Does one bad apple ruin a firm’s green brand image? Examining frontline service employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 2501-2521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Zhang ◽  
Jintao Wu ◽  
Honghui Chen ◽  
Bang Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Brand Image ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Brand Evaluations ◽  
Brand Perception ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Frontline Service

Purpose Drawing on the branded service encounters perspective, the purpose of this study is to investigate how frontline service employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors affect customers’ brand evaluations. Design/methodology/approach The research conducted two experiments. The first experiment explored the effect of frontline service employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors on customers’ brand evaluations via corporate hypocrisy. The second experiment explored the moderation effect of employees’ prototypicality and the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) among customers. Findings Experiment 1 indicates that for firms with a green brand image, frontline employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors result in customers’ perception that the firm is hypocritical, thus reducing their brand evaluations. Experiment 2 shows that employee prototypicality and CSR importance to the customer enhance the negative impact of frontline employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors on customers’ brand evaluations through customers’ perception of corporate hypocrisy. Research limitations/implications This study is one of the first efforts to explore how frontline service employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors affect customers’ responses. It helps understand the impact of frontline employees’ counter-productive sustainable behaviors on customers’ brand perception, as well as the relationship between CSR and employees. Practical implications This study suggests that firms’ green brand image does not always lead to positive customer response. When frontline employees’ behaviors are inconsistent with firms’ green brand image, it can trigger customers’ perceptions of corporate hypocrisy and thus influence their brand evaluations. Therefore, firms should train frontline service employees to make their behaviors align with the firms’ green brand image. Originality/value This study is one of the first efforts to explore how frontline service employees’ environmentally irresponsible behaviors affect customers’ responses. It helps understand the impact of frontline employees’ counter-productive sustainable behaviors on customers’ brand perception, as well as the relationship between CSR and employee.

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.

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.

scholarly journals Control mechanisms and goal orientations: evidence from frontline service employees

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 350-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiza Cristina Alencar Rodrigues ◽  
Filipe J. Coelho ◽  
Carlos M. P. Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Goal Orientations ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Informal Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of organizational controls, both formal and informal, over the goal orientations of frontline employees. The goal orientations of employees, namely, in frontline settings, have been associated with a number of positive outcomes for organizations. Not surprisingly, past research has identified several personal characteristics with an influence on goal orientations. However, the contextual variables that influence employees’ goal orientations remain unspecified. Design/methodology/approach – The authors distributed approximately 1,350 questionnaires through the frontline employees of a Brazilian bank and obtained 296 usable responses. The questionnaire relies on previously validated scales. The final confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) obtained a good fit and provided evidence of scale validity. Findings – Overall, our results suggest that both formal and informal control mechanisms play a significant role explaining employees’ goal orientation. However, informal control mechanisms were found to play a more significant role explaining employees’ goal orientation. Research limitations/implications – This paper relies on employees from a single organization. In addition, it has a cross-sectional nature. The procedural and statistical remedies employed in this study suggest that method variance is not a concern. Practical implications – The results show that managers may resort to control mechanisms to influence the goal orientations of frontline service employees in a manner that is consistent with organizational objectives. Originality/value – To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that examines the impact of control mechanisms on employees’ goal orientation.

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.

Service employees’ workplace fun and turnover intention: the influence of psychological capital and work engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Tetteh ◽  
Rebecca Dei Mensah ◽  
Christian Narh Opata ◽  
Claudia Nyarko Mensah
Keyword(s):  
Work Engagement ◽  
Turnover Intention ◽  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Workplace Fun ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose As a way of addressing how best turnover intention among service employees can be reduced through workplace fun, this study aims to examine how psychological capital (PsyCap) and work engagement, respectively, moderates and mediates the relationship between workplace fun and turnover intention in a moderated mediation. Design/methodology/approach Using cross-sectional quantitative design, data were collected by means of questionnaires and convenience sampling. The hypotheses were tested with 482 service employees from the hospitality industry in Ghana using PROCESS macro. Findings The findings depict that work engagement mediates the relationship between workplace fun and turnover intention among service employees. Also, PsyCap moderates the workplace fun–engagement relationship, in addition to the workplace fun–work engagement–turnover intention relationship. Specifically, both relationships are stronger for employees with high PsyCap. Practical implications The authors would like to conclude that as frontline employees are usually subjected to stressful conditions, monotonous working environments and emotional labor, which affect the quitting intention, incorporating fun into the workplace will strategically help frontline employees to be engaged in their work and reduce their intentions to quit. Originality/value With a focus on a developing economy, this work is novel in exploring possible factors that may help increase work engagement and reduce turnover intention among service employees.

