Abstract
In this research, we extend emotional labor theories to the customer domain by
developing and testing a theoretical model of the effects of employee emotional labor on customer outcomes. Dyadic survey data from 285 service interactions between employees and customers show that employees’ emotional labor strategies of deep and surface acting differentially influence customers’ service evaluations and that customers’ accuracy in detecting employees’ strategies can intensify this impact. We also investigate the potential moderating effects of service type on the relationship between emotional labor and customer outcomes but find no support for such an effect.
developing and testing a theoretical model of the effects of employee emotional labor on customer outcomes. Dyadic survey data from 285 service interactions between employees and customers show that employees’ emotional labor strategies of deep and surface acting differentially influence customers’ service evaluations and that customers’ accuracy in detecting employees’ strategies can intensify this impact. We also investigate the potential moderating effects of service type on the relationship between emotional labor and customer outcomes but find no support for such an effect.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 958-974 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Academy of Management Journal |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2009 |
Keywords
- emotional labor
- customer outcomes
- customer service
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Cite this
Groth, M., Hennig-Thurau, T., & Walsh, G. (2009). Customer reactions to emotional labor: the roles of employee acting strategies and customer detection accuracy. Academy of Management Journal, 52(5), 958-974.