Cross-and up-selling in inbound call centers is a growing business practice, with the promise of enhanced revenue generation and customer retention. Yet firms struggle to create conditions that are conducive to customer service representatives' (CSRs') concurrent engagement in service and sales. By developing a framework of the antecedents and performance consequences of aligned sales and customer service provision, this study advances understanding of ambidexterity at the employee level. The framework receives strong support from an empirical study based on CSRs' survey responses and matched performance data. A CSR's locomotion orientation facilitates ambidextrous behavior and interacts positively with an assessment orientation. However, team identification and bounded discretion impair this valuable interplay. Ambidextrous behavior also increases customer satisfaction and sales performance but decreases efficiency. Nevertheless, the overall performance effect is positive.
The authors investigate how perceived customer value can be translated into economic returns for online social network sites (SNS). The (joint) impact of two value propositions, social capital and entitativity, is assessed. Perceived economic and social customer value are investigated as outcomes of these propositions. Two studies reveal that entitativity and social capital impact members' willingness to pay (WtP) membership fees, either directly or indirectly. Moreover, the predictive ability of perceived economic and social customer value regarding WtP depends on the type of membership and the type of social network. SNS providers are advised to emphasize the benefits their users actually take advantage of. While for professional SNS, it seems advisable to stress both social and economic value, particularly for premium members, in socially oriented SNS premium members seem to be driven more by social value. Other theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
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