The best service providers assure the highest levels of service quality. Frontline service providers need organizational commitment, emotional intelligence, and employee satisfaction to provide excellent service delivery. The research study reviews emotional intelligence, organizational commitment, and employee satisfaction within a Business to Business service organization. A literature review provides a theoretical base of constructs. A survey is used to measure the entire frontline organization, seeking results to support the hypothesis that higher service quality is related to emotional intelligence, organizational commitment, and employee satisfaction. The study offers future research potential on the role of frontline service providers to service quality. A review of the results, limitations, and future research implications are discussed.

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Purpose – The aim of this paper is to create an understanding of what types of initial contacts exist within the service encounter and their functions for the interaction. Design/methodology/approach – To study the initial contact between the employee and the customer, we have used a qualitative approach where observations were the data collecting method. The observations have been conducted in Karlstad at 22 different locations, which generated a total of 83 observations. These observations were analyzed and generated concepts and categories, that were incorporated into themes. Findings – The research showed five types of initial contacts could be identified along with their functions. The types identified are the time effective, the improvised, the committed, the observant and the strategic positioning. Originality/value – By narrowing the interaction to the first moment, this paper contributes knowledge about the initial contact which will facilitate frontline employees work in the face-to-face interaction with customers. Research limitation/implications for future research – The study is conducted in Karlstad. Depending on which kind of industry examined and contextual factors, variations in the result may occur. The findings could differ if cultural perspectives were considered, which could be something to include in future research. Only the face-to-face interaction is examined. This creates opportunities for future research to extend this study by, for instance, investigate the initial contact over internet or phone.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Junehee Kwon / Service sabotage refers to employees' deliberate actions that negatively affect service, functional quality, employee-customer rapport, and company performance. Almost all frontline employees in the hospitality industry have witnessed service sabotage behaviors, and 85% admitted to engaging in such misbehaviors. Despite the prevalence and profound impact of service sabotage, it has been a challenge for researchers to measure the construct and understand specific and contextualized restaurant service sabotage behaviors. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to develop a reliable and valid scale to measure restaurant service sabotage. A mixed methods research design was applied. A qualitative study was conducted to explore prevalent restaurant service sabotage behaviors and to generate an item pool for the initial scale, followed by two quantitative studies with two different groups of non-managerial frontline employees in full-service restaurants to refine and validate the scale. Guided by critical incident technique, 243 critical incidents were derived from the in-depth interviews (n = 26). Of those, 28 explicit types of restaurant service sabotage behaviors were identified and further categorized into three behavioral groups: targeting customers, colleagues, and restaurants. In conjunction with scale items extracted from related measures, an initial instrument consisting of 39 items was developed and administered to an online restaurant employee panel by hiring a professional research firm. A total of 419 usable responses were collected and analyzed using principal axis factoring with a promax rotation. Results revealed a 13-item scale with three dominant factors. To validate the scale, 463 usable responses were gathered for data analyses. Results of the confirmatory factor analyses indicated a good model fit of the three-factor model, Chi-square/df=3.15, GFI=.96, CFI=.97, NFI=.95, and RMSEA=.07 while reducing the scale items from 13 to 10 and supporting the scale's dimensionality. Tests for validating construct validity were all fully supported. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were all greater than .70, showing internal consistency of the scale. This psychometrically valid and conceptually sound scale may be applied in future restaurant service sabotage research and may stimulate additional studies to advance the theory and explore the criterion network. Implications, limitations, and direction for future research are discussed.

