Retention · Empirical panel/archival customer-level analysis using multinomial logit models to test a framework integrating experiential learning and social exchange theory.
Disentangling the effects of lock-in and affective customer experience on retention
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · 2023
Summary
When affective experience is poor, lock-in reduces churn by about 49.03%–47.86%; its effect becomes insignificant above an acceptable experience level. Both strategies matter more at low relationship depth and less in heavy relationships.
For your marketing
Possible founder application
Use it to frame a lifecycle hypothesis and define customer-level outcomes; compare its market and retention horizon with yours.
Reported result
What the study found
When affective experience is poor, lock-in reduces churn by about 49.03%–47.86%; its effect becomes insignificant above an acceptable experience level. Both strategies matter more at low relationship depth and less in heavy relationships.
Research question
What the authors investigated
How do lock-in and affective customer experience separately and jointly affect retention, and how does relationship depth moderate those effects?
Design
Empirical panel/archival customer-level analysis using multinomial logit models to test a framework integrating experiential learning and social exchange theory.
Sample and setting
13,761 customers covering all firms in one telecommunications market and two services (mobile and broadband), with retention/churn decisions and customer-experience measures.
Scope and transfer
Limitations to keep in view
Affective customer experience is measured with a single item and annually (December), and the study is confined to one telecom market and two services; the authors recommend richer measures and additional settings/frequencies.
Research sources
Springer Nature's publisher page labels it 'Original Empirical Research' and reports a sample of 13,761 customers, multinomial-logit testing, and the thresholded lock-in/churn and relationship-depth findings. Direct publisher-page retrieval was recorded on 2026-10-09; profile summarizes the accessible record and does not claim independent review of inaccessible full text.