Connecting the dots between brand logo and brand image

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-87
Author(s):  
Harsandaldeep Kaur ◽  
Kanwalroop Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Brand Personality ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Personality Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Familiarity ◽  
Sphere Of Influence ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Although the prominence of brand logo for companies is widely acknowledged, a close examination of the literature reveals lack of empirical research pertaining to effect of brand logo on consumer perception toward brand. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to fill the gap in marketing studies concerning the effect of a logo on consumer evaluations. The research addresses two questions: first, how brand logo favorability helps to increase brand image; and second, how brand logo form consumer perceptions toward brand through brand personality dimensions and brand familiarity? Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 816 respondents using mall-intercept technique. Structural equation modeling via AMOS was conducted to test the proposed model to gain insight into the various relevant influences and relationships. Findings The findings revealed the importance of the company’s brand logo in enhancing the brand image. The results further highlighted that brand personality dimensions and brand familiarity mediate the relationship between brand logo and brand image. Practical implications The study offers managers a new perspective for building strong brand identity with the help of logos along with the brand personality dimensions and brand familiarity to enhance brand image. Originality/value This study provides novel insights on the impact of brand logo on brand image. This is the first study to determine the mediating role of brand personality in the relationship between brand logo and brand image. It thereby adds to the literature of visual identity by developing the sphere of influence of brand logo and its effects toward brands.

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.

How CSR influences customer behavioural loyalty in the Chinese hotel industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Tingchi Liu ◽  
Yongdan Liu ◽  
Ziying Mo ◽  
Zhidong Zhao ◽  
Zhenghao Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Trust ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) (i.e. responsibility to customers, employees and society) influences customer behavioural loyalty in the hotel industry. The mediating effects of brand image and customer trust on the relationship between CSR and customer behavioural loyalty are also considered. Design/methodology/approach In total, 298 valid responses to questionnaire surveys were collected from a convenience sample in China in 2017. A structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses. Findings Hotel customer behavioural loyalty can be enhanced by CSR performance. Performance in each of the three CSR domains positively impacted customer behavioural loyalty to different degrees. The impact of CSR on the customer had the strongest influence on Chinese customers’ behavioural loyalty among the three CSR domains of customer, employee and society. Brand image and customer trust were found to be mediators of the relationship between CSR performance and customer behavioural loyalty. Originality/value The current research contributes to the literature by demonstrating that CSR activities are not all equally effective. Results reveal that the society dimension of CSR had the strongest impact on Chinese customers’ brand image of hotels among the three CSR dimensions investigated. In terms of Chinese hotel customers’ trust, the CSR–customer dimension plays the most effective role. The findings also support the notion that Chinese consumers are beginning to use CSR information to evaluate hotels.

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.

Customer delight and work engagement

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 380-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald C. Barnes ◽  
Joel E. Collier ◽  
Stacey Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Role Conflict ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Customer Contact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Delight ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of the current research is to evaluate how customer contact level and customer service-based role conflict influence the relationship between customer emotions and work engagement, while simultaneously evaluating psychological capital as an outcome of work engagement. Customer service research highlights the impact of employee attitudes and behaviors on customer satisfaction. More recently, this relationship has been examined in reverse, evaluating how customer emotions influence the employee. Unfortunately, previous research has not evaluated variables that inhibit the impact of customer emotions on the employee. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from frontline employees across high and low customer contact service contexts. The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings – This research provides empirical evidence that employee-perceived customer delight impacts employee work engagement. However, through a process of feedback, customer service-based role conflict impacts the relationship between customer emotions and employee emotions. Finally, the conceptual model illustrates how engaged employees can create their own personal resources vis-à-vis the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Research limitations/implications – This research identifies both antecedent and outcomes variables associated with work engagement, as well as identified mediating factors. Practical implications – Results suggest that the quality and level of contact that frontline employees have with customers impact their work engagement. Furthermore, engaged frontline employees have the ability to create their own personal resources. Originality/value – This research makes contributions to the understanding of the impact of positive customer emotions on frontline employees.

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