For-profit corporations can learn much from association membership practices, and associations can, similarly, learn from corporate practices and research.
That’s why I found the study of what drives customer satisfaction,
relationship commitment, and loyalty intention in online communities of
interest. The study's results appeared in the article "Creating Customer Loyalty
in Online Brand Communities" in the journal Computers in Human Behavior.[1]
The research recruited participants from two online brand
communities and surveyed them about their experiences. A total of 627 submitted
their responses to an online questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale from
1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) on the elements that supported the commitment
to the brand's products.
The research explored many hypotheses but found four top
correlations to these community commitment characteristics.
The top finding supporting customer satisfaction and loyalty
focused on how well the brand provides comprehensive product information to the
participants. Meeting this need requires good community management with
detailed brand and product insights for the community.
Likewise, the second significant predictor of customer
satisfaction and relationship commitment is the need for what the authors call
“bridging social capital.” By this, they mean consumers' desire to connect with
new people who will share different perspectives and offer new thoughts about
the products. They want to engage with those outside their immediate circle for
additional views.
Respondents next stated that they wanted a pleasurable
emotional experience. Ideally, community managers should identify the elements
that cause customers to feel positive emotions. This outcome may suggest that
eliminating divisiveness from the community is necessary.
Finally, the fourth significant predictor of customer commitment
requires a perceived critical mass in the community. No one wants to be involved
in an echo chamber, so there needs to be a substantial level of interaction and
discussion.
Reviewing these findings, I found them applicable to my online
community experience. As a Washington Nationals baseball fan for years, I have
participated in a team blog. In the community, I find insights on the team that
I cannot get elsewhere. I do not know any of the participants, but I find them
very knowledgeable, even if I do not agree with each perspective. Additionally,
the blog eliminates those who cannot participate respectfully, making it a
pleasurable community. And finally, there is a substantial activity with up to
a thousand comments on any given day. These elements combined have made me a
more committed and loyal fan, even considering the disappointing losing record
for the Nationals in the past seasons.
[1] Fei-Fei Chenga, Chin-Shan Wub,*,
Yi-Chieh Chena, “Creating Customer Loyalty in Online Brand Communities.”
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