Motivational factors, customer engagement and loyalty in the South African mobile instant messaging environment: moderating effect of application usage

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine specific gratifications obtained from using mobile instant messaging (MIM) applications by applying the uses and gratifications theory. This study explores the relationships between motivational factors, customer engagement and loyalty for existing WhatsApp subscribers in South Africa, as well as the moderating effect of application usage. Design/methodology/approach A descripto-explanatory research design was used in this quantitative study and 282 responses from an online survey were analysed. Structural equation modelling was used to test the study’s hypotheses. Findings The study reveals that utilitarian and hedonic motivation impact customer engagement positively in using WhatsApp, which, in turn, impacts loyalty. Social motivation in using WhatsApp bore no relationship with customer engagement. Furthermore, medium application usage moderates the link between customer engagement and utilitarian and hedonic motivation. Research limitations/implications The study offers a greater understanding of customer engagement and motivational factors in the MIM environment. Future studies could consider more complex relationships with customer engagement in using MIM apps focussed on a younger generation. Practical implications MIM service providers should enhance customer engagement by tracking user activity and identifying customers who need to use an app more by targeting their utilitarian and hedonic needs through sophisticated marketing strategies. Originality/value This research enriches the understanding of key motivational factors impacting customers’ continued engagement towards using MIM, as opposed to the adoption thereof.

Mobile instant messaging apps as an opportunity for a conversational approach to marketing: a segmentation study

“…In line with these premises, IM apps with their accessibility, dialogue, reflexivity characteristics can support engagement activities and incentivize loyalty and post-purchase behaviour (Kritzinger and Petzer, 2020;Marino and Lo Presti, 2018). Blasco-Arcas et al (2016) by studying ICT-driven contexts demonstrate how digital engagement platforms condition the intention to purchase and brand perception.…”

“…This work seeks to explore the perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of MIM apps as marketing tools from a business perspective to identify the main approaches to marketing conversation that businesses implement as part of their use of IM apps. Moreover, whilst much is known about the motivations that drive consumers to use MIM apps such as the hedonic and functional factors that activate the engagement on IM apps thereby ensuring loyalty to the channel (Kritzinger and Petzer, 2020), little is known about the motivations that can facilitate or hinder the adoption of MIM apps in a business context. Knowing what the attitude towards these new touch-points is as regard the main approaches that are adopted would contribute to the understanding of the levels of acceptance of digital innovation by firms and their effectiveness when based on a conversational approach.…”

“…Therefore, perceiving the usefulness of an ecommerce service is important for firms who want to invest in e-services. Despite the abundant research on users' intentions to use mobile apps or on the key determinants of user continuity intentions (Oghuma et al, 2016;Deng et al, 2010;Lu et al, 2010;Marino and Lo Presti, 2018, 2019a, 2019bKritzinger and Petzer, 2020) few studies have researched the usefulness in the context of platforms such as MIM apps when used as relational marketing tools. Marino and Lo Presti (2019b) use the Technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989) to test the consumers' perception of the use of mobile services with organizations.…”

“…Some argue that IM apps can range from simple social conversations to business-related conversations and that messaging apps are becoming more and more a second home screen (Tamir, 2020). In fact, recent studies speak of IM as digital engagement platforms within which value co-creation takes place through customer-business interaction (Kritzinger and Petzer, 2020); Marino and Lo Presti (2018), studying the role of IM in business, note that the emotional engagement of the consumer on these digital engagement platforms has an effect on their satisfaction and intention to use the channel again. From this perspective, businesses can use IM and exploit the interaction to encourage the engagement and participation of the customer.…”

“…Although attention towards this channel is increasing, with research investigating customers’ attitudes towards IM apps (Kritzinger and Petzer, 2020; Hepola et al , 2020; Lo Presti et al , 2020; Marino and Lo Presti, 2018, 2019a, 2019b), studies investigating the main approaches taken by firms to take advantage of the opportunities offered by IM are still lacking. Finding out the firms’ points of view can help us understand how these new conversational platforms operate as a valid alternative to traditional communication channels and as a tool for managing customer relationships.…”