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Article
Publication date: 27 December 2022

Ji Miracle Qi, Yi Peng, Graham H. Lowman and Xingliang He

Employee gratitude is often associated with positive customer-related benefits. However, our understanding of employee gratitude is notably underdeveloped within the service…

Abstract

Purpose

Employee gratitude is often associated with positive customer-related benefits. However, our understanding of employee gratitude is notably underdeveloped within the service literature. To address this issue, this study aims to position employee gratitude within the service profit chain (SPC) framework as a complementary mediator. Further, the authors empirically examine service climate as a central antecedent to employee gratitude and employee customer-oriented behavior as an outcome that triggers an internal and external reciprocal social exchange.

Design/methodology/approach

The examination of the research questions was done across two studies, using employee self-reported data (Study 1) and employee–customer dyadic data (Study 2). In Study 1, the authors investigate how employee gratitude mediates the relationship between service climate and customer-oriented behavior, with employee interpersonal influence functioning as a moderator. In Study 2, the authors examine how customer-oriented behavior, an outcome of Study 1, influences customer satisfaction and customer avoidance, with customer gratitude functioning as a mediator.

Findings

Results from both Study 1 and Study 2 support the proposed relationships. These studies contribute to the service literature by evaluating how and why employee gratitude functions as a significant factor in determining employee and customer behavior within the service context.

Originality/value

This work enriches the gratitude literature by empirically testing a novel theoretical perspective on employee and customer gratitude in service encounters. In doing so, the authors provide a more nuanced understanding of how internal and external processes are connected and potentially reinforced in SPC.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 February 2018

Yufei Zhao, Li Yan and Hean Tat Keh

There is considerable research examining the consequences and contingency factors of customer participation in the service encounter. In comparison, there is disproportionately…

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Abstract

Purpose

There is considerable research examining the consequences and contingency factors of customer participation in the service encounter. In comparison, there is disproportionately less research examining the antecedents of customer participation. This paper aims to propose and test an appraisal-emotive framework of the effects of front-line employees’ in-role and extra-role behaviours on customer participation.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey on 583 customers of retail banks in China has been conducted to test the framework. Structural equation modelling and dominance analysis have been used for hypotheses testing.

Findings

Employees’ extra-role behaviour (i.e. organisational citizenship behaviour or OCB) has a stronger effect than their in-role behaviour (i.e. role-prescribed behaviour) in inducing customer participation. These effects are mediated by customer emotions. Specifically, the effect of employees’ in-role behaviour on customer participation was mediated by customers’ positive and negative emotions, whereas the effect of employees’ OCB was mediated by customers’ positive emotions but not by their negative emotions.

Practical implications

The findings reveal that strategic management of employee behaviours can influence customer participation. While organisations often provide training to enhance employees’ in-role behaviour to deliver service performance, they should also recognise and encourage employees’ OCB as a means of increasing customer participation. In particular, employees who display positive emotions tend to evoke positive emotions in customers, which increase customer participation in the service encounter.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the few studies in marketing to examine the differential effects of employees’ in-role and extra-role behaviours on customer participation. Importantly, the findings show that employees’ OCB is not only more effective than employees’ in-role behaviour in influencing customer participation but also these two behaviours have varying effects on customer emotions. These findings are new and contribute to the literatures on customer participation, value co-creation and human resource management.

Article
Publication date: 9 March 2021

Muhammad Farrukh and Nabeel Younus Ansari

Customer value cocreation (VCC) behavior is gaining increased scholarly attention in the services marketing discipline and has become a top research priority in recent times…

Abstract

Purpose

Customer value cocreation (VCC) behavior is gaining increased scholarly attention in the services marketing discipline and has become a top research priority in recent times. Despite the growing interest in studying VCC, less scholarly attention has been paid to study the crucial role of frontline service employees in activating customer participation in the VCC process. Hence, to bridge this research gap, the present research expanded VCC research streams by investigating the mediating effect of frontline service employees' innovative behavior in psychological capital and customer VCC behavior relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collected from 255 hotel employee–customer dyads were analyzed through Smart PLS to measure the proposed relationships.

Findings

The results suggest the mediating effect of frontline service employees' innovative behavior in psychological capital and customer VCC behavior relationship.

