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Effects of Emotional Displays 1
Running head: EFFECTS OF EMOTIONAL DISPLAYS ON CUSTOMERS
Effects of Employee Emotional Displays on Customer Service
Mary Lynn Bode
University of Akron
Effects of Emotional Displays 2
Abstract
This study investigates how managers “manage” their employees’ emotional displays
through emotional display rule requirements. The study consists of 20 store managers within 16
chain stores and 4 local stores. The managers were interviewed about the policies and procedures
affecting their front-line employees who interact with customers the most. During the interview,
questions were asked regarding how certain behaviors are important to providing high quality
customer service. Additionally, emphasis was placed on informal and formal organizational
policies and norms. This interview process helped gain insight into how organizations attempt to
control the emotional displays of their employees.
Effects of Emotional Displays 3
Effects of Employee Emotional Displays on Customer Service
This study will examine how managers “manage” their employees’ emotional displays
through emotional display rule requirements and how that will affect the customer service.
Further, this study researches how employee emotional displays affect customer-employee
interactions in front-line service contexts (e.g., coffee shops). The management styles will be
studied with emphasis on front-line employees (such as cashiers) and will be part of a two-step
research process. The first step is to get multiple managers of organizations to agree to an
interview on the human resources policies and practices that are administered in their store.
During that interview, various questions relating to how certain behaviors are important to
providing high quality customer service will be asked. These behaviors include the extent to
which employees need to provide error-free service, have knowledge of the products, be
courteous to customers, show positive emotions, and avoid showing negative displays of
emotion. As an additional part of step one, our researchers will inquire about the recruitment and
selection processes that are used by the organization when selecting employees, formal training
that pertains to employee emotional displays, informal processes that shape emotional displays,
performance appraisal processes, performance feedback systems, and unspoken norms that may
exist. The second step in the process will involve getting permission from the manager to
observe customer-employee interactions in their organizations. This will allow our researchers to
analyze the data and see whether or not larger amounts of Human Resource policies and
practices lead to more positive employee emotional displays. We will also be collecting data
from customers post-encounter to see whether or not these positive employee displays impact
customer satisfaction. This report will focus on the interview process of the study and compare
the chain with the local stores.
Effects of Emotional Displays 4
Overall, little scientific research has been documented on how organizations identify and
control the emotional displays of their employees. Some previous studies have shown data on
what could be portrayed as informal and formal organizational influences, but none to the extent
needed in order to properly document the emotional displays of their employees. Barger and
Grandey completed a study that focused on emotional contagion and appraisal mechanisms.
Their study provides a comprehensive test of encounter satisfaction by “examining mimicry and
mood as mediators in service encounters, contrasting such mediation with direct path through
perceived service quality” (Barger 2006). Their study showed that “mimicry effects” were
supported but only “service quality appraisals” and not customers’ affect fully reconciled the
relationship of employee smiling and encounter satisfaction (Barger 2006). Many aspects of
Barger and Grandey’s study have been put into the methodology of this study.
Method
Interview Procedures
This report focuses on the interview process of this study. The interviewers were four
undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Akron in Akron, OH. A training session was
provided to the interviewers and other researchers on distinguishing facial expressions and
completing the observation sheets using photographs, videos and role-playing. The interviewers
had an additional training session on how to complete the interview using role-playing. Prior to
the actual data collection, interviewers had a one-on-one interview with a graduate student in
order to practice the interview process. The interviewers set up a meeting time with the managers
of various restaurants. Interviewers had 4-6 weeks to complete their interviews with various
restaurants around the area.
Effects of Emotional Displays 5
Results
There were a total of sixteen chain stores and 4 local stores in our study. Overall, chain
stores and local stores had similar distributions when it came to total number of employees,
number of employees in front-line jobs, and average number of managers per shift. For instance,
chain stores reported having a minimum of 4 employees and a maximum of 29 employees while
local stores reported having a minimum of 4 employees and a maximum of 21 employees. On
the other hand, there was surprising data when it came to the number of customers per shift and
average sales. One would assume that the chains would have a higher number of customers and
sales per shift but our data shows otherwise. Chain stores reported having a minimum of 40
customers per shift and a maximum of 699 customers per shift with a mean score of 193.80.
Local stores reported having a minimum of 225 customers per shift and a maximum of 700
customers per shift with a mean score of 381.25. Even though chain stores reported having a
lower amount of customers per shift they still reported higher average sales. Chains had a mean
of 3046.82 while local stores had a mean of 1150.00 for average daily sales.
An Independent-Samples t-test was conducted to compare the recruitment and selection
processes between chain and local stores. The test showed that there was not a significant
difference in chain (M=4.56, SD= 0.44) and local (M=4.63, SD=.48); t (18)= -.249, p= .81. These
results suggest that there is no noteworthy difference between these groups in terms of
recruitment and selection processes.
An Independent-Samples t-test was also conducted to compare the formal training
provided to employees in regards to emotional displays between chain and local stores. The test
Effects of Emotional Displays 6
showed that there was not a significant difference in chain (M=3.09, SD= 1.23) and local stores
(M=3.56, SD=.72); t (18)= -.724, p= .48).
