scholarly journals A Postdigital Perspective on Service Work: Salespeople’s Service Encounters in the Connected Store

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Arkenback-Sundström
Keyword(s):  
Service Work ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Chain Stores ◽  
Emotional Labour ◽  
Theory Of Practice ◽  
Retail Service ◽  
Practice Architectures ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service

AbstractCovid-19 has disrupted global markets, accelerated the digital transformation of frontline service, and changed how service organisations, frontline service employees, and consumers interact. This article explores how digitalisation is changing retail service work from a postdigital perspective. The article draws on an ethnography of salespeople’s service encounters in speciality chain stores between July 2015 and August 2021. Using a practice theory framework (the theory of practice architectures), the article explores what conditions form salespeople’s service encounters in connected stores and how retail organisations’ digitalisation of frontline service changes salespeople’s practice of service encounters. The contributions of this article to the ongoing debate over the digitalisation of service work are twofold. On the theoretical plane, the article provides an alternative framework to labour process theory for exploring and describing service work organised around digital technologies. Secondly, it uncovers the conditions that are changing salespeople’s practice of service encounters, along with attributes associated with service work and emotional labour skills. The research shows that the connected service encounter is characterised by postdigital dialogue that involves new roles and skills in frontline service work. Overall, the findings contribute to a better understanding of how digitalisation changes action and interaction in service encounters from an employee perspective.

Information technology in frontline service work organization

2001 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
May Tam Yeuk-Mui
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
Work Attitudes ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Service Work ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Provision Of Services ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
Work Capability ◽  
Frontline Service

While the literature abounds with studies about information technology (IT) and its effects on manufacturing work organization, frontline service work is relatively under-researched. This article addresses this gap by examining a fast-growing frontline service work setting, namely, call centres. The article draws postulates from ethnographic fieldwork and general theories about the relationship between the use of IT, work organization and work attitudes of employees. The effects of the automate, informate and networking capacities of IT on work skills and knowledge, the monitoring of the work process and employee participation were analysed. Determinants of employee satisfaction, stress and work capability were examined through hypothesis-testing. The results indicate that effective technology, reliable co-workers in other departments and supportive immediate supervisors are important factors that contribute to employee job satisfaction, stress and work capability. The article argues that product market conditions affect management policy regarding the provision of services. Management policies together with the structural position of frontline service employees in the corporation shape the way IT affects work organization and employee work attitudes.

scholarly journals Impact of frontline service employees’ acculturation behaviors on customer satisfaction and commitment in intercultural service encounters

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 1105-1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjaya Singh Gaur ◽  
Piyush Sharma ◽  
Halimin Herjanto ◽  
Russel P.J. Kingshott
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Customer Commitment ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Frontline Service

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.

The antecedents and consequences of humour for service

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Mathies ◽  
Tung Moi Chiew ◽  
Michael Kleinaltenkamp
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
Emotional Labour ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – While researchers in other disciplines seek to determine the impact that humour has in personal interactions, studies of humour in service delivery are lacking. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether it is beneficial to deliberately use humour in service encounters. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a comprehensive review of humour research in multiple disciplines to assess the applicability of their key findings to the service domain. By establishing the antecedents, types, and consequences of humour, the authors build a framework and propositions to help service researchers uncover the potential of injecting humour into service interactions. Findings – The authors find that using humour in service encounters is an ingenious affiliative behaviour which strengthens rapport between service employees and their customers. Humour also permits frontline service employees to better cope with the emotional challenges of their work, thus promising to reduce emotional labour and increase well-being. The effectiveness of service recovery efforts may also grow if employees use humour successfully to soften unpleasant emotional reactions and accept responsibility. Originality/value – The authors explore cross-disciplinary humour research to apply the findings to the use of humour in service encounters. The authors also attempt to identify situations in which humour usage is most promising or beneficial, as well as its main beneficiaries.

Does transformational leadership always matter in frontline service roles?