Originality/value

The current research made a significant contribution to the VCC field by identifying driving forces that encourage customers to exhibit VCC behaviors.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 February 2018

Hsu-Hsin Chiang, Tzu-Shian Han and David McConville

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of brand-centered human resource management (HRM) on employees’ person–brand fit, brand commitment (BC) and brand…

1903

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of brand-centered human resource management (HRM) on employees’ person–brand fit, brand commitment (BC) and brand citizenship behavior (BCB). In addition, the paper tests effects of BCB on customer satisfaction and citizenship behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from managers, front-line employees and customers of 22 international tourist hotels in Taiwan. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to investigate relationships between variables.

Findings

Multilevel results reveal positive connections between brand-centered HRM and BCB, mediated by person–brand fit and BC. Positive relationships were also found between BC and BCB, person–brand fit and BCB; BCB and customer satisfaction; and between customer satisfaction and customer citizenship behavior.

Research limitations/implications

When employees’ personal values are consistent with brand values, employees will feel a closer connection to the brand and be more willing to dedicate themselves to brand-related activity. The model developed here can be tested in different cultures to ascertain the generalizability of the findings to Western contexts.

Practical implications

Support is provided for the positive effects of brand-centered HRM when employees internalize brand values as their own personal values. Hotel managers should ensure that employees are highly committed to the brand values and willing to deliver services to customers accordingly.

Originality/value

The paper provides measurement developments for person–brand fit and BC and deeper understanding of how brand-centered HRM can lead to positive changes in customer behavior.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 March 2020

Haw-Yi Liang, Chih-Ying Chu and Jiun-Sheng Chris Lin

Keeping both employees and customers highly engaged has become a critical issue for service firms, especially for high-contact and highly customized services. Therefore, it is…

1479

Abstract

Purpose

Keeping both employees and customers highly engaged has become a critical issue for service firms, especially for high-contact and highly customized services. Therefore, it is essential to engage employees and customers during service interactions for better service outcomes. However, past research on employee and customer engagement has primarily focused on brands and organizations. Little research has concentrated on service interactions as the objects of engagement. To fill this research gap, this study aims to clarify and define service engagement behaviors (SEBs), identify various employee and customer SEBs and develop a model to investigate the relationships between these behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical framework was developed based on social contagion theory and service-dominant (S-D) logic to explore the effects of employee SEBs on customer SEBs through customer perceptions of relational energy and interaction cohesion. Dyadic survey data collected from 293 customer-employee pairs in various high-contact and highly customized service industries were examined through structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results show that employee SEBs (service role involvement, customer orientation behavior and customer empowerment behavior) positively influence relational energy and interaction cohesion, which in turn affect customer SEBs (service exploration behavior and service coordination behavior).

Originality/value

This study represents pioneering research to conceptualize SEBs. Different from the extant literature on engagement, SEBs capture the proactive and collaborative engagement behaviors of employees and customers in service interactions. Various employee and customer SEBs were identified and an empirical model was proposed and tested to investigate the effect of employee SEBs on customer SEBs through relational energy and interaction cohesion.

Details

Journal of Service Management, vol. 31 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-5818

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2017

Sanjaya Singh Gaur, Piyush Sharma, Halimin Herjanto and Russel P.J. Kingshott

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of four types of acculturation behaviors of frontline service employees (assimilation, separation, integration, and…

1532

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of four types of acculturation behaviors of frontline service employees (assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization) on customer satisfaction and customer commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 377 ethnically diverse customers of a retail bank in New Zealand participated in this study. SmartPLS3 was used to test all the hypotheses.

Findings

Assimilation and integration have positive effects on both customer satisfaction and commitment. Marginalization has a negative effect on both customer satisfaction and commitment but separation has a negative effect only on customer satisfaction and not on customer commitment.

Research limitations/implications

Future research may validate and extend the authors findings in diverse cultural settings and use experimental method to explore the socio-psychological mechanisms underlying the influence of frontline service employees’ acculturation behaviors on customer satisfaction and commitment.

Practical implications

This study will help managers understand the importance of service employees’ acculturation behaviors and develop suitable recruitment strategies and training programs to improve their impact on customer satisfaction and commitment.

Originality/value

This study extends current research on intercultural service encounters by looking beyond the moderating effects of four types of service employees’ acculturation behaviors, to explore their direct effects on customer satisfaction and commitment.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 27 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2014

Shilpa Sharma Bhaskar and Shikha N. Khera

The purposes of this paper is to first explore, and describe positive discretionary risky-service behaviour (DRSB) of customer-contact service providers in relational context and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purposes of this paper is to first explore, and describe positive discretionary risky-service behaviour (DRSB) of customer-contact service providers in relational context and second to model the antecedents of such actions.

