Highlighting Visibility and Benevolence to Harvest Good Relationships with Company-Managed Virtual Communities: A Netnographic Study

Imene Ben Yahia
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Imene Ben Yahia: High Institute of Finance and Taxation, Sousse, Tunisia

International Journal of Customer Relationship Marketing and Management (IJCRMM), 2014, vol. 5, issue 2, 52-64

Abstract: The objective of this article is to better understand how to deal with company-managed virtual communities in order to build a good relationship with members. The authors explore and compare between companies' practices and members' perceptions and expectations. The research is based on a netnographic study which includes 1.5 year of participant observation and 25 in-depth interviews with members and managers. Results point out the gap between what members expect and what companies do. First, instead of being on the sidelines, the paper shows that the company's visibility within the VC is a pre-requisite to build good relationships with members. Second, it shows that to be successful, reciprocity is no more enough, companies should rather prove benevolence. Finally, the paper draws attention to the necessity of adapting targeting efforts of gratification and benevolence according to the members' ties with the VC.

Date: 2014
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International Journal of Customer Relationship Marketing and Management (IJCRMM) is currently edited by Riyad Eid

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