Exploring the ZMET methodology in services marketing

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the Zaltman metaphor elicitation technique (ZMET) can be adopted in services marketing to provide deeper customer experience insights. Design/methodology/approach This paper explores how ZMET interviews, which use images selected by the participant to facilitate discussion, can be used by researchers. This paper draws upon a study of 24 student experiences at a UK university. Findings Adopting this qualitative method for services marketing can counter depth deficit when compared to other qualitative approaches, because it is participant led. However, the method requires competent interview skills and time for the interview and analysis. We find that ZMET has not been widely adopted in academia because of its commercial licenced use. The paper illustrates how to use the ZMET process step-by-step. Research limitations/implications Findings are limited to student experiences. Further research is necessary to understand how researchers could use ZMET in other areas of services marketing. Practical implications This paper provides guidance to researchers on how to use ZMET as a methodological tool. ZMET facilitates a deeper understanding of service experiences through using participant chosen images and thus enabling researchers to uncover subconscious hidden perceptions that other methods may not find. Originality/value ZMET has been used commercially to gain market insights but has had limited application in service research. Existing studies fail to provide details of how ZMET can be used to access the consumer subconscious. This paper makes a methodological contribution by providing step-by-step guidance on how to apply ZMET to services marketing.

Surfacing consumer psychosensory perceptions of a nonendemic food: The case of coffee in a tea culture

“…The current research also answers the call for ZMET‐type research to be applied to a wider range of contexts (Hancock & Foster, 2019). Psychosensory research excels at surfacing feelings that are subjective but still common across a sub‐population, such as target market segment.…”

“…Inspired by Zaltman's focus on the mind of the consumer (Zaltman & Coulter, 1995), we developed a localized method that uses metaphors to reveal hidden concepts specific to the local context (Lakoff & Johnson, 2008). Hancock and Foster (2019) show how adaptation of ZMET's deep psychological probing method overcomes deficits of other qualitative methods. We implemented a photo‐elicitation approach.…”

“…One of the difficulties of such a structured approach is its complexity, which can cause problems for inexperienced interviewers. Hancock and Foster (2019) point out that psychological training is not required to collect good data, but familiarity and acclimation to long interview times are key. To this end, after testing of approaches, the final interview stages and details were codified in a training video for interviewers to increase consistency of the interviews (see video: https://youtu.be/_LMvQ2mWl2w).…”

Embracing consumer ambivalence in the luxury shopping experience

“…Given that the SWC technique produces the richest and most theoretically rewarding text when combined with other techniques (Lowrey et al, 2005), we supplemented our investigation with ZMET and additionally member check interviews. ZMET has the power to access unconscious thoughts and emotions that other qualitative techniques, such as SWC, are not able to investigate (Hancock & Foster, 2020). For this reason, ZMET coordinates well with other qualitative techniques (Chen, 2016).…”

Project Last Mile and the development of the Girl Champ brand in eSwatini: engaging the private sector to promote uptake of health services among adolescent girls and young women

“…Market research was conducted using the ZMET® methodology, a multi-disciplinary approach that uses metaphors and other nonliteral expressions to uncover people's unconscious emotional needs to develop targeted marketing and communications strategies (Zaltman, 1997 , 2003 ; Zaltman & Coulter, 1995 ; Zaltman & Zaltman, 2008 ). The ZMET® methodology has also been used more recently in research exploring behaviour change and barriers/facilitators to use of academic and health services (Hancock & Foster, 2019 ; Khoo-Lattimore & Prideaux, 2013 ; Tseng & Chiu, 2020 ). For more details on the ZMET methodology, see the supplemental file.…”