Exploring value co-creation strategies to improve e-reputation in the hotel industry: insights from Fez, Morocco

From a global perspective, the business environment has become highly dynamic, unpredictable, and competitive due to external forces – mostly technology – that generate change. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of digital technologies on South African business sectors. The sample includes small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the KwaZulu-Natal province. Being qualitative by design, the study used semi-structured interviews for data collection, with eight interviews in the Durban area. SME managers were purposefully selected as participants based on their management positions in the business/company and that they oversee the business operation and understand the influence of digital transformation in the business. The interviews were then transcribed after data collection to determine any recurring themes. In the effectiveness of digital transformation, the study identified themes such as “gaining exposure” and “gaining effective sales figures” as a result of implementing digital transformation, which was indicated by six of eight participants. The findings showed that digital transformation significantly affects building customer relationships and ensuring easy accessibility of the business. The results further indicate online selling and digital marketing as the leading digital platforms successfully implemented by most South African SMEs. Lastly, the study revealed digital maintenance and rapid changes in technology as challenging factors. Moreover, the study recommends that South African SMEs implement more available digital technologies to gain additional exposure.

Commodities are products with low economic value, but when related to experience, they can turn into profitable businesses. In the present work, the authors seek to understand consumer behavior in the coffee industry, guided by the following research question: How can customer experience affect price perception? To answer this question, the researchers conducted an analysis using the four realms of experience from Pine and Gilmore (1999, 2011) – entertainment, education, esthetics, and escapist – and how they behave according to different kinds of customer experience, as well as their relation to price perception. To understand this, the authors conducted qualitative research with 40 consumers in two important coffee companies: Starbucks and Costa Coffee. The coffee shops analyzed are located in the city of Marbella, Spain. The results of this research show that customers are aware of the price discrepancy, but still frequenting coffee shops for different experiences according to their interests. This work is groundbreaking because of the analysis of the four realms of experience and its correlation with the price perception. The authors also introduced to the customer experience field the analysis of the four realms in the coffee shop industry. Finally, from the research results, the authors suggest various managerial practices that can improve customer experience and the perception of prices.

The paper analyzes the impact of retail transformation on the consumers’ expectations and behavior in the electronic environment and identifies the main directions of digitalization of the marketing activities of domestic retail enterprises at each stage of the purchasing decision-making process. It also systematizes the consumer expectations in the context of the digital transformation of retail, which made it possible to establish the importance of managing customer acquisition for retailers and demonstrated how technology changes the way customers purchase. The results of an online study of the impact of marketing efforts in retail outlets to highlight digital transformation tools at every stage of consumer decision-making by consumers are presented and the main directions of digitalization of marketing activities of domestic retail enterprises are summarized. The legitimacy of taking consumer expectations into account when determining the impact on the business model of retailers, returning it to the plane of mobility, digitalizing the purchase process, and the integration of digital and physical trading, has been proven. It is suggested to consider the main areas of digital transformation as digital interaction with customers, innovation in the development of products and services, distribution channels, marketing and sales; digital implementation, risk optimization, strengthening corporate control, intelligent information management and customer service, managing customer and contact center experience, customer relationship management. This made it possible to specify promising areas of digital transformation in the retail industry, in particular, optimizing human resources, creating new ways of cooperation, attracting labor and assistance (flexible work, social cooperation, corporate cooperation, integrated communications), as well as employee training for the retail industry.