Another Independent-Samples t-test was conducted to compare the informal processes
between chain and local stores. The test showed similar results in chain (M=4.53 SD= 0.34) and
local (M=4.56, SD=.59); t (18)= -.142, p= .89. These results suggest that there is no difference
between these groups in terms of informal processes that are used within the organizations.
One more Independent-Samples t-test was conducted to compare the performance
appraisal processes between chain and local stores. The test showed that there was not a
significant difference in chain (M=3.59, SD= 1.23) and local (M=3.75, SD=.96); t (18)= -.235,
p= .82. These results suggest that there is no difference between groups in terms of performance
appraisal processes.
Further, an Independent-Samples t-test was conducted to compare type of feedback
managers provide employees in terms of their emotional displays between chain and local stores.
The test showed that there was not a significant difference in chain (M=3.72, SD= 0.61) and local
(M=3.94, SD=.37); t (18)= -.691, p= .50. These results suggest that there is no difference
between groups in terms of recruitment and selection processes.
Finally, an Independent-Samples t-test was conducted to compare the unspoken norms
that may exist within the organization between chain and local stores. The test showed that there
was not a significant difference in chain (M=4.00, SD= 1.05) and local (M=4.75, SD=.50); t
(18)= -1.37, p= .19. These results suggest that there is no difference between groups in terms of
unspoken norms. These data are shown in Table 1 below.
Effects of Emotional Displays 7
Table 1:
Variable
t
df
Significance
Recruitment and Selection Processes
-.249
18
.81
Formal Training
-.724
18
.48
Informal Training
-.142
18
.89
Performance Appraisal
-.235
18
.82
Feedback
-.691
18
.50
Unspoken Norms
-1.37
18
.19
The first nine questions in the interview concentrated on the extent to which the
organization’s employees need to do specific tasks. These tasks ranged from providing error-free
service to showing positive or negative emotions to customers. These questions were assigned a
6-point scale where one represents “not at all” and 6 represents “To a very large extent”. For the
chain stores, all these questions had similar mean scores. Question 1 focused on employees
providing error-free service (M=5.63, =.50). Question 2 dealt with employees giving prompt,
efficient service (M=5.75, =.45). Question 3 concentrated on employees having specific store
and product knowledge to answer customer questions (M=5.43, =.63). Question 4 talked about
employees being neat in appearance (M=5.75, =.58). Question 5 focused on employees be
courteous with customers (M=5.94, =.25). Question 6 dealt with employees giving customers
individualized attention (M=5.63, =.72). Question 7 concentrated on employees understanding
Effects of Emotional Displays 8
the specific needs of their customers (M=5.67, =.62). Question 8 talked about employees
showing positive emotions such as enthusiasm and friendliness to customers (M=5.56, =.89).
And Question 9 focused on employees avoiding showing negative emotions such as frustration
or boredom to customers (M=5.69, =.70). Chain stores did not show much variation in the
mean scores. The frequency of each answer given by chain stores is shown in Table 2.
Table 2:
16
14
Frequency
12
(1) Not at all
10
8
6
4
2
(2) To a very small
extent
(3) To a small extent
(4) To a moderate extent
0
(5) To a large extent
(6) To a very large
extent
The data was very similar for the same questions in local stores. Question 1 focused on
employees providing error-free service (M=5.75, =.50), Question 2 dealt with employees giving
prompt, efficient service (M=6.00, =.001), Question 3 concentrated on employees having
Effects of Emotional Displays 9
specific store and product knowledge to answer customer questions (M=5.00, =1.15), Question
4 talked about employees being neat in appearance (M=5.75, =.50), Question 5 focused on
employees be courteous with customers (M=6.00, =.001), Question 6 dealt with employees
giving customers individualized attention (M=5.50, =.58), Question 7 concentrated on
employees understanding the specific needs of their customers (M=5.50, =1.0), Question 8
talked about employees showing positive emotions such as enthusiasm and friendliness to
customers (M=6.00, =.001), And Question 9 focused on employees avoiding showing negative
emotions such as frustration or boredom to customers (M=5.75, =.50). As was the case for
chain stores, local stores showed little variation when it came to the mean scores. When
comparing scores of chains versus local stores, some of the means were exactly the same. For
example, Question 4 focusing on being neat in appearance had a mean of 5.75 for both chain and
local stores. The frequency for each answer given by local stores is shown in the Table 3 below.
Frequency
Table 3:
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
(1) Not at all
(2) To a very small
extent
(3) To a small extent
(4) To a moderate extent
(5) To a large extent
(6) To a very large
extent
Effects of Emotional Displays 10
The data collected shows what one would assume a store to expect from their employees.
However, it will be discussed later that the managers may not be implementing what they claim
to be implementing when it comes to employee emotional displays.
Since the data collected showed no significant difference shown between the groups, they
were treated as one group. Questions 11 and 12 dealt with recruitment and selection processes
within the organization. Question 11 centered around recruiting employees that showed
appropriate emotions to customers. Based on our findings, there was an equal distribution with
this question. We found that it had a mean of 4.55 and a standard deviation of .51. The same
result was found with Question 12 that focused on the selection procedures within the
organization that emphasize a display of appropriate emotions. Question 12 had a mean of 4.63
and a standard deviation of .59. The data is shown in the histogram below (Table 4) for the
frequency of each answer given.
Frequency
Table 4:
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Question 11
Question 12
1
2
3
5 point scale
4
5
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Questions 13-16 centered on the formal training conducted within the organization in
regard to emotional displays. All questions seemed to show similar outcomes in terms of the
managers’ responses. Question 13 had a mean of 3.40 with a standard deviation of 1.23.
Question 14 had a mean of 3.20 with a standard deviation of 1.47. Question 15 had a mean of
3.10 with a standard deviation of 1.25. Question 15 had a mean of 3.05 with a standard deviation
of 1.39. The data is shown in the histogram (Table 5) for the frequency of each answer given.
Frequency
Table 5:
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Question 13
Question 14
Question 15
Question 16
1
2
3
4
5
5 point scale
Questions 17-20 focused on the informal processes that exist within the organization. All
questions seemed to be answered similarly except for Question 18 that focused on employees
teaching each other strategies for displaying appropriate emotions to customers. All the previous
questions centered on the manager teaching or showing the employee what to do while this was
the only question about the experienced employees helping out the new employee. Question 17
(M=4.40, =.75), Question 19 (M=4.95, =.22), and Question 20 (M=4.90, =.31) all had
Effects of Emotional Displays 12
similar means while Question 18 (M=3.90, =1.02) had a slightly lower mean. This shows that
managers do not rely on their experienced employees as much to teach the new employees
strategies of how to display appropriate emotions to customers. The frequency for each answer
given is in Table 6 below.
Table 6:
20
18
16
Frequency
14
12
Question 17
10
8
Question 18
6
Question 19
4
Question 20
2
0
1
2
3
4
5
5 point scale
Questions 21 and 22 focus on the performance appraisal process within the organization.
The data for these questions give an interesting result. Question 21 (M=3.30, =.1.56) talks
about the employees emotional displays with customers being formally evaluated in terms of
effectiveness, while Question 22 (M=3.95, =.1.19) talks about the employees’ performance
evaluations being affected by whether they actually show these proper emotions. Even though
some managers stated that they do not have formal evaluations at their store, there still were a
high number of managers that stated the performance evaluations would be affected. The
frequency of each answer given is shown in the table below.
Effects of Emotional Displays 13
Table 7:
10
9
8
Frequency
7
6
5
4
Question 21
3
Question 22
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
5 point scale
The next section of the interview (Question 23-31) dealt with the type of feedback the
manager provides the employees in terms of their emotional displays. It also touched upon
rewards a manager may provide to their employee when they display appropriate emotions. This
section of the data showed an interesting outcome. Question 25 (M=2.80, =1.51), Question 28
(M=2.90, =1.25), and Question 29 (M=3.10, =1.55) all dealt with giving the employees formal
punishments or rewards such as docking pay or giving monetary rewards. The means on these
questions were much lower than the others, which could suggest that managers might not be
enforcing the consequences of the employee’s emotional displays formally. Question 23
(M=4.60,
=.68), Question 24 (M=4.70,
=73), Question 26 (M=4.60,
=.60), Question 27
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(M=4.10, =1.17), Question 30 (M=3.50, =1.28), and Question 31 (M=3.60, =1.19) focused
on punishments and rewards that were not as formal such as giving verbal praise or rewards. The
frequency for each answer given is shown Table 8 below.
Table 8:
18
Frequency
16
14
Question 23
12
Question 24
Question 25
10
Question 26
8
Question 27
6
Question 28
4
Question 29
2
Question 30
0
1
2
3
4
5
Question 31
5 point scale
Question 32 and 33 are the last main set of questions in the interview and deal with the
unspoken norms that could exist within the organizations in terms of emotional displays.
Question 32 (M=4.05, =1.23) talks about the store having “unwritten rules for displaying
emotions to customers” while Question 33 (M=4.25, =1.02) talks about the informal norms
improving communication about which emotional displays to use. The distributions within these
two questions were in the expected range with means being high. These questions also showed
very similar distributions when it came to frequency. The frequency for each answer given is
shown below.
Effects of Emotional Displays 15
Table 9:
Discussion
Overall, the data collected shows interesting results. The data showed no significance
between groups in terms of recruitment processes and procedures, formal/ informal training
procedures, performance appraisal processes, type of feedback given, and unspoken norms
within the organization. Since there was no difference between groups, the groups were treated
as one group. Our data showed that managers say they enforce specific feedback and procedures
but seem to not implement those.
Limitations
Some of the limitations to our study are the fact that there was not an even number of
chain and local stores. We had 16 chains and 4 locals stores. Also, there were some repeats in
Effects of Emotional Displays 16
chain stores such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Subway. If there were no repeats in types of
stores, then generalizability could be greater.
Effects of Emotional Displays 17
References
Barger, Patricia B. & Grandey, Alicia A. (2006). Service with a smile and encounter satisfaction:
Emotional contagion and appraisal mechanisms. Academy of Management Journal, 49, 6,
1229-1238.