Why build sustainable relationships with customers? The effects of "Ambassador Program"
ABSTRACT To build relationships with customers, sustainable engagements are crucial. Ostensibly, firm profits are derived from customers' financial contributions; in addition, their non financial contributions such as advocacy also increase long term profitability. Today, the importance of such customer to customer communication has dramatically increased and is derived from enhancing customers' brand experience. This paper explores how to incorporate C to C communication into brand experience with the goal of strengthening customer relationships, developing advocacy, and encouraging sustainable interactions. This study introduces the novel approach called Ambassador Program which aims to build long term collaboration with customers and promote advocacy from the participants. Through the case of the "NESCAFE Ambassador Program," we found that this brand new approach is effective in increasing customers' brand experience and customers' contributions. Consequently, customers can create new customers. The research empirically showed that even in such a low involvement category as consumer packaged goods, firms can build sustainable relationships with customers by adopting customer to customer relationships into their marketing strategies.