Customer-to-customer interactions in service

Customers are constantly interacting with different actors and resources in the marketplace. This chapter explores how customers can be influenced by other customers present in the service setting. Whilst research has devoted considerable attention to interactions taking place between customers and employees, far less attention has been paid to interactions among customers. Generally known as customer-to-customer interaction (CCI), these positive or negative interactions represent an important potential for service organizations. A conceptual framework is developed to outline the range of CCI and it is used to direct managerial attention to strategies for supporting CCI. The chapter delineates an agenda for future research into C2C behavior.