Service Marketing, Value Co-Creation and Customer Satisfaction in the Airsoft Industry: Case of a Technology-Based Firm

Abstract

The main objective of the paper is to examine whether offering a co-creation opportunity as a part of service marketing strategy influences customer value creation and satisfaction in the airsoft industry. Our study uses a case study of a technology-based firm from the airsoft industry which operates internationally. The methods employed included statistical analyses based on the data collected through a survey of the technology-based company customers (n=178). Coefficients of Spearman and Kendall were used to examine the correlations between respondents’ particulars and elements influencing customer satisfaction. The study results reveal that there are different drivers involved in the marketing strategy of value co-creation and customer satisfaction, and some of them have a stronger impact on target customers. The research contributes to the present scientific publications by adding a comprehensive analysis of users’ value co-production as part of a successful marketing strategy implementation by a technology-based firm. The study emphasizes the need for more empirically grounded support for the management of value co-creation processes incorporated in firm’s marketing strategy.

Impact of Value Co-Creation on International Customer Satisfaction in the Airsoft Industry: Does Country of Origin Matter?

“…The measures of customer satisfaction used in the research are as follows: brand name, product functionality, quality level, packaging, design, warranty period, after-sales service, manuals, company website, tutorial videos, ease of installation, price, promotions and advertising. The measures were chosen as they represent the marketing mix of product, price, place and promotion in the airsoft industry (Szarucki and Menet 2018). The respondents' origin was divided into four geographical areas: Asia, European Union, North America and Others.…”

“…Thus, there is a need for deep marketing-oriented research on airsoft, which would also improve the field of management. Starting with the matter of value and customer satisfaction, the research results may prove to be crucial for the strategies of businesses operating in the airsoft market (Szarucki and Menet 2018).…”

The Effects of a First-Time Experience on the Evaluation of Battery Electric Vehicles by Potential Consumers

“…Gronroos suggests that companies should use their relations with customers to sway the value creation processes [8]. Some authors stress the importance of customer involvement in value co-creation practices [9][10][11][12] while others argue for the utilization of sensory stimulation to influence customer intentions to purchase a product [13]. This issue has been analyzed via sensory marketing [14,15], exploring the involvement and influence of different senses on customer experiences with respect to the value of a product or service.…”