A Causal Model of the Relationship Between Customer Contact Points and Word of Mouth Through Customer Experience in the Insurance Industry

Abstract

Customer contact points are known as the building blocks of the customer experience and for designing and enhancing the customer experience. The purpose of this study is to investigate the causal relationships between customer contact points and word of mouth through customer experience in the insurance industry in 2021. The present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational in terms of implementation method. This survey included Mashhad insurance clients. As the number of customers is unlimited, the sample size 384 was calculated using Morgan table. Samples were selected using the non-probability Convenience sampling method. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine the validity of the questionnaires. The reliability of the questionnaires was obtained using Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all research variables above 0.7. Structural equation method was employed using PLS software. The results showed that customer contact points and their dimensions affect customer experience. Customer experience also had a significant effect on word of mouth. Ultimately, the customer experience mediated the impact of customer contact points and their dimensions on word of mouth. Finally, suggestions were presented based on the research findings.

Keywords

• customer contact points
• word of mouth
• customer experience
• structural equation modeling
• insurance industry