Marketing Management, 16th Edition

Customer Coproduction

The reality is that customers do not merely purchase and use a service; they play an active role in its delivery. Their words and actions affect the quality of their service experiences and those of others, as well as the productivity of frontline employees.24

Customers often believe they derive more value, and feel a stronger connection to the service provider, if they are actively engaged in the service process. This coproduction can put stress on employees, however, and reduce their satisfaction, especially if they do not share the same values, interests, or knowledge with their customers.25 Moreover, one study estimated that one-third of all service problems are caused by the customer.26 The growing shift to self-service ...