Linking perception to reality – the role of Customer Equity in consumer experience design

The Durham University Business School is offering a PhD studentship for a collaborative project with the industry, partly funded by European Regional Development Funding, Durham University, and TDG Brand Communications Limited (trading as DECIDE).

DECIDE (TDG Brand Communications Limited) is a creative consultancy specialising in the strategic management of FMCG marketing communications, with a specific focus on Shopper Marketing & Packaging Design for both physical and digital environments. DECIDE takes a unique approach to supporting a brand’s key communication strategy by providing bespoke solutions combined with the latest digital technologies. DECIDE is already involved in a number of different collaborative research projects with the University of Durham.

The successful candidate will be based in the Durham University Business School - ranked 7th in the UK and co-supervised by the Department of Computer Science, Durham University - ranked 6th for Computer Science in the UK The Complete University Guide 2019 (Durham University ranked 6th overall and 74th in QS World University Rankings 2019), whilst working with consumer goods branding, strategy & digital marketing specialists at DECIDE’s Newcastle upon-Tyne Head Office.

We want to attract students with backgrounds relevant to either behaviour analysis (life, social sciences and economics) or computer science, engineering, and mathematics who are keen to expand their skills and investigate the interaction of these disciplines.
This studentship starts in October 2018 and the successful applicant will receive a fully funded scholarship for three years (subject to satisfactory progression).

The successful candidate will be encouraged to publish their work at major international journals and conferences. The candidate can expect their research to have significant impact across industry and academia. The post offers an outstanding opportunity to gain a strong research track record in an exciting area of immersive customer experience design, customer equity and augmented reality whilst working in an environment with high levels of internal and external collaboration.

Project description

It is reported that as many as 9 out of 10 product launches fail, whilst industry research consistently demonstrates that even in today’s omni-channel world - the majority of purchase decisions are made at point of purchase.

Marketing decision makers within Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) businesses therefore face a number of challenges ensuring commercially effective investment in marketing interventions throughout the channel mix – on activities that demonstrably translate into building customer equity and driving (repeat) sales.

A number of questions are currently under discussion within the industry, including:
- What is the fundamental role of digital technologies for consumer goods companies within the wider customer journey to purchase?
- How do interventions in digital spaces (e.g. Web, social networks, eCRM, immersive technologies) correlate with more traditional, in-store ways of communication with shoppers?
- What is the most effective ‘digital strategy’ for consumer goods companies that aren’t the end retailer?

The aim of this project is to model the optimal matrix for Customer Equity within the consumer decision making journey that enhances customer experience.

The research will focus on a track(s) of the following agenda: 
- Exploratory research into what is the optimal matrix for customer equity in omni channel retailing
- Understand the customer equity “index” across different FMCG categories
- Model the effect of product or brand design on customer equity, i.e. identify the optimal matrix for a right category/brand/product, by performing simulations of a customer’s journey from consideration to purchase using augmented reality (AR) technologies.

Supervisory Team:
Dr Sarah H. Xiao, Associate Professor in Marketing
Dr George A. Koulieris, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science