Illegitimate Customer Complaining Behavior in Hospitality Service Encounters A Frontline Employee Perspective

This study explored frontline employees’ perceptions of and responses to illegitimate customer complaining behavior (ICCB) in hospitality business settings. In-depth interviews were conducted with frontline employees who had firsthand experiences with ICCB. Analysis of data revealed three types of i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of hospitality & tourism research (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 40; no. 6; pp. 655 - 684
Main Authors Huang, Zhuowei (Joy), Miao, Li
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.09.2016
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Complaints
Coping
Customer services
Employees
Hospitality industry
Management theory
Perceptions
Studies
management responses
frontline employees
illegitimate customer complaining behavior
perceptions
coping responses
hospitality industry
emotional responses
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Summary:This study explored frontline employees’ perceptions of and responses to illegitimate customer complaining behavior (ICCB) in hospitality business settings. In-depth interviews were conducted with frontline employees who had firsthand experiences with ICCB. Analysis of data revealed three types of illegitimate complainants as perceived by frontline employees: opportunistic plotters, repetitive grumblers, and occasional tyrants. In addition, some unique patterns of employees’ responses to ICCB were identified, including the double-whammy effect of ICCB on employees’ evaluative and emotional responses, emotional paradox, learned helplessness, and process-focused coping. Based on the results, this study developed a conceptual framework with four propositions related to frontline employees’ responses to ICCB. The theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were also discussed.
ISSN:1096-3480
1557-7554
DOI:10.1177/1096348013515916