The impact of service climate and service provider personality on employees' customer‐oriented behavior in a high‐contact setting

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to empirically test and extend knowledge of the determinants of customer‐oriented behavior (COB) of service providers in an affective, high contact service setting (healthcare). Design/methodology/approach – The authors examine the relative effects of dispositional variables (e.g. personality of service provider), as well as service climate and job satisfaction on five dimensions of customer‐oriented behavior. The research hypotheses are tested using self‐report data collected from 270 nurses in five hospitals (public and private). Qualitative work, including three focus groups with nurses and a series of depth interviews with patients, was conducted to test the applicability of the scales. Findings – Results support the role of personality, job satisfaction and service climate on employees' COB, but do not support interaction effects. Various personality traits have differing effects on different types of customer‐oriented behaviors. Service climate has effects on both technical and interpersonal behaviors whereas job satisfaction impacts only technical behavior. Research limitations/implications – This study was conducted in an affective, high contact and high emotional labor setting, i.e. healthcare, and in an Eastern collectivist culture (Thailand). As a result, the generalizability of the findings into other service settings and cultures needs to be undertaken with care. Practical implications – For service employees to display customer‐oriented behaviors, the organization must first recruit individuals with high levels of conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion and emotional stability. Second, the organization must create a climate for service that supports, encourages and motivates service employees to better serve their customers. This service climate at the unit/branch level includes inspirational leadership, providing appropriate tools and technology, training, and commitment from senior management to a truly customer (patient) centric organization. Finally, when the organization is successful in creating satisfaction among employees, then employees are more inclined to offer a better technical performance. Originality/value – This is one of only a few studies that have examined the impact of personality and organizational variables on front‐line employee performance.