Investigating the employee–customer relationship in a utilitarian context

Kearney, Treasa ORCID: 0000-0002-4655-3749, Coughlan, Joseph and Kennedy, Aileen (2021) Investigating the employee–customer relationship in a utilitarian context Journal of Marketing Management, 37 (13-14). pp. 1-26. ISSN 0267-257X, 1472-1376

Text JMM Final.docx - Author Accepted Manuscript Download (130kB)

Abstract

This research, drawing on dyadic data, is one of the first to assess the significance of employee satisfaction in driving customer satisfaction and service quality within a utilitarian context. Multi-level structural equation modelling is employed to analyse 974 customers directly matched to 95 employees across 15 retail grocery stores. Our key empirical finding is that within a utilitarian context, and using a multi-level approach, employee satisfaction does not have a significant direct effect on either customer satisfaction or customer service quality perceptions. Perceptions of price competitiveness assume a more significant role in both customer satisfaction and service quality perceptions than employee satisfaction. Utilitarian store managers should focus their efforts on appropriate service strategies where employee satisfaction still plays a key role.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, service quality, retailing
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > School of Management
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	28 Apr 2021 10:36
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 10:46
DOI:	10.1080/0267257x.2021.1910329
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3120864
Disclaimer:	The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate.