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. 2022;50(6):1257-1276.
doi: 10.1007/s11747-022-00839-w. Epub 2022 Feb 19.

How consumer digital signals are reshaping the customer journey

David A Schweidel  1 , Yakov Bart  2 , J Jeffrey Inman  3 , Andrew T Stephen  4 , Barak Libai  5 , Michelle Andrews  1 , Ana Babić Rosario  6 , Inyoung Chae  1 , Zoey Chen  7 , Daniella Kupor  8 , Chiara Longoni  8 , Felipe Thomaz  4
Affiliations

How consumer digital signals are reshaping the customer journey

David A Schweidel et al. J Acad Mark Sci. 2022.

Abstract

Marketers are adopting increasingly sophisticated ways to engage with customers throughout their journeys. We extend prior perspectives on the customer journey by introducing the role of digital signals that consumers emit throughout their activities. We argue that the ability to detect and act on consumer digital signals is a source of competitive advantage for firms. Technology enables firms to collect, interpret, and act on these signals to better manage the customer journey. While some consumers' desire for privacy can restrict the opportunities technology provides marketers, other consumers' desire for personalization can encourage the use of technology to inform marketing efforts. We posit that this difference in consumers' willingness to emit observable signals may hinge on the strength of their relationship with the firm. We next discuss factors that may shift consumer preferences and consequently affect the technology-enabled opportunities available to firms. We conclude with a research agenda that focuses on consumers, firms, and regulators.

Keywords: Conceptual framework; Consumer digital signals; Consumer privacy; Firm capabilities; Personalization; Research agenda; Technology-enabled customer journey.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The role of consumer signals throughout the technology-enabled customer journey
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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