Senior Customers' Service Encounter Preferences

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 475-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassiliki Grougiou ◽  
Simone Pettigrew
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Target Market ◽  
Demographic Profiles ◽  
The Social ◽  
Service Staff ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Past Experiences

Growing segment size and increasing affluence have resulted in a substantial increase in the purchasing power of the senior market. Seniors spend a higher proportion of their total expenditure on services relative to younger consumers, making them an important target market for many service providers. However, seniors' particular concern with the social aspects of service delivery has been recognized as an important managerial issue. To provide further insight into this issue, in-depth interviews and projective techniques were conducted with 60 Scottish seniors of diverse demographic profiles. The findings support previous research indicating that seniors may evaluate service encounters primarily according to the social benefits resulting from them. In the present study, the social benefits sought appeared to be largely determined by seniors' social identities, which were influenced by past experiences as customers and employees. A model of how seniors evaluate their service encounter interactions is suggested, and managerial implications and directions for further research are provided. In particular, the model emphasizes the need for service providers to appreciate the characteristics of frontline service staff that are conducive to satisfactory service encounters for seniors.

A cross-linguistic study of metacommunication in online hotel reviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-470
Author(s):  
Irene Cenni ◽  
Patrick Goethals ◽  
Camilla Vásquez
Keyword(s):  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Specific Form ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Correct Information ◽  
Linguistic Patterns

AbstractIn this study, we focus on a specific form of metacommunication found in an emerging digital genre: Hotel reviews posted on TripAdvisor. In particular, we investigate how tourists represent their service encounter interactions. The main goal of the present study is to identify what these digital metacommunicative practices reveal about communicative norms and expectations among groups of reviewers writing in three different languages. We analyzed a multilingual dataset of 1800 reviews written in English, Dutch, and Italian. The results reveal that reviewers commented upon a broad range of aspects when evaluating service encounters interactions, for instance, describing the quality of the interaction (e.g. polite, correct), or a lack of communication when a specific type of communication is expected (e.g. absence of greetings, or apologies after a service failure). Further, we found similar cross-linguistic patterns, such as appreciation for being able to communicate in one’s mother tongue during the hotel-guest encounter. At the same time, a few differences across languages emerged, such as the preference for precise and correct information within British reviews. Since service interactions are of fundamental importance for customer satisfaction, our findings contribute not only to the current research on metacommunication in digital contexts, but may also be significant for service providers in the hospitality industry.

“Can I go or should I stay?” A theoretical framework of social lock-in during unsatisfactory service encounters

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten Volkers
Keyword(s):  
Social Norms ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Sunk Costs ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Intention To Stay ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
Decision To Stay ◽  
Lock In

PurposeThis article demonstrates that the type of service setting and the first interaction with an employee influences the customers' intention to stay or leave during an unsatisfactory service encounter, and that these effects are mediated by social lock-in, which describes the perception of a customer that exiting a service encounter early violates social norms.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses are tested with two scenario-based experiments using a collective (theater) and high-contact service (restaurant) (N = 1143; 1485).FindingsThe results suggest that social lock-in and the intention to stay are higher in a closed as opposed to an open setting and that the type of setting is, in fact, more important for the decision to stay than sunk costs. Moreover, customers are more likely to stay after an interaction with an employee.Research limitations/implicationsThis article contributes to the research aimed at explaining customers' decisions to stay or leave during an unsatisfactory service encounter. In doing so, the study highlights the constraining power of social norms in service encounters, which contributes to the research on the relationship between the social context and customers' behavior.Practical implicationsThis study suggests that service providers can manage servicescape cues and employee behavior to influence customers' social lock-in perceptions and their decision to stay on or to leave early.Originality/valueThis is the first study to provide quantitative evidence for social lock-in and its determinants in service encounters.

Accommodating ethnic minority consumers during service encounters: the fine line

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mady ◽  
John B. Ford ◽  
Tarek Mady
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Perceptions ◽  
Language And Ethnicity ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to examine the effect of intercultural accommodation efforts on service quality perceptions among ethnic minority consumers. Specifically, the paper postulates that during an intercultural service encounter, the impact of the service provider’s language and ethnicity on the consumer’s service quality perceptions is moderated by the level of service involvement, consumer acculturation and perceived discrimination, which, in turn, influence purchase intent. Design/methodology/approach A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with an online nationwide consumer panel of Hispanic consumers was conducted where 377 participants were randomly assigned to a series of service encounter scenarios in the banking service context to manipulate accommodation efforts (yes vs no) and the level of involvement with the service (high vs low). Findings When such language and ethnicity accommodations were offered, highly acculturated minority consumers regarded the service encounter less favorably than low acculturated minority consumers. Moreover, during low-involvement service encounters, intercultural accommodations positively impacted consumer’s service quality perceptions compared to situations involving high-involvement services. Also, minority consumers with perceptions of past discrimination had less favorable evaluations of the service quality than when such perceptions were nonexistent when intercultural accommodation efforts were made by the service provider. Research limitations/implications The findings add to the sparse literature that examines the effectiveness of intercultural accommodation and focuses on the combined use of service provider’s language and ethnicity as a means to enhance service quality. Practical implications The study delivers cautions for service firms not to generalize the receptivity of intercultural accommodation efforts. Given the increasingly sizable segments of minority customers, this study offers insights for service providers to develop suitable recruitment strategies and training programs when devising effective ethnic targeting strategies. Originality/value This research is among the first to explain why the effect of target marketing is not homogenous by expanding the research on intercultural accommodations toward a new context considering service involvement levels among varied minority consumer groups.

