Abstract:
Drawing on relationship marketing theory, this study sought to investigate the interrelationships between selected relationship marketing constructs, customer engagement and behavioural intentions in the life insurance industry. Life insurance, which is characterised as a highly abstract, intangible service consisting largely of credence properties, provided an unusual context for the examination of the relationships between these constructs, specifically the mediating role of customer engagement on behavioural intentions. A deductive research design was employed, and self-administered electronic surveys were fielded among customers of South African life insurance organisations. A total of 282 surveys were returned and the interrelationships between the constructs were examined using structural equation modelling. The findings indicated that trust did not have a positive and significant effect on customer engagement or behavioural intentions and that customer engagement towards a life insurance organisation did not mediate the relationship between trust and behavioural intentions. Customer satisfaction, on the other hand, did have a positive and significant effect on customer engagement and behavioural intentions and customer engagement towards a life insurance organisation did mediate the relationship between customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. The findings of the study contribute to the developing body of customer engagement literature, in the previously unexplored context of the life insurance industry, in an emerging market context, by contributing an understanding into the interrelationships between the relationship marketing constructs, customer engagement and behavioural intentions and offers key insights into the extent to which the relationship marketing constructs and customer engagement may influence the behavioural intentions of customers in the life insurance industry.
