The influence of service employees and other customers on customer unfriendliness: a social norms perspective

Arne K. Albrecht, Gianfranco Walsh (), Simon Brach, Dwayne D. Gremler and Erica Herpen
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Arne K. Albrecht: Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena
Gianfranco Walsh: Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena
Simon Brach: Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena
Dwayne D. Gremler: Bowling Green State University
Erica Herpen: Wageningen University

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 2017, vol. 45, issue 6, No 4, 827-847

Abstract: Abstract This research investigates the influence that social sources in the service environment exert on customer unfriendliness. Drawing on social norms theory, the authors demonstrate that descriptive norms (i.e., what most people are perceived to be doing in a certain situation), in the form of unfriendliness by service employees and fellow customers, predicts customers’ unfriendliness toward employees. Injunctive norms (i.e., beliefs about which behaviors are approved by important others) and identification with fellow customers exert moderating effects. Specifically, strong injunctive norms can buffer the effect of descriptive norms. Furthermore, fellow customers influence a customer’s unfriendliness only if he or she identifies either very strongly or very weakly with them. By clarifying the role of norms in service encounters, this study provides insights on when unfriendly customer behavior is likely to occur. Managerial implications for companies who want to diminish customer unfriendliness are discussed.

Keywords: Customer to customer influence; Unfriendliness; Descriptive norm; Identification; Injunctive norm; Social influence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11747-016-0505-6

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