Kleinlercher, KristinaKristinaKleinlercher2023-04-132023-04-132019https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/99372The digitalization and the associated proliferation of new touchpoints are exchanging the traditionally linear path to purchase with a network-structured, more complex customer journey. Today's customers create their very own journey that is iterative and dynamic in nature and encompasses a variety of retailer-, competitor-, manufacturer-, and customer-owned touchpoints which mutually influence each other. The complex structure of customer journeys challenges retailers to come up with more sophisticated ways to develop targeted omni-channel strategies, measure and shape consumer behavior along the journey, ensure the effectiveness of each touchpoint, and allocate marketing budget accordingly. Four papers in this cumulative dissertation shed light on the customer journey in the digital age by identifying the most important touchpoints that shape the journey for different customers and in different industries, by investigating the interrelationships between touchpoints, and by examining marketing communication in crucial touchpoints of the journey. Paper 1 segments customers from four major retail industries by their use of specific touchpoints in the journey and sheds light on how the relationships between customer's product satisfaction, journey satisfaction, and loyalty intentions vary across segments. The results reveal five robust customer journey segments. Paper 2 examines how the internet has disrupted the customer journey in the health industry. The paper shows that digital touchpoints are an important information source for customers on their path-to-purchase of over-the-counter drugs. Furthermore, the results reveal that not all technology-enabled health services please customers in the same way. Paper 3 investigates how websites as information hubs may help retailers to steer customers along the journey. Results reveal that informational online-to-physical channel integration on a retailer's website may induce customers to switch to the retailer's physical store and that this effect is further qualified by the implicit communication of shopping benefits on a retailer's website. Paper 4 examines how the communication style used by brands from different status levels in social media can convey different levels of social distance to customers and thus shape brand positioning. The results depict that communication styles used by high- and low-status brands in social media differ in their usage of personal pronouns and that luxury and non-luxury brands may use communication styles to shape customers' brand status perceptions and intention to like the brand and its messages in social media. An umbrella article summarizes existing research on customer journey management, identifies the major research gaps, outlines how the four papers address the gaps, and synthesizes the findings of this dissertation in a ready-to-implement step-by-step process for managers.enErlebniskaufMehrgleisiger VertriebEinzelhandelErlebnismarketingMarkenpolitikEDIS-4838doctoral thesis