Les services sont intangibles et le personnel en contact leur visage. Les employés doivent remplir les promesses implicites et explicites de la marque en internalisant l'image de marque. Mais jusqu’à quel point ? Afin d'explorer et d'étudier la dynamique de l'alignement du personnel en contact, cette recherche a adopté un design mêlant analyse quantitative et analyses quantitatives. Une étude qualitative a été menée pour explorer les antécédents de l'alignement de la marque du personnel en contact. Un total de 8 observations et 92 entretiens avec des clients ont été menés. L’analyse de ces entretiens permet d’identifier les déterminants à l’alignement à la marque. Les résultats montrent que l’alignement est perçu à travers leur qualité d'interaction qui comprend leur attitude, leur comportement, leur expertise et l'apparence du personnel en contact. Par la suite, deux études quantitatives ont été menées pour développer et tester la mesure de l'alignement de la marque du personnel en contact et tester le modèle de la recherche. 567 réponses ont été analysées pour l'étude 1 et 432 pour l'étude 2. Un modèle structurel permet de tester la chaine de conséquence : Qualité Interactionnel – alignement – évaluation globale de la marque et sa valeur. Par ailleurs dans la relation alignement-évaluation globale de la marque et sa valeur, les effets modérateurs de l’authenticité perçue du personnel, la durée de l’interaction et du suralignement sont identifiés. Les résultats de la recherche sont enfin mis en perspective dans une partie conclusive en faisant apparaitre les implications théoriques, managériales ainsi que les limites et perspectives de recherche. / Services are intangible and frontline employees are their face. The employees can be equipped to fulfil the implicit and explicit brand promises by internalizing brand image. In order to explore and investigate the dynamics of frontline employee Brand image alignment in service sector, this study adopted a mix method approach. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the antecedents of FLE brand alignment. A total number of 8 observations and 92 customer interviews were conducted by using Critical incident technique. Our results indicate that FLE brand image alignment is perceived through their interaction quality which consist of employee’s attitude, behaviour, expertise and appearance. Subsequently, two quantitative studies were conducted to develop and test the frontline employee brand alignment measurement. A total number of 567 responses were analysed for study 1 and 432 for study 2. A structural model was tested with outcome variables such as, brand evaluation and customer-based brand equity. Authentic employee behavior positively moderates the relationship between FLE brand alignment and outcome variables. Whereas, interaction duration negatively moderates the relationship between FLE brand alignment and outcome variables. Frontline employee brand alignment appears to be an important concept in service branding. From a managerial point of view the research tends to show that service branding is impacted by FLE brand alignment, especially the way they appear and behave. This study not only explains the concept of FLE brand alignment and develops its measurement but also proposes the determinants to measure the alignment.

The fierce competition on the retail market has led firms to stop focusing on firm-customer transactions and start focusing on firm-customer relations. New customer demands makes it impossible for firms to gain a sustainable advantage by focusing only on their goods assortment. This forces retailers to consider the customer experience and differentiate themselves by how they offer what they offer. This have led to that many retail companies try to shape the behaviours and emotional displays of their frontline employees in encounters with customers. Many firms define customer service concepts as an attempt to create high quality customer experiences. However, a successful realisation of these concepts can be challenging.   Service-Dominant Logic researchers argue that firms cannot single headedly create value but that it is co-created in the interaction with customers. Therefore, they can only create value propositions, which is a proposal for value co-creation based on an integration of products and services. Services marketing researchers emphasise the importance of internal marketing for enabling frontline employees to represent the firm in the interactive value-creating process with the customer. Prior research focuses on the customer-driven development of value propositions, and techniques to conduct internal marketing, but does not provide relevant theories about the realisation of value propositions or the implementation of these internal marketing techniques. This thesis conceptualise the human factor of the realisation of the value proposition with the concept of intended and enacted value propositions. The purpose was to develop a deeper understanding of how internal marketing can be used to manage the gaps between intended and enacted retail value propositions. This was addressed by investigating one of Sweden’s largest retail companies on commission. Since the company has requested to remain confidential, it will be called Anonymous Commission Company (ACC) in this thesis. The current study has answered the following research question: “How can the gaps between intended and enacted retail value propositions be managed through internal marketing?”   The research question was answered through a qualitative study and in-depth interviews with both CS concept managers and frontline employees. The intended value proposition was investigated by a combination of ACC documents related to the CS concept, and interviews with the CS concept managers. By interviewing the frontline employees, their perceptions and enactment of the value proposition was investigated, as well as how they experience the current internal operations at ACC. The findings confirmed the proposed concept of intended and enacted value propositions, and four main barriers causing the gaps between them were identified through a thematic network analysis. Internal marketing theories were used to analyse how retail companies can overcome these barriers by engaging, enabling, empowering and ensuring their frontline employees. The thesis offer implications for retail managers on how they can manage the gaps between intended and the enacted value propositions. The study contributes to prior research by combining value proposition theories and internal marketing theories, and by offering detailed recommendations for retail firms. Furthermore, the study enriches the practical implications regarding retail value propositions and retail value proposition realisation.

