidence suggests that four main customer relationship tactics have a role on customer satisfaction and trust; namely the service quality, the brand image, the price perception and the human capital. These tactics have been identified as having a crucial role on gaining customer satisfaction.

La relation interpersonnelle présente une place importante dans l’instauration et le développement de la relation client. Cette importance est surtout évidente dans le secteur des services et surtout dans le contexte socioculturel des pays asiatiques. Le « renqing » (la norme de réciprocité dans le contexte asiatique) joue un rôle important dans la création et le suivi de la relation interpersonnelle. Il consiste en un mécanisme de stabilisation et d’harmonisation de la relation entre des individus au sein des sociétés asiatiques en se basant sur l’échange de faveurs et sur l’obligation mutuelle. Ce concept a été intégré dans le cadre de notre recherche au niveau la relation interpersonnelle entre le personnel en contact et le client dans le contexte de prestation de service bancaire au Vietnam. En adoptant une perspective dyadique, nous étudions le « renqing » du personnel en contact et du client, de l’un envers l’autre, et leurs impacts sur la qualité de la relation client au niveau interpersonnel comme institutionnel. L’enquête empirique par questionnaire sur le terrain de service bancaire au Vietnam nous permet de vérifier nos propositions de recherche. Le « renqing » du personnel en contact envers le client contribue à déterminer son comportement d’adaptation dans la prestation de service au client. Par ailleurs, le « renqing » du client envers le personnel en contact est un déterminant de la confiance interpersonnelle, qui influe ensuite sur la qualité de la relation du client envers la banque. Enfin, dans une perspective dyadique, notre recherche confirme la proposition exploratoire d’une part en ce qui concerne l’impact du renqing du personnel en contact sur le renqing du client et d’autre part en ce qui concerne l’impact indirect du renqing du personnel en contact sur la confiance interpersonnelle du client à travers deux variables médiatrices : le renqing du client et le comportement d’adaptation. Notre recherche permet de confirmer le rôle essentiel du « renqing » dans le modèle de relation client dans le contexte culturel du Vietnam. En effet, l’examen d’une perspective dyadique du concept de « renqing » nous permet de comprendre la manière par laquelle la réciprocité mutuelle entre le personnel en contact et le client renforce la relation client dans le contexte socio-culturel d’un pays asiatique. / Personal relationship plays an important role in creating and developing customer relationship. This important role has been confirmed in the service field and especially in Asian culture. “Renqing” (the norme of reciprocity in Asian context) has a critical role in creating and maintaining personal relationship. “Renqing” is considered a stable mechanism and helps to harmonize personal relationships in Asian societies based on favor exchange and reciprocal obligation. This variable is included in our study in the relationship between frontline employees and customers in the context of Vietnamese banking service. With the dyadic approach, we studied the “renqing” variable of frontline employees and customers in their relationship and their impacts on the relationship quality. “Renqing” of frontline employees have an effect on the employees’ adaptive behavior in service delivery. In terms of customers, “renqing” for frontline employees is a variable affecting interpersonal trust and through this trust it affects the quality of the relationship between customers and the bank. Finally, with the dyadic approach, our research confirms the suggestions on the effects of “renqing” of employees on “renqing” of customers and the indirect effect of employees’ “renqing” on customers’ trust through the two mediator variables: “renqing” of customers and adaptive behavior. Our research allows us to confirm the role of “renqing” variable in the customer relationship model in the Vietnamese context. Indeed, the study with the dyadic approach to “renqing” variable enables us to understand the way reciprocity between frontline employees and customers strengthens customer relationship in the context of an Asian country.

With the increasing popularity of online shopping, various new business models are emerging in this area. A successful example is great discount online shops, which quickly attract the attention from Chinese online shopping customers. In order to avoid the risk perception of customers caused by information asymmetry, and maintain competitiveness, great discount online shops should increase their customers’ trust. In this research, a number of key factors are tested from both sellers’ aspect and customers’ aspect. The finding shows both objective influencing factors, such as security, reputation of the online shop, reputation of the products’ brands, sellers’ service quality, and customers’ cognitive factors, such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, have significant correlation with customers’ trust to great discount online shop. Among them, the objective influencing factors are more influential and have stronger effect on customers’ trust in ability, integrity and benevolence to the online shops. These findings will further shed light on how to build trust with the customers of great discount online shops.

