Putting customer service at risk: Why and when family ostracism relates to customer-oriented behaviors

• Published in: International journal of hospitality management 2023-02, Vol.109, p.103390, Article 103390
• Main Authors: Rahaman, H M Saidur, Kwan, Ho Kwong, Babalola, Mayowa T., Chen, Haixiao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Customer orientation; Customer-focused organizational citizenship behavior; Customer-focused voice; Family ostracism; Harmonious passion for work; Social skills
• ISSN: 0278-4319; 1873-4693
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103390

This study examines why and when family ostracism can have an adverse effect on employees’ customer service behaviors. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), we theorize the existence of moderated multi-mediation relationships between family ostracism and employees’ customer service behaviors (i.e., customer-oriented organizational citizenship behaviors and customer-oriented voice behaviors) through harmonious passion for work and customer orientation, with social skills playing a moderating role. We used a time-lagged design to collect data from service employees in China. Our results show that controlling for workplace ostracism at Time 1, the relationship between family ostracism and employees’ customer service behaviors is negative and serially mediated by both harmonious passion for work and customer orientation. Furthermore, employees who are less socially skilled are more prone to the adverse effects of family ostracism. Last, female employees are more vulnerable to the effects of family ostracism on their customer service. •Family ostracism has implications for employees’ customer-oriented OCB and customer-oriented voice behavior.•Harmonious passion for work and customer orientation serially mediate the relationships above.•Social skills and gender moderate the serially mediated relationship.•Demonstrates how family ostracism was incorporated in hospitality management strategies and practices.