Exploring the Social Dynamics of Implementing Self-Managed Web-Based Wellness Tools

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 13-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rennie Naidoo
Keyword(s):  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Structuration Theory ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Social ◽  
Healthcare Insurance

According to proponents of consumer-driven healthcare, the Web continues to offer huge opportunities to empower consumers to take individual ownership over their healthcare. Consequently many healthcare insurance service providers are integrating elements of Wellness into their product and service design and are making these available through Web-based portals. Based on a longitudinal case study of an e-Wellness implementation at a multinational consumer-driven healthcare insurance firm, key concepts from structuration theory are used to explore and analyse the social dynamics involved in the implementation of these contemporary forms of healthcare service encounters. This case study reports that in this particular context, face-to-face consultations continue to prevail over the use of virtual diagnosis and treatment by a computer-meditated virtual stress therapist and dietician practitioner. The author proposes the use of social frameworks to analyse and better understand the intricacies involved in implementing Wellness innovations.

It Went Downhill From There: The Spillover Effect from Previous Customer Mistreatment on Frontline Employees’ Service Delivery

2021 ◽  
pp. 109467052110490
Author(s):  
Yumeng Yue ◽  
Karyn L. Wang ◽  
Markus Groth
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Spillover Effect ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
Frontline Service Employees

Research indicates that a customer’s service experience is shaped by their past experiences with the firm. However, the extent to which past experiences with customers shape frontline service employees’ delivery of services has not been examined. We propose that the analysis of service encounters as discrete, independent units ignores possible linkages between customer experiences via frontline employees. Adopting a resource spill-over perspective across two studies, we find that employees’ experience of customer mistreatment compromised their subsequent service delivery. Using an experiment in Study 1, we find that these effects are mediated by changes in the employee’s self-control capacity. Using a field sample in Study 2, we find that these effects are moderated by the employee’s dispositional self-control capacity and their motivation to commit to display rules. Our findings show how service encounter outcomes can be shaped by distal service events and call for a more holistic understanding of the forces that shape service encounter outcomes. In particular, by highlighting the potential consequences, our findings challenge conventional work protocols that compel employees to persevere despite their experience of mistreatment. By detailing the mediating and moderating mechanisms of mistreatment spill-over in service organizations, we highlight the recovery mechanisms and practices that enable FLEs to remain resilient despite negative encounters with customers.

New aspects of research to assess and manage critical incidents in service encounters

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Padin ◽  
Göran Svensson ◽  
Carmen Otero-Neira ◽  
Nils Høgevold
Keyword(s):  
Service Provider ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Critical Incidents ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interactive Interface

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to describe the teleological actions needed to assess and manage critical incidents that cause negative emotions in service encounters. Teleological actions are movements into the future that are believed to be move either towards a predictable/known or unpredictable/unknown state or condition. The authors distinguish between, define and apply three categories: transformative – ad hoc and present-based actions; formative – pre-determined and past-based actions; and rationalist – goal-directed and future-based actions. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study, based upon a two-phase approach applying convenience and judgemental sampling, was used. Focussing on one teleological theory, a process of abductive matching was applied throughout the study. Abductive matching refers to recurring themes, patterns and categories that are uncovered through the iterative processes of analysis. The teleological framework structured and guided the data collection and empirical observations. Findings – Seen through the perspective of teleological actions, the study enhances our understanding of the manner in which critical incidents generate negative emotions in service encounters. Through the same perspective, the investigation also reveals that the outcome of a negative service encounter depends upon the interactive interface between service provider and service receiver. Research limitations/implications – The teleological actions between service providers and service receivers in negative service encounters appear to be mediators between cause-and-effect on the one hand (critical incident and negative emotions) and a perceptual gap on the other (outcome of negative service encounter). The teleological perspective also provides numerous opportunities for further research in this area. Practical implications – Managers should strive to understand the teleological actions potentially undertaken by service receivers, so that they can deal with the teleological actions of their front-line staff accordingly. The interactive interface between a service provider and a service receiver is crucial in assessing and managing critical incidents. Originality/value – Based on teleological actions, the investigation provides both a valuable and complementary contribution on assessing and managing critical incidents and the negative emotions that are often triggered in the service-encounter interface between a service provider and a service receiver. Providers also need to educate their staff on what can occur and on how to react appropriately.

scholarly journals Embodied Value Co-creation: A Turn-taking Perspective on Service Encounter Interactions

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Echeverri ◽  
Nicklas Salomonson
Keyword(s):  
Value Creation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Marketing ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Turn Taking ◽  
Practice Approach

This article aims at advancing research on value creation in service marketing by applying theories of turn-taking and multimodality. It is argued that there is a need to uncover what is inherent in the prefix ‘co’ in value co-creation and that focus needs to be broadened, from perception of value to the production of value, that is, the specific reciprocal and embodied actions in service encounters. For the analysis, an empirical study of complex interactions between service providers and customers is used. A practice approach is applied, combining interviews and observations of interactants in situ. The article identifies four specific turn-taking patterns, ranging from ‘simple’ to ‘elaborated’, defined by their character and that uncover how the interactants reciprocally use multiple modes in the production of social outcomes. Theoretically, the study contributes to more fine-grained explanations to what explains the creation (and destruction) of value.

