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Exploring brand sabotage in retail banking

Elaine Wallace (J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland)
Leslie de Chernatony (Birmingham Business School, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK)

Journal of Product & Brand Management

ISSN: 1061-0421

Article publication date: 29 May 2009

2360

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore managers' and employees' views about service brand sabotage at the front line in retail banking. The current literature emphasises the role of the employee in service delivery, and advocates the cultivation of brand ambassadors – employees who support the service brand through their performance. Yet there also exist saboteurs – employees who actively work against the brand, and there is a dearth of literature exploring the nature of this group. Moreover, much of the extant literature explores service performance from the perspective of the consumer and little is known about employees' views. This paper seeks to present managers' and employees' views about service performance, and service sabotage.

Design/methodology/approach

The study incorporates findings from in‐depth interviews with bank managers, and a survey of 438 branch employees reveals sabotage drivers in the “job for life” banking environment in Ireland.

Findings

The paper identifies employee fear, overwork and compliance demands as issues which influence job dissatisfaction, consumer resentment and employee insecurity.

Research limitations/implications

The research is exploratory. The paper advocates further research to confirm the components of service sabotage, and test the influence of these components on consumers' perceptions of the service.

Practical implications

The paper offers suggestions to help managers to better manage sabotage in this sector, and recommend future research in other highly structured services sectors.

Originality/value

The paper provides new insights into the constraints on the banking employee that may lead to service sabotage. It also offers advice to managers that may help them better harness employees as brand ambassadors.

Keywords

Citation

Wallace, E. and de Chernatony, L. (2009), "Exploring brand sabotage in retail banking", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 198-211. https://doi.org/10.1108/10610420910957825

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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