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The purpose of this study is to gauge the effects of challenge and hindrance stressors as well as three high-performance work practices (HPWPs) such as training, empowerment and rewards on work engagement (WE) and turnover intentions (TI). This study also tests customer orientation (COR) as a moderator of these relationships.

Data gathered from frontline hotel employees in Northern Cyprus in two time periods with a time lag of two weeks were used to test the relationships.

The results suggest that both challenge and hindrance stressors heighten TI and empowerment fosters WE. Rewards alleviate TI. More importantly, COR acts as a moderator of the effects of challenge and hindrance stressors as well as training, empowerment and rewards on WE and TI.

Management needs to hire employees high on COR and develop training programs that boost employees’ customer-oriented behaviors. Employees should also be allowed to craft the level of job demands and resources as long as the work is congruent with management expectations.

This study contributes to the extant hospitality knowledge by testing COR as a moderator of the effects of challenge and hindrance stressors and HPWPs on WE and TI.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of store managers’ employee climate perceptions on frontline employee (FLE), customer and store performance outcomes in the small-store setting.

This study derives the findings from a multi-source data set acquired in partnership with a North American-based retailer that includes survey responses from 1,133 store managers, 5,591 FLEs and 16,488 customers. This paper matches survey responses to corporate records and store sales and operations data.

This study finds that store managers’ employee climate perceptions affect FLEs both directly and indirectly, through store manager social support behaviors. This paper tests the boundary conditions for these findings by examining the moderating effects of store-level FLE tenure heterogeneity and competitive intensity. Study results provide partial support for the hypothesized relationships with regard to FLE tenure heterogeneity, but not competitive intensity.

This research is subject to many of the limitations common to a survey-based study. While the use of one retailer provided opportunities to examine store-level performance data, future research would benefit by using a more expansive data set spanning several companies and industries. Moreover, as the current study was set in the small-store setting, future research should explore how store managers’ influence fluctuates depending on store size and the mechanisms through which organizational priorities flow through other management levels (e.g. department managers) in large retailers.

Study results provide managerial guidance regarding the implementation of an employee climate for the delivery of an enhanced customer experience and superior financial performance.

Although researchers have paid considerable attention to employees’ psychological and organizational climate perceptions, this study makes a unique contribution by examining the effects of store managers’ employee climate perceptions on FLE, customer and store-level outcomes.

Using the basic framework of the service profit chain, this study aims to develop an integrated model that explains the relationships among role overload (RO), customer orientation (CO), service interaction quality (IQ), customer satisfaction (CS) and sales performance.

A large-scale survey of 872 customers and 530 frontline employees across 50 branches of a major retail bank in New Zealand serves as the study setting.

The results indicate that RO has a significant negative effect on IQ. Nevertheless, CO mitigates the negative outcome of RO on IQ. IQ fully mediates the relationship between RO and CS. Additionally, the effect of IQ on branch sales is fully mediated by CS.

The cross-sectional nature of the current survey does not permit causal inferences. Thus, future studies should adopt longitudinal designs. Also, future studies should explore the roles of other variables (e.g. job crafting, work-related self-efficacy) as possible moderators.

Results suggest that service managers should create a balance between the role requirements and organizational resources to mitigate the adverse effects of employee RO. To enhance IQ and CS, bank managers should coach employees about work overload and train them in CO while prioritizing the tasks.

Empirical research pertaining to employee–customer interaction through a nested framework accommodating data from customers, employees and firm performance is scarce. This study fills in the void.

Evaluates customers′ and employees′ service quality expectations and perceptions from the example of a hospital environment. Considers employees′ responses in administrative and nonadministrative categories. Notes differences between the groups and discusses the managerial implications arising from the differences found. Includes a detailed description of the methodology involved in the study.

This study examined three attitudinal dimensions of coupon usage. A review of the literature suggested that price consciousness, time value, and satisfaction/pride are three major motivational factors that determine coupon usage by consumers. Measurement of these three variables, using Likert‐type items, revealed acceptable levels of reliability. The three factors were found to relate to coupon usage as hypothesized. Further, significant differences were found in the predicted direction between coupon users and nonusers. Managerial implications and recommendations are provided.

Discusses the importance of qualitative data from customers in customer satisfaction measurement programs. Presents results of a study which is based on customer comments, using airline flight attendants as the target customer population. Indicates that qualitative data can produce actionable information as well as explanations for the nature of quantitative customer satisfaction data. Provides implications for management.