China’s import cross-border e-commerce (CICBEC) business model differs from other online shopping business models in both the participators and transaction processes. Government as an important participator has greatly promoted the healthy and rapid development of this business model. As a vital topic in all kinds of businesses, customer trust is also a core research topic in online shopping. Many scholars have studied customer trust in traditional online shopping while few of them focused on cross-border online shopping, let alone the CICBEC business model. The government is a new participator, whose contribution on customer trust is not clear. Also, other known variables’ influences on customer trust are still worthy of discussion. This research aims to address existing research gap by contributing to Lee and Turban (2001)’s Customer Trust in Internet Shopping (CTIS) Model and constructing a new customer trust model. A number of influencing factors of customer trust were defined and tested in this research. It shows that influencing factors from four participators, the e-retailers, e- commerce platforms, government and third-parties, have a significant correlation with customer trust. The final results show that order fulfillment, government actions, e-retailer reputation, information quality, e-commerce platform security and e-commerce platform reputation have significant influences on customer trust.

Background: The concept of the chatbot has been around for nearly 60 years. However, service providers have recently increased the integration of chatbots in distinct industries due to the growth in digitalization and advanced technology. Not only that, chatbots can support service providers in becoming more efficient and reducing overhead costs. As a result, this transformation in service offering has influenced customers in various forms. Thus, this study explores Generation Z's perceptions and experiences using chatbots, with a focus on the influence these systems have on their trust. There is little information about this topic, and this study should aid organizations in learning how to better meet customer expectations, which could lead to more promising customer satisfaction in the future. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate customer perceptions and trust in chatbots which is a form of advanced technology in a customer service setting. The aim is to gather empirical evidence from customers' social reality to answer the research question of this investigation. Method: This research conducted an exploratory qualitative study with an inductive research approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 respondents from Generation Z, located in Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany to achieve a broad perspective regarding their experiences with chatbots. The respondents were selected using the snowball and networking sampling method. The research paradigm of this study is interpretivism, which supports the examination in exploring and gaining knowledge about this phenomenon. Conclusion: The aim of this study was achieved, and the gathered empirical evidence presents further knowledge regarding customers' experiences with chatbots. This study and other relevant examinations prove that the increase of digitalization in customer service settings has an influence on customer experience. Primarily, the empirical findings indicate that there is an overall lack of trust in advanced technology due to the issue of privacy. Although Generation Z has grown up alongside the worldwide digital transformation, they remain cynical and distrustful of the future of technology. Thus, it occurs that there is a lack of customer trust in chatbots. However, this is confirmed by the fact that customers are sharing low pre-expectations towards chatbots. As a result, customers experience a more dissatisfied feeling towards the service provider. On the other hand, the empirical findings reveal that customers' loyalty remains unaltered towards businesses.

Purpose: The effects of deceptive advertising practices on customer loyalty towards mobileservice providers have been investigated empirically by this study. The main contribution ofthis study is to investigate the perceived deception-customer loyalty relationship under themoderating effect of corporate image and mediating effect of customer trust. The study is done in the context of Pakistan’s telecommunication sector.Existing literature is insufficient to explain perceived deception and customer loyalty relationship. We proposed a model to test and explain the interrelationship of deception,trust, loyalty and corporate image. Research Methodology: we have adopted quantitative research method, according to needof our study. A total sample of 232 respondents has been achieved with the help of selfadministeredquestionnaire. Measurement scale for perceived deception were taken fromChaouachi & Rached (2012) and for corporate image, customer trust and customer loyaltyhave been found from Aydin & Özer (2005). Analysis & Findings: Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used for analysis.Correlation analysis, simple and multiple regression analysis were conducted under theinferential statistical part. The findings have rejected the proposed hypothesis that perceiveddeception is negatively associated with customer trust and loyalty. We found customer trustas a mediator between perceived deception and customer loyalty while corporate imagemoderates the relationship between perceived deception and customer trust. Research Limitations: the study could not achieve highly representative sample of overallpopulation as Facebook was selected to conduct survey due to time constraint. Implications and future research: The study shows that deception in advertising perceivedby customer does not affect trust and loyalty in a negative way which suggests that there areadditional factor that can explain the relationship further. A comparative study withqualitative focus could be revealing in this context.

