Service over self: A dyadic perspective on customer stewardship control in frontline service encounters

This study aims to extend the current understanding of customer stewardship control (CSC) within the context of service encounters. Specifically, this study examines the downstream effects of frontline service employees' sense of CSC on customers. By collecting data from dyadic pairs of frontline service employees (FLSEs') and their respective customers (n = 230), during service encounters within the organization, this study finds that FLSEs'' CSC during service encounters can positively predict customer engagement and customers' tolerance for service failures, with customers' psychological ownership and service experience mediating this mechanism. Moreover, the cluster analysis demonstrates that FLSEs' differ in their levels of CSC, allowing for classification into three groups: Champions, Middle of the roaders, and Laggards. Theoretically, the study contributes to the retailing and service marketing literature by integrating stewardship theory, psychological ownership theory, and social exchange theory, and by mapping the linkages among the underlying constructs. It also proposes a novel classification of FLSEs’. From a managerial perspective, the study provides insights into how organizations can identify, develop, and leverage stewardship-oriented employees to enhance customer experiences and foster long-term relational outcomes.