DOI Link
Keywords
Aggression, customer education, customer incivility, employee incivility, hotel management, service industry
Abstract
The present research sought to understand customer and employee incivility in the hospitality industry. The study identified customer actions that are perceived as uncivil by employees and coping strategies used by employees after experiencing uncivil behavior. Finally, service-recovery situations are differentiated from security-related incidents and guidance is offered to hospitality managers regarding the minimization of customer incivility. An empirical survey was distributed to 297 hotel employees. Regression analysis indicated that the effects of customer incivility were an increase in: customer aggression, employee negative emotions, employee-to-customer incivility, employee-to-employee incivility, and employee sensitivity to uncivil acts. The effects of employee-to-employee incivility were increased customer aggression and negative emotions, but decreased sensitivity to uncivil acts. Uncivil behaviors by customers included insulting comments, anger, frustration, verbal attacks, and condescending behavior. The identification of uncivil behaviors and their effects can assist in training staff in identifying and managing such actions and in devising mitigation strategies.
Publication Date
4-21-2016
Original Citation
Torres, E. N., van Niekerk, M., & Orlowski, M. (2016). Customer and employee incivility and its causal effects in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, (26)1, 48-66.
Number of Pages
48-66
Document Type
Paper
Language
English
Source Title
Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management
Volume
26
Issue
1
Copyright Status
Unknown
Copyright Date
2017
Publication Version
Post-print
College
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
Location
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
STARS Citation
Torres, Edwin N.; van Niekerk, Mathilda; and Orlowski, Marissa, "Customer and Employee Incivility and Its Causal Effects in the Hospitality Industry" (2016). Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 252.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/ucfscholar/252