Within sniffing distance: impact of ambient scent and physical distancing on consumer comfort with frontline employees

• Published in: The Journal of personal selling & sales management Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 265 - 278
• Main Authors: Ardelet, Caroline, De Peyrelongue, Bénédicte, Mérigot, Philippe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 03.07.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Subjects: Ambient scent; Business administration; consumer comfort; distance between consumer and frontline employees; Humanities and Social Sciences; perceived quality; ambient scent consumer comfort distance between consumer and frontline employees perceived quality; consumer comfort; ambient scent; perceived quality; distance between consumer and frontline employees
• ISSN: 0885-3134; 1557-7813
• DOI: 10.1080/08853134.2022.2049602

Many sales and service interactions with frontline employees take place in scented places. This research focuses on the effect of ambient scents on consumer comfort with frontline employees and subsequently on the perceived quality of product and service offers. Two experimental studies carried out in actual setting in Paris, in taxis (242 respondents interacting with drivers) and in a small shop (120 respondents interacting with advisors), show that consumer comfort with frontline employees and perceived quality are higher (lower) in the presence of an ambient scent when the frontline employees maintain strong (low) physical proximity with consumers. This study shows the impact of ambient scents in consumers-employee's relationships and questions their relevance when social interactions are constrained by distancing rules.