Technology Empowered Real-Time Service

Abstract

Real-time service has gained higher importance as part of the digital competitiveness of brands. This has followed the establishment of social media as an engagement mechanism that supports consumer experience by bridging consumer expectations and brand performance in real time. The ubiquity of social media's constant connectivity has led to the increasing demand of instant gratification. Consumers not only demand brands to provide a personalised response, but also expect them to reply instantly 'now'. This exploratory research aims to identify how brands leverage social media and technology to enhance consumer experience in real-time. Data collection was conducted in two research stages. First an in-depth case study of Marriott M Live and then multiple case studies of four best-practice companies. Real-time data monitoring and engagement can support organisations to eliminate problems before they escalate, enhance customer experience and also take advantage of upselling opportunities. This study concludes with a real-time service competitive advantage conceptual framework. The findings suggest that the integration of real-time listening and monitoring in conjunction with highly contextual delivery become crucial tools for enhancing brands competitiveness.

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