Bankbranschen befinner sig i en ständig förändring, där traditionella bankkontor avvecklas och de digitala banktjänsterna tillkommer. Detta har skapat en ny sorts relation mellan bankernas kunder och banken, där den fysiska relationen har minskat och den digitala relationen har ökat. Således var det relevant att studera hur kundernas förtroende för banken har påverkats när bankerna digitaliserar sina tjänster. Syftet med studien är att undersöka digitaliseringen av banktjänsters påverkan på kundernas förtroende för banken. Studien utgår från en kvantitativ metod. Den kvantitativa metoden baseras på en positivistisk och deduktiv ansats som utgår från teorier och testar studiens tre hypoteser. Studiens empiriska data samlades in i form av en Internetenkät. Internetenkäten besvarades av 182 respondenter. I den teoretiska referensramen presenteras teorier som har för avsikt att klargöra studiens bakgrund. Digitalisering, osäkerhet och risk är de teorier som utgör studiens påverkande faktorer mot kundförtroendet för banken. Resultatet visar att digitalisering av banktjänster, upplevd osäkerhet i användningen av digitala banktjänster och upplevd risk i användningen av digitala banktjänster har ett negativt samband med kundernas förtroende för banken. / The banking industry is constantly changing. Where traditional banking offices are discontinued and the digital banking services are added. This has created a new kind of relationship between the bank’s customers and the bank, where the physical relationship has decreased and the digital relationship has increased. It then became relevant to study how the bank’s customers has been affected when banks digitize their services. The purpose of this study is to explore the digitization of banking services impact on customer’s trust to the bank. The study is based on a quantitative method. The quantitative method is based on a positivistic and deductive approach which is based on theories and tests the three hypotheses of the study. The empirical data was collected by an Internet survey. The Internet survey was answered by 182 respondents. The theoretical frame of reference presents theories that intend to clarify the background of the study. Digitization, uncertainty and risk are the theories that make up the study’s influencing factors towards customer trust in the bank. The result shows that digitization of banking services, the perceived uncertainty in the digitization of banking services and the perceived risk in the digitization of banking services has a negative correlation with customer trust in the bank.

A partir del 2020, la pandemia originada por el coronavirus generó un cambio en la vida de los consumidores dando a lugar el crecimiento acelerado de los E-Commerce, incluyendo las farmacias. Sin embargo, existen barreras que generan desconfianza y falta de satisfacción y limitan su crecimiento. En este sentido, el objetivo de la investigación es conocer cómo afecta la privacidad, la seguridad, la calidad de información y la calidad de interfaz de usuario en relación a la confianza y satisfacción en el E-Commerce de farmacias. Para ello, se ha aplicado un enfoque cuantitativo, el cual hará uso de un cuestionario de 25 ítems evaluados bajo una escala de Likert del rango 1 al 7. Este será aplicado a 400 usuarios de E.Commerce de farmacias. Finalmente, se analizarán los datos mediante el uso de ecuación estructural (SEM), regresión de mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS) y la regresión lineal múltiple. / From 2020, the pandemic caused by the coronavirus generated a change in the lives of consumers resulting in the accelerated growth of E-Commerce, including pharmacies. However, there are barriers that create distrust and lack of satisfaction and limit their growth. In this sense, the objective of the research is to know how it affects privacy, security, information quality and user interface quality in relation to trust and satisfaction in the E-Commerce of pharmacies. To do this, a quantitative approach has been applied, which will make use of a questionnaire of 25 items evaluated under a Likert scale from range 1 to 7. This will be applied to 400 E.Commerce users of pharmacies. Finally, data will be analyzed using structural equation (SEM), partial least squares regression (PLS) and multiple linear regression. / Trabajo de investigación

