An Investigation of Consumer Subjective Knowledge in Frontline Interactions

Hochstein, Bryan; Bolander, Willy; Christenson, Brett; Pratt, Alexander B.; Reynolds, Kristy E.

doi:10.1016/j.jretai.2020.10.003

Cited by 20 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 56 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Although such information might be “noisy” i.e., influenced by preconceived notions, biases and previous experiences, it serves customers as the basis for their purchase decisions. Additionally, the consumer might have minimal objective, but some subjective knowledge, that serves as the basis for their purchase decision [ 5 ]. Such subjective data might include information obtained from other consumers, such as friends and family.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This led us to explore methods that could elucidate both the reasons for these shortages and also propose solutions. The methodology we chose was based on the principle that the “consumer knows best” [ 5 ], a methodology not yet used to examine this issue. It involved eliciting the opinions of medical students and interns (“consumers”) as to why specific specialties are suffering shortages and then asking them whether possible solutions could potentially attract more residents.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Unpopular medical specialties: exploring the concept that “the customer knows best”

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Healthcare systems often face shortages of certain medical specialists due to lack of interest among medical students. We questioned a common “one solution fits all” approach to this problem which involves monetary incentives to lure students to these specialties. Instead, we used the marketing principle the “consumer knows best” to explore ways of elucidating the reasons and proposing solutions for such shortages. Methods A convenience sample of Israeli 6th-year medical students and interns completed questionnaires to determine why they thought three specialties (geriatrics, anesthesiology, emergency medicine) were unpopular and their ideas on increasing their appeal. Results 119 6th-year students and 84 interns completed questionnaires. Geriatrics was reported having a problematic patient population; not being interesting and challenging; and not considered prestigious by colleagues and the populace. This contrasts with emergency medicine which, although considered prestigious, has difficult working conditions both during and after residency accompanied by much pressure at work. Although, improvements in lifestyle and remuneration were thought by students and interns as possibly making these specialties more attractive, reducing the pressure at work and decreasing on-call obligations were designated by the students/interns as ways to increase emergency medicine’s and anesthesiology’s appeal. Half the students replied that anesthesiology would be more appealing if work was in shifts (< 16 h), while 60% replied so for emergency medicine and only 18% for geriatrics. 90% of students reported that control over lifestyle would make emergency medicine more attractive while 55% and 48% replied positively for anesthesiology and geriatrics, respectively. Conclusions Using the concept “consumer knows best” provided additional insight into the specialty selection process. Students/interns have specialty-specific opinions as to why some specialties are unpopular. Their ideas about attracting more students to these specialties were also specialty-dependent, i.e. “one solution does not fit all”. These observations render problematic a single solution aimed at ameliorating the workforce shortages of multiple specialties. Instead, these results advocate a differential approach wherein the lack of appeal of each unpopular specialty is analyzed individually and the students’/interns’ (the “consumers”) ideas sought resulting in solutions tailored to address each specialty’s lack of attractiveness. Trial Registration None.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpopular medical specialties: exploring the concept that “the customer knows best”

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…First, we enhance the understanding of consumer informedness by revealing why it inhibits sales interactions in physical stores. Prior research on consumer informedness has primarily focused on the negative impact of consumer informedness on sales interaction and how to address the needs of informed consumers through information strategies and influence tactics employed by sellers (Hochstein et al, 2019, 2021; Li et al, 2014). In contrast, our research sheds light on the psychological processes of informed consumers and demonstrates how consumer informedness, through its association with prevention focus and the need for control, impacts offline sales interactions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Offline sales interactions not only contribute to company profitability but also optimize consumer decisions by providing diagnostic information and modifying consumer knowledge (Ahearne et al, 2022; Hochstein & Bolander, 2018). However, well‐informed consumers tend to rely heavily on their own inferences and avoid sales interactions (Hochstein et al, 2021; Wood & Lynch, 2002). Previous research has suggested adaptive selling strategies for retailers to handle well‐informed consumers (Hochstein et al, 2019, 2021; Leach et al, 2020; Li et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research online and purchase offline: The disruptive impact of consumers' online information on offline sales interaction

Li,

Geng,

Chang

et al. 2023

Psychology and Marketing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Retailers hire salespeople in physical stores to boost revenue by influencing consumer decision‐making. However, the Internet provides consumers with a variety of online product information before they enter the physical store, and this rich online information reduces their willingness to interact with offline salespeople. Using regulatory focus theory, we explore why well‐informed consumers avoid sales interactions and explore strategies for salespeople to mitigate this negative effect. Across three studies, we show that high consumer informedness induces a heightened prevention focus that causes consumers to avoid sales interactions to control the decision‐making process by themselves (Studies 1 and 2). This effect can be alleviated when salespeople provide consumers with currently available information rather than additional information (Study 3). This research contributes to the literature on consumer informedness, regulatory focus theory, and research on promotional information types and provides guidance for retailers' sales interactions.

show abstract

“…Third, we contribute to the literature on the role of FLEs in information search (Puccinelli et al, 2013; Sharma, 2001) and the role of consumers' expertise (Hochstein et al, 2021). Although prior research found that it is important for FLEs to understand consumers' level of product‐related knowledge (Hochstein et al, 2019), our study adds depth to this field by revealing how product knowledge affects cognitive states, in particular for young consumers.…”

Section: Contributions To Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Asking your phone or a frontline employee? The influence of in‐store information source on choice overload, responsibility, and confidence among young consumers

Schaefers

Kessenbrock

Cziehso³

et al. 2023

Psychology and Marketing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Consumers frequently use mobile phones in a store to search for external information as an alternative to consulting with frontline employees. Mobile phone usage is especially prevalent among young consumers. Drawing on qualitative study results and existing literature, we conceptualize the effects of different in-store information sources on choice overload, responsibility, and confidence among young consumers, as well as the moderating role of product category knowledge. A field experiment suggests that when knowledge is low, consulting with frontline employees (vs. mobile phone) leads to lower choice overload and, consequently, increases choice confidence. When knowledge is high, these beneficial effects are attenuated. At the same time, young consumers perceive greater choice responsibility when their phone is the information source; however, this does not influence choice confidence. This work contributes to extant literature by extending the knowledge of customer experience at the point of sale, the role of technology usage in in-store retailing, and the role of frontline employees as an information source. It also provides managerial implications for retailers by highlighting the importance of providing an opportunity for an in-person frontline employee interaction especially when customers have low product category knowledge.

show abstract

An Investigation of Consumer Subjective Knowledge in Frontline Interactions

Cited by 20 publications

References 56 publications

Unpopular medical specialties: exploring the concept that “the customer knows best”

Unpopular medical specialties: exploring the concept that “the customer knows best”

Research online and purchase offline: The disruptive impact of consumers' online information on offline sales interaction

Asking your phone or a frontline employee? The influence of in‐store information source on choice overload, responsibility, and confidence among young consumers

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About