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 733-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keo Mony Sok ◽  
Phyra Sok ◽  
Lan Snell ◽  
Pingping Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
High Level ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Frontline Service

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of frontline service employees (FSEs) motivation (enjoyment of work and driven to work) and ability (customer service ability) in the relationship between TFL and employee service performance. Design/methodology/approach This is a survey-based study which involves 534 FSEs and 135 supervisors in a hair salon setting. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings Results show that TFL is significantly related to employee service performance; this relationship is enhanced with the presence of driven to work; yet, it is neutralized with the presence of enjoyment of work. Further, the three-way interaction of TFL, enjoyment of work and customer service ability as well as TFL driven to work, and customer service ability are negatively associated with employee service performance. Practical implications The results advance service managers’ understanding of the importance of FSEs motivation and ability if they are to fully reap the benefits from their FSEs. The role of leader is not always effective in all situations. FSEs with high level of enjoyment of work and customer service ability would least rely on the guidance and support from the supervisors. Originality/value This research is one of the first to examine the role of subordinate’s characteristics (motivation – enjoyment of work and driven to work and ability – customer service ability) as the key moderators in the relationship between TFL and employee service performance.

Don’t just fix it, make it better! Using frontline service employees to improve recovery performance

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 515-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gielis A. H. van der Heijden ◽  
Jeroen J. L. Schepers ◽  
Edwin J. Nijssen ◽  
Andrea Ordanini
Keyword(s):  
Service Employees ◽  
Recovery Performance ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service

Frontline backlash: service employees’ deviance from digital processes

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 936-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Christ-Brendemühl ◽  
Mario Schaarschmidt
Keyword(s):  
Role Ambiguity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Destructive Process ◽  
Online Reservation ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service

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.

scholarly journals When Heroes and Villains Are Victims: How Different Withdrawal Strategies Moderate the Depleting Effects of Customer Incivility on Frontline Employees

2020 ◽  
pp. 109467052096799
Author(s):  
Yumeng Yue ◽  
Helena Nguyen ◽  
Markus Groth ◽  
Anya Johnson ◽  
Stephen Frenkel
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Large Hospital ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Withdrawal Behaviors ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Frontline Service

Withdrawal from work by frontline employees (FLEs) is generally perceived by managers as counterproductive or anti-service behavior. However, there may be detrimental effects of continuing to provide a service, particularly after an FLE has experienced incivility. The possible beneficial effects of withdrawal on frontline service employees’ well-being have rarely been investigated. In this article, we conducted two studies to examine the moderating role of on- and off-task withdrawal behaviors on the relationship between customer incivility and employees’ emotional exhaustion. In Study 1, we examined parking officers’ reactions to customer incivility. We found support for the role of off-task withdrawal as a resource-replenishing strategy, which mitigated the relationship between customer incivility and emotional exhaustion. In Study 2, we examined a sample of nurses in a large hospital to compare the replenishing potential of both on-task and off-task withdrawal strategies. We found that off-task withdrawal served a replenishing function, while on-task withdrawal aggravated nurses’ feeling of emotional exhaustion as a result of customer incivility. These results highlight different resource implications, including recovery benefits of short-term withdrawal behaviors at work, and provide important theoretical and practical implications for the management of customer incivility and frontline service employees’ well-being and performance.

Transforming the role of frontline service employees for cross-selling

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
HsiuJu Rebecca Yen ◽  
Paul Jen-Hwa Hu ◽  
Yi-Chun Liao
Keyword(s):  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Learning Goal Orientation ◽  
Positive Meaning ◽  
High Quality Information ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service

Purpose This study aims to examine how a manager’s learning goal orientation (LGO) influences frontline service employees’ (FSEs’) engagement in cross-selling activities. Such engagements must exist before they can achieve service–sales ambidexterity. Drawing on achievement goal theory and the meaning-making perspective, this study predicts that learning-oriented managers encourage and foster FSEs’ cross-selling behaviors by facilitating their ability to derive positive meaning from the cross-selling initiative. They do so by conveying high-quality information about the initiative and related changes to individual employees, as well as by encouraging the formation of a collective perception of open communications within the work unit. Design/methodology/approach Hierarchical (nested) data from 39 managers and 357 FSEs of a major logistic service company are used to test the hypotheses. Findings As predicted, a manager’s LGO relates positively to FSEs’ cross-selling activities, through sequential mediations of the hypothesized communication mechanisms and employees’ benefits-finding. Originality/value A manager’s LGO is an important antecedent of FSEs’ cross-selling behaviors. This study establishes this influence and clarifies the processes by which it occurs. This study also extends previous research by specifying the important role of employees’ meaning-making, which prompts them to adopt cross-selling, as a mediator of the multilevel communication influences that result from their managers’ LGO.

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