Exploring the Negative Effects of Creativity of Frontline Employees in Service Organizations on Customer Satisfaction:

Abstract

This study had two research questions. First, under what conditions does the creativity of frontline employees (FLEs) have a negative effect on customer satisfaction? Second, what factors mitigate the negative impact of the creativity of FLEs on customer satisfaction? To explore these questions, we conducted an online experiment using a questionnaire in the context of a hypothetical hair salon. Potential respondents were recruited by a research company from their research pool. The study was limited to the context of first-time contact. We investigated whether perceived similarity mitigates a negative relationship between creativity of FLEs and customer satisfaction, using a 2 (creativity: high vs. low) × 2 (perceived similarity: high vs. low) between-participants design. The results indicated that the creativity of FLEs negatively influence customer satisfaction for a first-time customer. However, contrary to our expectations, a hypothesis that perceived similarity mitigate the negative relationship between creativity of FLEs and customer satisfaction was not supported. Finally, based on these findings, we discuss the managerial implications and directions for future research.

Keywords

• creativity
• perceived similarity
• customer satisfaction
• frontline employees
• first-time contact