A Framework to Improve the Digital Customer Experience in Complex Services

Abstract

Complex services systems (CSS) involve multiple stakeholders and processes. Therefore, digitalization in CSS is not straightforward and is especially challenging in terms of delivering a smooth customer experience (CX) along their journey. In this paper, we investigate these challenges in the insurance context by interviewing Belgian customers. Our analysis reveals three complexity dimensions—offering, access, and relational – and we propose a framework to enhance digital CX in each customer journey phase. This study contributes context-specific CX insights and offers guidance to researchers and practitioners for improving digital CX in CSS. Moreover, we add to the emerging literature on managing CX in the business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) distribution model.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Customer experience
• customer journey
• complex services
• digitalization
• B2B2C distribution model

Acknowledgment

The authors express sincere gratitude to AG Insurance, particularly Benoit Halbart, Pascale Bernaerts, and Pieter Bedert, for their invaluable support and contributions to this research project. A previous version of the paper was presented at Frontiers in Service, Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference, Euregio Marketing Colloquium, and the Belgian Service Research Day. We thank the participants for their valuable feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).