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Strangers in the night: speeddating, CCI and service businesses

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Abstract

Organisations are increasingly realising the importance of customer-to-customer interactions (CCI). From theme parks and shopping malls, to hairdressing and health clubs, interactions between customers are recognised as a key aspect of the service experience. This research examines CCI in the context of the speeddating phenomena, a unique setting in which conversations between strangers are at the very core of the service exchange. Three elements emerge from an in-depth qualitative study to provide new insights for managers who wish to influence CCI and give some structure to future research in the area: planning, roles and performances, and cooperation versus competition.

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Baron, S., Patterson, A., Harris, K. et al. Strangers in the night: speeddating, CCI and service businesses. Service Business 1, 211–232 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-007-0031-1

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