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Customer-focused voice and rule-breaking in the frontlines

Author

Listed:
  • Gabriel Gazzoli

    (New Mexico State University College of Business)

  • Nawar N. Chaker

    (E.J. Ourso College of Business, Louisiana State University)

  • Alex R. Zablah

    (University of Tennessee)

  • Tom J. Brown

    (Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University)

Abstract

Customer-oriented frontline employees are motivated by a strong desire to help customers. While such motivation enhances customer outcomes, it can also encourage frontline employees to engage in customer-directed prosocial behaviors that undermine organizational norms. We consider such a possibility and find that: (1) in their quest to satisfy customers’ needs, customer-oriented employees engage in customer-focused voice and/or pro-customer rule breaking, (2) the extent to which employees perform these behaviors depends on whether they identify with the organization or customers, (3) customer-focused voice enhances while pro-customer rule breaking hinders role performance, (4) the net performance consequences of a customer orientation can be positive or negative, and (5) various contingency factors determine whether rule breaking results in lower performance ratings from supervisors. These findings offer evidence of a customer orientation dark side and, paradoxically, underscore that internally focused marketing efforts are critical for a customer orientation to enhance frontline employee performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel Gazzoli & Nawar N. Chaker & Alex R. Zablah & Tom J. Brown, 2022. "Customer-focused voice and rule-breaking in the frontlines," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 388-409, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:50:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11747-021-00798-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11747-021-00798-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:oup:jconrs:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:698-715. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Mortimer, Gary & Fazal-e-Hasan, Syed Muhammad & Strebel, Judi, 2021. "Examining the consequences of customer-oriented deviance in retail," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    3. Mertens, Willem & Recker, Jan, 2020. "How store managers can empower their teams to engage in constructive deviance: Theory development through a multiple case study," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    4. Jeremy S. Wolter & J. Joseph Cronin, 2016. "Re-conceptualizing cognitive and affective customer–company identification: the role of self-motives and different customer-based outcomes," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 397-413, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Leah Warfield Smith & Randall Lee Rose & Alex R. Zablah & Heath McCullough & Mohammad “Mike” Saljoughian, 2023. "Examining post-purchase consumer responses to product automation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 530-550, May.
    2. Ifie, Kemefasu & Mousavi, Sahar & Xie, Junyi, 2023. "Enforcement of service rules by frontline employees: A conceptual model and research propositions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Edmunds Čižo & Raheel Amir Awan & Rizwan Ali & Nisar Abid, 2022. "Impact of employee attitude on their pro-social behavior: a case study," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 9(4), pages 416-426, June.
    4. Gazzoli, Gabriel & Shabazz, Siddeeq M. & Arnold, Todd J. & Kim, Peter B., 2023. "Why do frontline employees speak up on behalf of customers? The influence of supervisors versus coworkers and the role of intrapersonal factors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).

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