Brand image formation and updating across multiple-episode experiences within service networks

In complex service situations (e.g., filing an auto insurance claim), a customer's service experience results from interactions with a set of service providers (e.g., rental car agency, automobile repair facility) who are enlisted by a focal provider (e.g., insurance provider) to deliver key components of the service solution. While research in marketing has focused on how customers evaluate their experience with a single service provider, limited attention has been given to understanding how experiences with multiple firms in a service network influence a customer's image and evaluation of the focal service provider. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine how the service brand image of a focal firm is created and updated during a service experience that involves multiple firms.; Drawing from the service process, branding, and experience evaluation literatures, the dissertation suggests that customers experience brands within the service network in much the same way as in brand alliances-as linked entities. As a result, the image and associations resulting from experiences with providers in the network may spillover to or shape the brand images of the other firms, especially the focal firm. Utilizing scenario-based laboratory experiments, a series of studies isolates three key factors that influence the extent to which a focal firm's brand image is created and updated during a service network experience: (1) focal brand strength, (2) the strength of the linkages between the network firms and the focal firm, and (3) the pattern of episode valence. As predicted, the brand image of the weak brand was more subject to the influence of partner episodes than the brand image of the strong brand. Strong links between partner firms and the focal firm resulted in a stronger impact on the brand image of the focal firm than did weak links. Contrary to prediction, positively-valenced partner episodes had more impact on brand image than did negatively-valenced partner episodes. Finally, as predicted, an improving sequence of partner episodes had a positive effect on the focal firm's brand image. Overall, the results support the nascent theory of service networks and have theoretical implications for the branding, services, and consumer experience domains. The results have implications for a firm's branding strategies, service experience design, and interorganizational relationship strategies.