In recent years, the train's punctuality, Sweden's ranking in the European Railway Performance Index and the train industry's customer satisfaction have decreased. The largest and most influential players in the train industry are Trafikverket and SJ AB, which are two state-owned organizations. The low customer satisfaction in the train industry is based on SJ AB’s failure to deliver the latest traffic information in case of delay. Since Trafikverket manages the majority of the railway network and SJ AB is Sweden's largest train operator, there is a high degree of mutual dependence between them in order for each organization to be able to conduct its business. At present, there is a clear division of responsibility between these actors regarding how and where the traffic information is distributed. Where the Trafikverket is responsible for conveying all information on its website and on the signs while SJ AB is responsible for conveying information on its website and in its application, as well as via textmessage and mail communication. The processes for communication between the actors regarding delays, track changes and other changes in the journey are done manually with digital tools as support. Today, several uncertainties are experienced in these processes, based on the fact that traffic control at SJ AB currently does not receive any confirmation from Trafikverket if any changes have been made. Due to these factors, this study will investigate the flow of information between SJ traffic control and the Trafikverket’s train services. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to identify existing communications, more specifically information flows of traffic data, between the organizations and their passengers, along with identifying possible improvements in the information flows through digitization. The thesis also explores the change opportunities for a department with many manual processes. The study was conducted with a multi-method structure consisting of a literature study, observation study, questionnaire study, interview study and benchmarking. During the observation, questionnaire and interview study, the focus was on employees at SJ traffic control and other relevant departments at SJ AB and the benchmarking was conducted through external interviews. This led to the identification of the main reasons of mismanagement of traffic information and best practices. This was later analyzed with the help of collected theory, which then led to discussion, conclusion and recommendations to SJ AB. It’s obvious that traffic information has low status within SJ AB as well as the interorganizational alliance. This has hampered the development of internal processes related to managing traffic information and therefore the processes lack standardized procedures and structured routines. The main reasons of mismanagement of traffic information depend on the human factor and specific individuals. This is based on the fact that it was clear that both traffic controls perceived the received traffic information difficult to interpret and unstructured, this depending on who sent the information. This due to the fact that the individuals use varying expressions and internal technical language. To be able to improve and in the future automate the information flows between the actors a standardized working procedure with associated technical language is required in the industry. To establish a technical language, the status of the traffic information must be increased within the organizations and a dictionary for which expressions should be used, where all used expressions are listed and defined. Additionally, a clearer goal of the alliance is required.

El presente estudio tiene la finalidad de examinar los factores que influyen en el proceso de recompra en los social commerce de la categoría de productos para el cuidado de bebés. Además, se desea investigar la relación del valor percibido, la satisfacción del cliente, la confianza del mismo y cómo influye esto para lograr una recompra en el canal online. Así mismo, para realizar este trabajo de investigación, se encuestará a 400 personas, realizando un muestreo no probabilístico. La muestra estará conformada por mujeres que tengan entre 25 a 45 años, con hijos de 0 a 3 años y que realicen sus compras de productos para el cuidado de bebés por las redes sociales. Además, para poder medir la influencia entre las variables. se realizará un análisis Bivariado de Chi-cuadrado y el análisis multivariado de regresión lineal múltiple. / The present study aims to examine the factors influencing the repurchase process in social commerce of the category of baby care products. In addition, we want to investigate the relationship of perceived value, customer satisfaction, customer trust and how this influences to achieve a repurchase in the online channel. Likewise, to carry out this research work, 400 people will be surveyed, carrying out a non-probability sampling. The sample will be made up of women who are between 25 and 45 years old, with children from 0 to 3 years old and who make their purchases of baby care products through social networks. In addition, to be able to measure the influence between the variables. A Chi-square bivariate analysis and multiple linear regression multivariate analysis will be performed. / Trabajo de investigación