Ce travail de recherche a pour objectif de comprendre l’impact de la mise en place d’une approche relationnelle auprès de populations vulnérables sur les pratiques de dépistage du cancer. La problématique principale est la suivante : La mise en place d’une approche relationnelle en santé, via la présence de navigateurs auprès de populations vulnérables, permetelle d’améliorer la communication en prévention et son impact sur les pratiques de dépistage ? Ce travail fait suite au développement de dispositifs de prévention en santé visant à faire davantage participer au dépistage du cancer et réduire les inégalités sociales de santé. Ils testaient jusque-là la mise en place d’une approche relationnelle, prônant l’adaptation du profil du personnel en contact à une population vulnérable, sans toutefois tester l’effet des différentes caractéristiques de ce personnel. Les promoteurs de ces dispositifs, appelés « programmes de navigation », affirment que l’adaptation du profil du navigateur (chargé de prévention) à la population cible permet d’augmenter significativement la participation au dépistage. Cette adaptation se fait par le recrutement d’un chargé de prévention partageant des caractéristiques similaires avec la population cible (âge, genre, lieu d’habitation, etc.) et n’ayant pas nécessairement d’expertise en santé. Si l’efficacité des dispositifs mis en œuvre dans de précédentes expérimentations a été prouvée, rien n’est dit sur l’impact des caractéristiques des navigateurs. Un cadre théorique mobilisant les travaux en marketing des services et en marketing relationnel est proposé pour identifier les facteurs d’efficacité des programmes de navigation et, ainsi faisant, les caractéristiques des navigateurs. Pour cela, trois études empiriques sont menées. Les deux premières études (études 1 et 2) explorent la genèse d’un de ces dispositifs « ColoNav » afin d’en comprendre les tenants et les aboutissants. L’étude 1 mesure l’impact de ce dispositif sur la participation au dépistage du cancer colorectal et met en lien ces résultats avec le profil des personnels en contact recrutés. L’étude 2 analyse les données qualitatives de ce dispositif et met en lumière les différents facteurs ayant pu avoir un impact dans son efficacité. L’étude 3 (expérimentation) mesure le réel impact de l’adaptation du profil (similarité et expertise) du personnel en contact à une population vulnérable sur l’intention de participation au dépistage du cancer colorectal et sur l’intention de le recommander. L’étude 1 montre que la présence du navigateur pour promouvoir le dépistage du cancer colorectal semble avoir un effet sur la participation à celui-ci. Cependant, les conditions de l’étude ne permettent pas de conclure de façon satisfaisante au seul effet de l’adaptation du profil du chargé de prévention (étude 1). Ces résultats nous ont amenée à nous interroger sur le réel impact de cette adaptation et sur l’existence d’autres facteurs que le profil pouvant impacter les résultats de ce genre de dispositif. L’étude 2 nous a permis de constater l’existence de trois principaux facteurs et de les analyser en profondeur (étude 2). Ainsi, au profil du personnel en contact s’ajoutent son investissement dans la relation avec les personnes de la population cible (choix en matière de communication et capacité à s’adapter à son interlocuteur) et ses relations avec son environnement de travail (acteurs et population cible) qui viennent modérer son action (la faciliter ou la compliquer). Enfin, les résultats de l’étude 3 permettent de conclure à l’impact positif significatif de la similarité et de l’expertise sur l’intention de dépistage et de recommandation. Les conclusions de cette étude complètent celles faites pour le dispositif ColoNav. ... / The purpose of this research is to understand the impact of implementing a relational approach on vulnerable populations regarding cancer screening practices. The main issue was as follows: Does the implementation of a relational approach in health, through the presence of navigators with vulnerable populations, improve prevention communication and its impact on screening practices?This research is a follow-up to health prevention devices which aim was to increase participation in cancer screening and thus reduce social inequalities in health. Until now, they tested the implementation of a relational approach advocating