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Relationship matters: How relational factors moderate the effects of emotional labor on long-term customer outcomes

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  • Chi, Nai-Wen
  • Chen, Pei-Chi

Abstract

Previous studies have examined the immediate effects of emotional labor (EL) on short-term customer outcomes in service encounters. We replicated and extended prior findings by examining whether EL can have lagged effects on long-term customer outcomes (i.e., purchase amount, willingness to maintain a long-term relationship/to recommend) and how relationship strength and service sweethearting moderate these effects in service relationships. Using two-wave time-lagged designs, Study 1 collected data from 122 insurance agent-customer dyads, and Study 2 included 177 employee-customer dyads from various service occupations. The results show that deep (surface) acting increases (reduces) long-term customer outcomes via increased (decreased) satisfaction. Contrary to previous findings, we find that relationship strength enhances the positive (negative) indirect effects of deep (surface) acting. Finally, service sweethearting enhances (weakens) the positive (negative) indirect effects of deep (surface) acting. These findings indicate that service sweethearting is an important yet neglected moderator of the EL–customer outcomes relationship.

Suggested Citation

  • Chi, Nai-Wen & Chen, Pei-Chi, 2019. "Relationship matters: How relational factors moderate the effects of emotional labor on long-term customer outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 277-291.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:95:y:2019:i:c:p:277-291
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.08.019
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    Cited by:

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    4. Ruz-Mendoza, Miguel Á. & Trifu, Andreea & Cambra-Fierro, Jesús & Melero-Polo, Iguácel, 2021. "Standardized vs. customized firm-initiated interactions: Their effect on customer gratitude and performance in a B2B context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 341-353.
    5. Olk, Stephan & Lindenmeier, Jörg & Tscheulin, Dieter K. & Zogaj, Adnan, 2021. "Emotional labor in a non-isolated service encounter - The impact of customer observation on perceived authenticity and perceived fairness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    6. Stephan Olk & Dieter K. Tscheulin & Jörg Lindenmeier, 2021. "Does it pay off to smile even it is not authentic? Customers’ involvement and the effectiveness of authentic emotional displays," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 247-260, June.
    7. Chunhao Ma & Biying Wang & Caozhi Sun & Le Lin, 2023. "The Spillover Effect of Emotional Labor: How It Shapes Frontline Employees’ Proactive Innovation Behavior," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, August.
    8. Xu, Yingzi & Ling, I-Ling, 2023. "Effects of face masks and photo tags on nonverbal communication in service encounters," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).

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