A New Perspective on Well-being - Consumer Agency in Immersive Service

– In our research, we introduce the concept of immersive service, which we define as service that consumers are embedded in and surrounded by, in the sense that their life experience is within the service and, in great part, constructed by it for some period of time, says von Koskull.

Consumers frequently experience immersive service in healthcare (e.g., hospital stays, residential care), education (e.g., school/university attendance) or hospitality (e.g., air travel, resorts) among others. Such immersive services are provided to millions of consumers daily and are of major economic importance. 

Characteristics of Immersive Service

Deepening marketing understanding of how consumers experience immersive service, the researchers analyze, unearth, define, and describe four conceptually novel and managerially relevant characteristics that reflect the structures and processes of immersive service:

• Encapsulation :  The consumer is embedded in the sociocultural world of the service and, to a great degree, separated from other worlds.
• Positionality: The consumer’s understanding of differences in social position, and their negotiation of these within the immersive service.
• Multivocality: Different interpretations, narratives, and perspectives that influence how the consumer is expected to be and act within the service.
• Protocolization: Systems of rules, norms, and procedures that consumers are expected to follow within the immersive service.

These characteristics can threaten consumer agency or individuals ability to act independently and make their own free choices. Such limitations often emerge as a compromise between consumer freedom on one hand and safety and professional praxis on the other.

Consumers Improvise to Pursue Agency

– In our research, we view immersive service as sociocultural worlds (so-called “figured worlds”), where consumers (and service providers) try to understand how they should be and behave, says von Koskull.

However, consumers are not passive, they pursue individual and collective agency through improvisation in five different ways:

• Expanding the boundaries of the immersive service: Exercising influence and control over time and space on their own terms, to be able to do more of whatever and whenever it is desired.
• Making their voice heard to change the service: Suggesting or demanding modifications to the service.
• Seeking task responsibility within the service: Engaging in tasks directed toward oneself, other consumers, staff, or the organization.
• Challenging service protocols: Exploring new ways to co-produce the service based on consumer needs and preferences.
• Playing and Imagining: Using creativity to redefine situations, mask vulnerability and to create a more positive consumer experience.

Research Context and Methodology

– Our research is based on an extensive ethnographic field study conducted in a residential care facility. This context is particularly relevant as life expectancy continues to increase, says von Koskull. People over 90 are now the fastest-growing age group globally, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), two out of three elderly individuals will require long-term care and support.

There are two key areas where marketing research can contribute:

1. The need for a more consumer-centered perspective in geriatric care.

2. The importance of analyzing issues related to consumer autonomy and agency in residential care

“Our research contributes to the marketing literature, particularly by making sure older individuals are being heard rather than letting others speak on their behalf (e.g. family members). Previous studies that rely on relatives’ accounts risk overlooking the experiences of the elderly themselves, which can lead to insufficient knowledge about older consumers and their wellbeing”, says von Koskull. “Our research material is unique because we focus on the oldest-old (average age of 92 years), an important consumer group that is rarely highlighted in marketing”, she continues.

Strategic Recommendations

The researchers identify two central strategies for supporting consumer agency in immersive service:

1. Leveraging technology: Utilizing digital solutions to provide consumers with greater agency. For example, virtual experiences can be used to enrich daily life and expand the physical environment.

2. Developing relationships and empathy: Enhancing consumer participation and inclusion by considering individual needs, preferences, and life situation.

Service providers should be aware of the connection between agency and wellbeing, and actively use this knowledge to improve consumers’ quality of life.

Read more about the research