Frontline backlash: service employees’ deviance from digital processes
ISSN: 0887-6045
Article publication date: 11 October 2019
Issue publication date: 6 December 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate how the implementation of digital interfaces into service encounters is transforming demands toward frontline service employees. In addition to having the potential to enhance employee–customer interactions, changes related to new technologies can be perceived as stressful by employees and might foster deviation from prescribed processes.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the transactional theory of stress and coping as a theoretical framework, this paper aims to develop and test a research model to investigate the influence of technology-induced role ambiguity on constructive and destructive process deviance. Data were collected via an online survey of 123 frontline service employees in restaurants that have online reservation systems in use.
Findings
The results confirm that employee resistance to change fosters role ambiguity, while self-efficacy reduces the latter. Technology-induced role ambiguity leads to both constructive and destructive process deviance.
Originality/value
By revealing the above relationships, this study contributes to research in services marketing by examining two types of employees’ deviance from customer-facing processes.
Keywords
Citation
Christ-Brendemühl, S. and Schaarschmidt, M. (2019), "Frontline backlash: service employees’ deviance from digital processes", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 33 No. 7, pp. 936-945. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2019-0125
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited