Virtual customer environment
Encyclopedia
A Virtual Customer Environment (VCE) is a web-based forum to facilitate customer
co-innovation or user innovation
.
Customers can partner with companies in different phases of product (or service) innovation - in product ideation, in product design & development, in product testing, and in product diffusion. VCEs can be designed so as to facilitate these different customer co-innovation roles. Examples of customer co-innovation through VCEs include Microsoft and the MVP forum
; Nokia and the Concept Lounge; Ducati and the Tech Cafe; etc.
The term 'Virtual Customer Environment' was introduced by Prof. Satish Nambisan of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
in a research article published in the Academy of Management Review
(Nambisan, 2002).
Recent research published in MIT Sloan Management Review has focused on customer experience in such virtual customer environments and how companies can establish their VCEs so as to provide positive customer experiences in value co-creation.
Customer
A customer is usually used to refer to a current or potential buyer or user of the products of an individual or organization, called the supplier, seller, or vendor. This is typically through purchasing or renting goods or services...
co-innovation or user innovation
User innovation
User innovation refers to innovation by intermediate users or consumer users , rather than by suppliers ....
.
Customers can partner with companies in different phases of product (or service) innovation - in product ideation, in product design & development, in product testing, and in product diffusion. VCEs can be designed so as to facilitate these different customer co-innovation roles. Examples of customer co-innovation through VCEs include Microsoft and the MVP forum
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
The Microsoft Most Valuable Professional is the highest award given by Microsoft to those it considers "the best and brightest from technology communities around the world" who "actively share their ... technical expertise with the community and with Microsoft"...
; Nokia and the Concept Lounge; Ducati and the Tech Cafe; etc.
The term 'Virtual Customer Environment' was introduced by Prof. Satish Nambisan of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
in a research article published in the Academy of Management Review
Academy of Management Review
The Academy of Management Review a is peer-reviewed academic journal on management. According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal's 2009 impact factor is 7.867, ranking it first in the categories "Management" and "Business" .- External links :*...
(Nambisan, 2002).
Recent research published in MIT Sloan Management Review has focused on customer experience in such virtual customer environments and how companies can establish their VCEs so as to provide positive customer experiences in value co-creation.