Design/methodology/approach

Employed an exploratory qualitative approach and purposive sampling. The authors gather data from field interview of 35 relationship managers in private and public banks in India. Grounded theory method using analytic induction approach was employed.

Findings

Existing studies and field interviews are used to forward the notion of “DRS behaviour” denoting employee service behaviour that is discretionary as it is work beyond what could reasonably be expected from an employee's job role and risky in a sense that it is outside the specific rules and processes incorporated in the formal service process document. Data reveal the existence of DRS behaviour in banks. A definition of DRS behaviour is forwarded and a range of antecedents proposed.

Research limitations/implications

To explore the generalizability of results replications among bank employees (relationship managers) in other countries (with more regulatory banking environments) required. While the exploratory data suggest the general antecedents of DRS, the specific propositions have not been tested.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for the management and advancement of employee-customer relationship such as employee's traits, reward structure, and system for monitoring employee-customer relationship strength.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the study is relationship antecedent, which may be taken as a starting point for relationship advancement research.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 32 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2004

Carmen Barroso Castro, Enrique Martín Armario and David Martín Ruiz

This work analyzes the effect that service company employee behavior has on customer perceptions of the quality of services received, and the consequent company performance…

13318

Abstract

This work analyzes the effect that service company employee behavior has on customer perceptions of the quality of services received, and the consequent company performance. Organizational citizenship behavior has been recognized as relevant behavior of some employees, but its role regarding customer perceptions and company profitability remains unexplored. Beginning with a brief review of the conceptual background of organizational citizenship behavior, service quality, and its consequences, this paper proposes a model to test these relationships empirically. Some helpful recommendations for managing service companies are presented.

Details

International Journal of Service Industry Management, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0956-4233

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 September 2019

Taeshik Gong and Chen-Ya Wang

Dysfunctional customer behavior is believed to engender employee stress and, in turn, fuel employee turnover. However, little research has examined the moderating role of…

1029

Abstract

Purpose

Dysfunctional customer behavior is believed to engender employee stress and, in turn, fuel employee turnover. However, little research has examined the moderating role of individual-level and contextual-level resource variables. The purpose of this paper is to fill these gaps by examining employee embeddedness and individualism–collectivism as putative moderators of the hypothesized mediation chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a field study involving 264 service employees working in two hotels operated by the same international hotel chain, one in South Korea (n=138) and the other in the UK (n=126).

Findings

Results show that employee embeddedness weakens the impact of dysfunctional customer behavior on employee turnover via employee stress. In addition, findings suggest that collectivists (individualists) are more (less) likely to be receptive to embeddedness cues.

Originality/value

This is the first known study to show that employee embeddedness can mitigate the impact of dysfunctional customer behavior on turnover via employee stress. This moderated-mediation model is further moderated by employees’ cultural value orientation (individualism–collectivism). Prior literature is not explicit on these complex models.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2010

Robert Folger, Robert C. Ford, Mary Bardes and Duncan Dickson

The purpose of this paper is to present and partially test the triangle model of fairness (TMF) by examining employee reactions to customer fairness.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present and partially test the triangle model of fairness (TMF) by examining employee reactions to customer fairness.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 217 undergraduate hospitality students at a US university participated in the study. Participants seated in a classroom were asked to take part in the study. Customer interpersonal justice was manipulated (high justice versus low justice) in a completely randomized between‐subjects design. The manipulation consisted of written scenarios that depicted interactions between a customer and an employee. Participants read the scenarios. Then, they were instructed to imagine they were the employee in the scenario and were asked to answer questions that assessed their reactions to the interaction with the customer.

Findings

Consistent with the predictions, the results of the study revealed that when employees experience interpersonally fair treatment from customers, they are more likely to engage in helping behaviors toward their organization and future customers.

Originality/value

The paper examines employee responses to fairness from customers, in terms of helping (or harming) the organization and future customers. As rationale for the study, the authors drew on the TMF. The study makes a contribution to research on services and organizational justice by being the first to empirically examine the TMF. Overall, this paper demonstrates that organizations need to be cognizant of the effects of customers' treatment on service employees, as customers' treatment can have serious effects on employees' subsequent behaviors.

Details

Journal of Service Management, vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-5818

Keywords

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