B2B Service Interactions : Do ICT-Enabled Innovations Lead to Enhanced Customer Commitment?

ICT provides opportunities for more convenient, more responsive and highly customized information services to business customers as they contact their providers regarding service issues and contract arrangements. This study looks at how ICT-enabled process innovations achieve customer retention goals through the enhancement of the value proposition and subsequently the strengthening of customer commitment.The study involved a survey and interviews of business service customers. Findings indicated that participants were cautious in returning a proportional amount of increased commitment to the service provider even when the value-adding benefits of ICT-enabled services were acknowledged. The study found that those who admitted willingness to higher commitment gave above average ratings for the value-added effect of CRM services, were reasonably satisfied with their providers, or characteristically maintained a business-like posture to the relationship. On the other hand, those who stated ICT-enabled services would have minimal effect on their commitment tended to either have significant services issues with their providers, a strong transaction orientation as a result of organizational philosophy, or preferred a business relationship with high personal communications and social content