This paper seeks to examine the nature of relationships between six organizational support mechanisms, a personal resource, and selected psychological and behavioral work outcomes. A related objective of the study is to uncover whether these relationships exhibit similar patterns between employees with different characteristics.

Data for the study were collected from the employees of a large bank in New Zealand. Usable responses were obtained from 530 employees.

Results show that supervisory support is most closely associated with psychological work outcomes. On the other hand, job performance is more susceptible to influences of service technology and empowerment. Also customer orientation, as a personal resource, impacts job performance.

Using multiple‐informants (e.g. measuring frontline employees' job performance on the basis of their supervisors' or customers' assessments) would help minimize common‐method variance. To cross‐validate our results, replication studies among other samples of frontline employees in banking as well as other service settings are in order.

To fuel greater affective organizational commitment and job satisfaction among frontline employees and to reduce their turnover intentions, management must take proactive actions for the frontline employees to receive support and encouragement from their supervisors. Instituting a structured mentoring program and providing training programs to supervisors in support skills can also pay dividends.

The study shows that an undifferentiated approach is warranted in managing employees. Similar strategies would be equally effective in inducing favorable and reducing negative affective and performance outcomes among employees with different demographic characteristics.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative efficacies of a set of organizational support mechanisms and personality traits in predicting frontline employees' service recovery and job performances.

Data were gathered through self‐administered questionnaires. A sample of 723 frontline hotel employees in Turkey serves as the study setting.

The study results show that organizational support is more effective in differentiating between high‐ and low‐performing frontline employees in the case of service recovery performance. However, job performance overall is more susceptible to the influences of personality traits.

Replication studies in other regions of Turkey and other countries among frontline employees in the hotel industry as well as other service settings would broaden the database for further generalizations. Including other organizational support mechanisms (e.g. technology support) and personality traits (e.g. customer orientation) would shed further light on our understanding of the relative roles of organizational support and personality traits in predicting frontline employee performance.

In addition to providing organizational support to their employees, hotel managers should recruit individuals with the relevant personality traits for frontline service jobs. Using these strategies in tandem increases the likelihood of having high‐performing employees.

From a macro standpoint, implementation of the strategies discussed here will benefit the hotels in Turkey which are in stiffening competition with their counterparts.

The study adds to the body of knowledge by investigating simultaneously the relative efficacies of organizational support and personality traits in predicting service recovery and job performances of frontline hotel employees in a developing economy.

This study aims to develop and test a comprehensive model that begins with management commitment/concern and progresses through intermediate links of service climate and in‐role frontline employee (FLE) performance to customer satisfaction and eventually to sales performance.

Branches of a major retail bank in New Zealand serve as the study setting. Data pertaining to management commitment/concern and service climate were collected using an intranet survey distributed to the branch employees, and customer satisfaction data were gathered via mail questionnaires from the branch customers. Objective measures of in‐role FLE performance and sales performance were provided by the bank from corporate records.

Results showed that management commitment/concern was significantly related to service climate; service climate to in‐role FLE performance; in‐role FLE performance to customer satisfaction; and customer satisfaction to branch sales.

Testing viability of the model in other service sectors would be fruitful.

Since service climate has a direct positive influence on FLEs' in‐role performance, branch management should focus on creating a positive service climate by taking the necessary actions to improve training, rewards and technological support.

The study uses an objective in‐role performance measure in measuring branch employees' performance.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative efficacies of intrinsic and extrinsic cues as drivers of customer loyalty to financial institutions between male and female bank customers.

A large-scale survey of 872 customers of a national bank serves as the study setting.

Results showed that extrinsic cues were the more effective correlates of customer loyalty and that gender does not moderate the relationships between image cues and customer loyalty.

The cross-sectional nature of the current study does not allow causal inferences. Therefore, future studies should adopt longitudinal designs.

Results suggest that, although transmitting a favorable image through extrinsic cues is critical, nevertheless, intrinsic cues (interactions among customers and bank personnel) should not be ignored. To reinforce this not only among current customers but also among potential customers, banks should use advertisements featuring favorable testimonials.

Empirical research in the banking services literature pertaining to the efficacies of intrinsic and extrinsic cues in forming customer loyalty is scarce. This study fills in the void. Also, in determining if the relationships between image and customer loyalty vary by gender, the authors not only looked at male versus female differences on the basis of average construct scores but also examined the structural relationships among the constructs.