Language Preferences of Foreign Consumers in High and Low Involvement Service Encounters

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. English
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
High Involvement ◽  
Foreign Teachers ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Medium Level

This mixed method research was conducted to determine whether differences in the preference of language among foreign consumers in South Korea existed between low-involvement service encounters and high-involvement service encounters. A questionnaire was completed by 161 participants for this qualitative study. The findings indicated that all of the service encounters fell into either a high- or low-involvement in line with previous studies except for procuring a loan from a bank, which was a medium-level service encounter. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 foreign teachers in South Korea from the pool of quantitative participants. The qualitative study results indicated that foreign consumers were willing to use Korean in a low-involvement service encounter; foreign consumers in a high-involvement service encounter preferred to speak English; overall, foreign consumers preferred to use Korean over their native language; the level of Korean the foreign consumer spoke affected whether they were willing to use the language; the offer of a 10% discount would not be large enough for foreign consumers to speak Korean; and foreign consumers stated they were not willing to pay a premium for a service in English. Recommendation from the study included foreigners learning the language, for foreigners to use Korean during service encounters, and lastly, for service providers to offer more services in English. 

The effect of mindfulness on service encounter quality

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Junhong Wang ◽  
Pierre R. Berthon ◽  
Nada Nasr Bechwati
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Emotional Labor ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
State Mindfulness ◽  
Short Period

Purpose This paper aims to explore the effect of employees’ state mindfulness, a short period of mindful presence, on the quality of the service they provide in a service encounter. Design/methodology/approach Three studies are conducted. A pilot study explores the relationship between state mindfulness and service encounter quality. Experiment 1 examines whether a 15-min mindfulness exercise results in an increase in service employees’ state mindfulness. Experiment 2 tests whether induced state mindfulness produces higher service quality and whether a reminding technique can prolong state mindfulness between service encounters. Findings The results demonstrate the following. First, that more mindful employees provide better service quality. Second, that a short, easily implemented, mindfulness exercise can reliably increase employees’ state mindfulness. Third, induced mindfulness has an impact on subsequent service quality in terms of reliability, assurance, empathy and responsiveness. These effects persist regardless of the service encounter structure (high vs low structure) or the degree of emotional labor involved (high vs low emotionally charged). Finally, the reminding technique developed as part of this research suggests that state mindfulness can be maintained between service encounters. Research limitations/implications As simulated (programmed) customers are used, independent evaluators to assess service quality are used. Service providers in this study are college students; future field studies should consider a wider range of service providers. The research focuses on state mindfulness; exploration of trait mindfulness offers future research opportunities. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to empirically examine the link between mindfulness and service quality. It shows that mindfulness can be induced, and through a reminding technique be maintained, and improve service quality across service interactions. This is a powerful finding for marketing managers, for it offers a new method to enhance service provision. Moreover, this research implies that the increase in service quality is likely to be accompanied by reduced job burnout: a double win for employees, employers and customers.

scholarly journals Examining the Impact of Perceived Cultural Distance on the Pragmatic Choices of Saudi Customers in Service Encounters

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-445
Author(s):  
Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Alzahrani
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
Discourse Structure ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Rapport Management ◽  
Perceived Cultural Distance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pragmatic Strategies

This study examines service encounters in Saudi Arabia from a pragmatic perspective. Its aim is to investigate the possible impact of perceived cultural distance between customers and service providers on pragmatic choices. It specifically examines how Saudi customers construct their service encounters when talking to service providers of the same (versus different) cultural/ethnic background in terms of discourse structure; strategies of request and internal modifications, and stylistic strategies. Three cafés with service providers of three different ethnic/cultural backgrounds are chosen. One has Saudi service providers, the second café has Arab (non-Saudi) service providers, and the third café has non-Arab service providers. Forty socially minimal service encounter interactions that take place in each café are observed and manually recorded. The study uses the framework of ‘rapport management’ by Spencer-Oatey (2002) as its approach for data analysis. The findings indicate that there are differences among the three sets of data in terms of discourse structure, the realization of the speech act of request, and the stylistic aspect of interactions. According to the special nature of service encounters, customers’ pragmatic choices are explained in terms of expressing certain degrees of social distance rather than politeness. More specifically, the closer cultural distance between customers and service providers, the more pragmatic strategies functioning to achieve more closeness and solidarity are employed.

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