Physical attractiveness of the service worker in the moment of truth and its effects on customer satisfaction

Söderlund, Magnus and Claes-Robert Julander

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2009, vol. 16, issue 3, 216-226

Abstract: This study assesses if the service worker's physical attractiveness has an impact on customer satisfaction in the moment of truth. An experimental approach, involving two different service settings (visiting a bookstore and traveling with an airline), was used to manipulate the level of the service worker's physical attractiveness. The results, for both experiments, show that a high level as opposed to a low level of physical attractiveness of the service worker produced a higher level of customer satisfaction. In addition, the results indicate that exposure to an attractive service worker set in motion a process in which an attractiveness appraisal affected the attitude toward the service worker, which in turn had a positive impact on customer satisfaction.

Keywords: Service encounters; Physical attractiveness; Appraisals; Customer satisfaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (29)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:16:y:2009:i:3:p:216-226

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2008.11.008

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