Notes from Is “service with a smile” enough? Authenticity of positive displays during service encounters
in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
Alicia A. Grandey, Glenda M. Fisk, Anna S. Mattila, Karen J. Jansen, Lori A. Sideman, Pennsylvania State University
- Previous research (Pugh 2001, Tsai & Huang, 2002) has shown the value of “service with a smile” on customer attitudes and intentions. This present study shows that the effect of positive displays is weakened if the smiles are inauthentic.
- Even in short, one-time service encounters, the authenticity of the service employee’s smile makes a difference to the customer.
- It is counter-productive for companies to require employees to “Smile!” despite their true feelings:
- (a) It causes service workers to behave inauthentically (Ashforth & Tomiuk, 2000). False smiles occur as negative reactions to the monitoring and enforcement of the display (Rafaeli & Sutton, 1987).
- (b) Focusing on meeting display rules may take cognitive resources away from task performance (Richards & Gross, 1999 and Sideman & Grandey, 2003).
- If display rules are to be enforced, rigorous emotional skills training is needed in techniques, for instance, to regulate mood via cognitive reappraisals (Totterdell & Parkinson, 1999).
- Rather than putting the burden on the employee to create an authentic display, management would benefit from inspiring authentic positive emotions in workers through positive leadership (George, 1991) or increased autonomy (Spector & Jex, 1991).
- “Service with a smile” is not a sufficient requirement for service excellence. Provided tasks are performed well, a truly happy worker, or at least a worker who can appear to be truly happy, provides the most satisfying service encounter.
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