the adaptation of the frontline employee’s profile to a vulnerable population, without however testing the effect of the different characteristics of this employee. These devices, called "navigation programs", claim that adapting the navigator’s profile (prevention officer) to a target population significantly increases the participation in screening. This adaptation is done by recruiting a prevention officer who shares similar characteristics with the target population (age, gender, place of residence, etc.) and does not necessarily have expertise in healthcare. If the effectiveness of the devices implemented in previous experiments has been proven, nothing is said about the impact of the navigators’ characteristics. A theoretical framework mobilizing research in Services marketing and Relationship marketing is proposed to identify the efficiency factors ofnavigation programs, thus, the characteristics of navigators. For that, three empirical studies have then been conducted.The first two studies (studies 1 and 2) explore the genesis of one of these devices, "ColoNav", in order to understand the reasons and outcomes. Study 1 measures the impact of this device on participation in colorectal cancer screening and links these results to the profile of the frontline employees recruited. Study 2 analyzes the qualitative data of this device and highlights the various factors that may have had an impact on its effectiveness. Study 3 (experimentation) measures the real impact of the adapting of the frontline employee’s profile (similarity and expertise) to a vulnerable population on the intention to participate to colorectal cancer screening and on the intention to recommend it. The first study shows that the presence of the navigator promoting colorectal cancer screening appears to affect participation to it. However, the conditions of the study do not allow to conclude satisfactorily on the only effect of the adaptation of the prevention officer’s profile (study 1). These results raise questions about the real impact of the adaptation of the frontline employee’s profile (similarity and expertise) and the existence of other factors than the profile that could impact the results of this kind of device. Study 2 allows us to find three main factors and analyzed them in depth (study 2). Thereby, the frontline employee’s profile complemented by his investment in the relationship with the target population (his communication choices and his ability to adapt to his nterlocutor) as well as by his relationship with his work environment (actors and target population), which moderates its action (facilitate or complicate it). Finally, the results of the experiment (study 3) allow us to conclude that there is a significant and positive impact of similarity and expertise on screening and recommendation intentions. The conclusions of study 3 complement those of the ColoNav device. They confirm the fact that in the context of the implementation of a relational approach, such as ColoNav, other factors than the frontline employee’s profile are to be considered in the effectiveness of a health prevention program.

Abstract in English, Zulu and Sothern Sotho / South African banks need to attract and retain customers in a highly competitive environment. Within this environment, the service quality of banks has been noted as an ongoing pressing issue. With all major banks embracing the technological revolution and offering similar financial services, the service quality offered through frontline employees has become a means to attain a competitive advantage. While a substantial body of research demonstrates the importance of service quality and identifies its dimensions, there is a lack of research specifically focusing on the antecedents for frontline employee service quality. This study set out to investigate the extent to which internal service quality, service climate and frontline employee satisfaction contribute to frontline employee service quality in a South African retail bank. With the aid of a structured questionnaire, a cross-sectional internet-based survey research design was applied to collect information from frontline employees pertaining to four constructs. From the full population of 8 720 frontline employees, 581 completed responses were received during the main study, and empirically tested with the aid of descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis and multivariate regression analysis. The findings culminate in a multivariate regression model indicating that service climate is not a significant predictor of frontline employee service quality, whereas frontline employee satisfaction and internal service quality are, with internal service quality being the larger predictor. Drawing from these findings, ten recommendations are made to improve frontline employee service quality in a retail bank. / Amabhange aseNingizimu Afrika adinga ukuheha futhi agcine amakhasimende endaweni enokuncintisana okukhulu. Ngaphakathi kwalesi simo, insebenzo yekhwalithi yamabhange ibhekwe njengengqinamba eqhubekayo. Ngawo wonke amabhange amakhulu amukela inguquko kwezobuchwepheshe futhi ahlinzeka ngezinsizakalo ezifanayo zezezimali, insebenzo yekhwalithi enikezwa ngabasebenzi abaphambili iba yindlela yokuthola inzuzo yokuncintisana. Ngenkathi ucwaningo oluningi lukhombisa ukubaluleka kwensebenzo yekhwalithi futhi lukhomba ubukhulu balo, kukhona ukungabi bikho kocwaningo okugxile kakhulu ezichasisweni zensebenzo yekhwalithi yomsebenzi ophambili. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphenya ukuthi izinga lensebenzo yekhwalithi yangaphakathi, insebenzo yesimo sezulu kanye nokwaneliseka kwabasebenzi abaphambili kunikela kangakanani ensebenzweni yekhwalithi yomsebenzi ebhange lokuthengisa eNingizimu Afrika. Ngosizo lwemibuzo ehleliwe, kusetshenziswe ukwakheka kocwaningo olususelwa ku-inthanethi lokuqoqa imininingwane evela kubasebenzi abaphambili maqondana nokwakhiwa okune. Kusuka enanini eligcwele labantu abayizi-8 720 labasebenzi abaphambili, izimpendulo ezigcwalisiwe ezingama-581 zamukelwa phakathi kocwaningo oluyinhloko, futhi zahlolwa ngamandla ngosizo lwezibalo ezichazayo, ukuhlaziywa kwezinto eziqinisekisayo, ukuhlaziywa kokuhlobana kanye nokuhlaziywa kokuphindaphinda okuningi. Okutholakele kugcina kube yisifanekiso sokuhlehliswa sokuphindaphinda esikhombisa ukuthi insebenzo yesimo sezulu akusona isibikezelo esibalulekile sensebenzo yekhwalithi yomsebenzi ophambili, kanti ukwaneliseka komsebenzi ophambili kanye nensebenzo yekhwalithi yangaphakathi, ngensebenzo yekhwalithi yangaphakathi eyisibikezelo esikhulu. Ngokususelwa kokutholakele, kwenziwa izincomo eziyishumi zokuthuthukisa insebenzo yekhwalithi yomsebenzi ophambili ebhange lokuthengisa. / Dibanka tsa Aforikaborwa di tlhoka go ngoka le go tswelela go tshola badirisi mo tikologong e e tletseng kgaisano. Mo tikologong eno, boleng jwa tirelo ya dibanka bo lemogilwe jaaka ntlha e e tswelelang go tshwenya. Jaaka fa dibanka tsotlhe tse dikgolo di amogetse tiriso ya thekenoloji mme di tlamela ka ditirelo tsa ditšhelete tse di tshwanang, boleng jwa tirelo jo bo tlamelwang ka badiri ba ba kwa pele ke tsela ya go iponela molemo wa kgaisano. Le fa dipatlisiso tse dintsi di bontsha botlhokwa jwa boleng jwa tirelo mme di supa bogolo jwa jona, ga go na dipatlisiso tse di totang batlapele ba boleng jwa tirelo ya badiri ba ba kwa pele. Thutopatlisiso eno e ne e ikaeletse go batlisisa gore boleng jwa tirelo ya ka fa gare, tikologo ya tirelo le kgotsofalo ya badiri ba ba dirang kwa pele bo tshwaela go le kana kang mo boleng jwa tirelo ya badiri ba ba dirang kwa pele mo bankeng ya badirisi ya Aforikaborwa. Ka thuso ya lenaanepotsolotso le le rulaganeng, go dirisitswe patlisiso e e ralalang dikarolo ya mo inthaneteng go kokoanya tshedimosetso go tswa mo badiring ba ba dirang kwa pele malebana le dintlha tse nne. Go tswa mo sampoleng ya badiri ba ba dirang kwa pele ba le 8 720, go amogetswe ditsibogo tse di tladitsweng di le 581 ka nako ya thutopatlisiso e kgolo, mme di ne tsa lekelediwa ka maitemogelo ka thuso ya dipalopalo tse di tlhalosang, tokololo ya tlhomamiso, tokololo ya tsamaelano le tokololo e e lebelelang dipoelo tse di farologaneng. Diphitlhelelo di ile setlhoeng fa sekao se se lebelelang dipoelo tse di farologaneng se supa gore seemo sa tirelo se ka se ke sa dirisiwa go bonela pele boleng jwa tirelo ya badiri ba ba dirang kwa pele, mme go ka dirisiwa kgotsofalo ya badiri ba ba dirang kwa pele le boleng jwa tirelo ya ka fa gare, le gore boleng jwa tirelo ya ka fa gare bo ka dirisiwa thata. Go tswa mo diphitlhelelong tseno, go dirwa dikatlenegiso di le lesome go tokafatsa boleng jwa tirelo ya badiri ba ba dirang kwa pele mo bankeng ya badirisi / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)