Impact of Customer Co-creation in Enhancing Customer Engagement with Mediating Effect of Customer Experience with Special Reference to Wedding Planning Services in Western Province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

In view of the increasingly competitive and experience-based nature of the service industry in general and especially the wedding planning industry, the topic of customer engagement has now become a crucial success factor, and there have been few studies examining engagement through the lens of value co-creation within the context of wedding planning services. This study addresses this gap and focuses on customer experience as a mediator between customer co-creator and engagement, in Sri Lanka, particularly, within the industry of wedding planning in the Western Province. A quantitative approach to research was adopted to obtain data on 384 customers via the use of questionnaires using snowball sampling as a non-probability sampling method. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect relationships among variables. The results have shown that active participation in the planning process will also increase the engagement, especially when the experience is positive and memorable to the customers. This research adds value to service marketing by confirming the mediating effect of customer experience in a highly distinctive cultural context with respect to service. In practice, the findings underline the necessity of wedding planners to embrace collaborative approaches, contributing to positive customer experiences that can lead to long-term customer involvement and sustainable customer relationships.