The Role of Live Entertainment Experiences in Enhancing Customer Engagement and Loyalty in Telecom Services
1. Raphael Mupeta, ZCAS UNIVERSITY, Lecturer, Zambia
2. Raphael Mupeta, ZCAS UNIVERSITY, Lecturer, Zambia
Telecommunications
markets are increasingly saturated, and many operators rely on discounts, data
bundles, and short-term promotions that often improve retention only
temporarily. This study examines whether live entertainment experiences hosted
by telecom brands—such as music concerts, sponsored parties, and interactive
games—can deepen customer engagement, stimulate service usage, and strengthen
loyalty. Drawing on customer engagement theory, service-dominant logic,
experiential marketing, expectation-confirmation theory, and commitment-trust
theory, the study applies a mixed-methods design. Survey data were collected
from 120 telecom subscribers who had attended at least one telecom-sponsored
entertainment event in the previous 12 months, and qualitative interviews were
used to explain motivations and perceived value. Descriptive statistics,
correlation analysis, regression, and mediation analysis were conducted in SPSS
28. Participation in live entertainment experiences significantly predicted
satisfaction (β = .82, t = 12.40, p < .001), while satisfaction predicted
usage frequency (β = .74, t = 10.50, p < .001) and loyalty intention (β =
.78, t = 11.00, p < .001). Satisfaction partially mediated the relationship
between event participation and both usage and loyalty. The findings suggest
that entertainment-based engagement can complement core service quality by
creating memorable, socially meaningful touchpoints that support retention and
reduce churn.
Customer Engagement; Telecom Services; Live Entertainment; Customer Loyalty
This study
set out to examine whether live entertainment experiences can enhance customer
engagement and loyalty in telecom services. The evidence indicates that they
can. Participation in telecom-sponsored concerts, parties, and interactive
games was positively associated with satisfaction, usage frequency, recharge
behavior, and loyalty intention. The strongest pattern in the data was the
mediating role of satisfaction: customers who experienced these events
positively were more likely to use the service more actively and to express
stronger intentions to remain loyal to the operator.
The broader
implication is that telecom loyalty should not be viewed only through the lens
of network performance, pricing, and switching barriers. Those factors remain
essential, but they do not fully explain why some customers feel attached to a
brand and others remain indifferent. Live entertainment experiences can create
memorable, relationally significant touchpoints that enrich the customer
journey and support retention. For telecom managers operating in highly
competitive markets, the strategic lesson is clear: when experiential value is
layered onto reliable core service delivery, loyalty becomes not only more
measurable but also more meaningful.
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Raphael Mupeta was solely responsible for the conception and design of the study, the development of the methodology, the collection and analysis of data, and the interpretation of results. He prepared the original draft of the manuscript, carried out all revisions, and finalized the paper for submission. No other individuals contributed to the research, writing, or editing of this work.
I confirm that I did not receive any financial support, grants, or sponsorship from public, commercial, or not‑for‑profit organizations for the completion of this research. The study was conducted independently, without external funding, and all resources used were self‑supported.
Data analysis was conducted in SPSS 28. Descriptive statistics were first used to summarize the overall response pattern and compare high-participation and low-participation respondents. Pearson correlation analysis was then applied to assess the direction and strength of association among participation, satisfaction, usage, recharge behavior, and loyalty intention. Multiple regression analysis was used to test whether event participation significantly predicted satisfaction and whether satisfaction predicted usage-related outcomes and loyalty intention.
I declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the research, authorship, or publication of this article. No personal, financial, or professional relationships have influenced the outcomes of this study.
I , Raphael Mupeta, gratefully acknowledge the indirect support of colleagues, mentors, and the broader academic community whose work provided inspiration and context for this study. No external funding or institutional assistance was received.
The data supporting the findings of this study were generated and analyzed entirely by Raphael Mupeta. As the sole author, I confirm that no external datasets were used. Data underlying the results are available upon reasonable request, subject to ethical considerations and confidentiality requirements.