Customer service behavior in retail settings: a study of the effect of service provider personality

Article Abstract:

Researchers have suggested that service orientation is an aspect of personality that affects service performance. Four studies were done to explore the effect of personality on customer service behavior among frontline sales personnel in a fast-food convenience store chain. An exploratory qualitative study with customers, store managers, and salespeople showed that there was consistency in the trait descriptors used to describe superior service providers. Another study validated scales that measure the personality constructs (extroversion, adjustment, and agreeableness) underlying trait descriptors noted in the exploratory study. Finally, the results of two studies showed that personality does influence customer service and that superior service providers tend to be higher in extroversion and agreeableness. The magnitude of the effect of personality in services and recommendations for future research concerning personality and performance in service roles are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Convenience Stores, Grocery stores, Customer Relations, Sales personnel, Salespeople, Personality, Personality (Psychology)

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Developing customer orientation among service employees

Article Abstract:

A conceptual framework is proposed that considers the customer orientation of service employees and its relationship with their perceived level of organizational socialization and perceptions of the organizational climate for service, motivational effort and direction, and organizational commitment. Structural equation modeling techniques are applied to data collected from employees in the financial services industry to test the framework. The results of this study indicate higher levels of customer orientation result from favorable perceptions of the organizational climate for service and higher levels of motivational direction and organizational commitment. In addition, organizational socialization was found to have a positive impact on perceptions of climate, levels of motivation, and organizational commitment. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Public relations, Services industry workers, Service industries workers, Professional socialization

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