Cocreating Customer Value Through Hyperreality in the Prepurchase Service Experience

Abstract

This article develops a new model depicting how organizations can help customers test out and experience a service prior to purchase and consumption or use. When customers buy a new car, for instance, they are allowed to test-drive it to get the feel of it. When customers wish to purchase services, it can be more difficult to provide customers with a “test drive.” In some service situations, service organizations can and do provide “test drives,” but it is suggested that such experiences take place in a simulated setting. This article introduces the notion of hyperreality, the simulated reality of a service experience. It also introduces the concept of the “experience room,” the place where the simulated experience takes place. Based on the existing literature, the authors apply six dimensions of experience rooms to demonstrate how organizations can cocreate value, in conjunction with the customer, through hyperreality in a preservice experience.

An Airport Experience Framework from a Tourism Perspective

“…The concept of value co-creation also exists in airports and affects the experience level of passengers because the customers assume the role of the creator of value once they participate in service transaction (Edvardsson, Enquist, & Johnston, 2005;Vargo & Lusch, 2008). The cocreation of activities in airports is observed through different means and purposes.…”

The role of servicescape as a driver of customer value in experience-centric service organizations: the Dragon Football Stadium case

“…Services are very engaging when consumed, which accentuates the importance of their surroundings, which can be viewed as an issue for interaction and value co-creation (Edvardsson, Enquist, & Johnston, 2005;Grönroos & Ravald, 2011). Besides enabling service operations, servicescapes serve as stimuli themselves, by providing cues (Pine & Gilmore, 1998) that create, influence, and enable the experience (Sandström, Edvardsson, Kristensson, & Magnusson, 2008).…”

Co-creating brands: Diagnosing and designing the relationship experience

“…Normal, day-to-day service experience and practices (e.g., Edvardsson, Enquist and Johnston, 2005;Korkman, 2006) as well as peak experiences (e.g., Pine and Gilmore, 1999) both lead to customer learning, which involves a combination of experiential encounters over the length of the relationship. Two perspectives of customer learning are useful.…”