Impact of customer tenure on customer strategy

Purpose This work provides information through the study of interactions that occur between customers and the company (micro customer experience), and how these interactions influence satisfaction and service recommendation. In addition, the mediating effect of customer tenure (CT) in such customer service interactions. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative study was conducted with a sample of 109,702 customers of a customer service operating in Spain. For the analysis, structural equation models were used using the Smart-PLS software, in order to examine the relationships between the variables and the impact of the customer service tenure in customer experience. The effects of customer service on tenure were also evaluated.” Findings The results of the study provide a comprehensive understanding of the customer experience in customer service. They also provide relevant information on how specific interactions between customers and the service affect satisfaction and service recommendation, highlighting the role of the customer service and identifying CT as a mediator. Practical implications The study offers valuable insights for designing customer-centric business strategies that can improve customer satisfaction and increase loyalty through the CT. This is especially relevant in an environment of high customer turnover and increasing pressure on companies to meet the expectations of all stakeholders (García-Sánchez et al., 2024). Originality/value This work addresses a gap in current research, as few studies comprehensively examine the complete paths of the shopping experience in customer service (Sheth et al., 2023). In addition, it provides a novel approach by studying the role of the CT in customer–company interactions, providing key information to optimize the customer experience and design effective strategies in this area.