Growth in the Age of the Customer : A Comparative Case Study on Leveraging Emotion, Engagement and Loyalty

Abstract: With the significant shifts and upheaval in the marketplace due to digitalisation, and evolving customer behaviour, it is becoming increasingly imperative for businesses to build and maintain strong connections with their customers. This new business setting causes major implications for companies’ formulation of strategies. Therefore, this thesis aims to map out points-of-parity and points-of-difference with regards to how two companies leverage customer emotion, customer engagement and customer loyalty in order to achieve growth, which is defined as the stages of customer acquisition, customer development and customer retention. In addition, the purpose is to explore advocacy and its role for igniting further growth. The study is conducted in the form of a comparative case study of two digital B2C companies: the media company Freeda and the food delivery service Deliveroo. The Framework for Customer Growth and the Cycle of Advocacy-Ignited Growth guide the analysis. The main findings include that companies’ core propositions determine their emotional strategy as well as personalisation being considered the most significant aspect of customer engagement. Moreover, the role of advocacy can be taken on by various stakeholders and is not limited solely to customers.