How Does Language Matter for Services? Challenges and Propositions for Service Research

Abstract

The service encounter depends on the interaction between consumer and company, with an active role for the consumer as a participant. Building on existing literature, this article argues that language influences how consumers perceive the service encounter in several important ways. In turn, service providers and service researchers must understand the impact of the language used before, during, and after the service encounter. Across these three phases, 11 propositions pertaining to language use help clarify the service encounter, the role of the consumer in services, and how consumers are influenced by language. These propositions also offer ways forward for service research to study the influence of language use on the service encounter. From a managerial perspective, this article highlights language as an increasingly important challenge and suggests ways for companies to meet this challenge.

Organising multilingually: setting an agenda for studying language at work

“…Yet, the industry sector such as services, engineering or textile may provide a useful macro-context for explaining and understanding language use in multilingual organisations. The industry has explanatory power shedding light on differences in the level of education between firms across sectors, the resources the firm allocates to language and translation activities, and the way the customer interface is organised (Holmqvist and Grönroos 2012;Sanden, 2015).…”

Examining the relationship between language divergence and word-of-mouth intentions

“…First, this study provides the first empirical demonstration that consumers who receive service in a second language are less likely to spread positive word of mouth about the service provider. By showing that language divergence can influence intentions, this article also validates parts of Holmqvist and Grönroos's (2012) framework and specifies that in markets that contain different language groups, service in a second language may have a negative influence on consumers' intentions to recommend the service provider to others.…”

“…This is a problem that is particularly prevalent in countries with more than one official language as well as in spreading international contexts due to increased globalization and tourism (Duchêne 2009). Marketing research has started considering the role of language in services, and recent contributions offer a conceptual model of how language influences service encounters (Holmqvist and Grönroos 2012) and an analysis of consumers' perceptions of receiving service in native languages (Holmqvist 2011). …”

Developing Linguistic Diversity Management in Teaching IB: Introduction to this Issue

“…For example, in business firms, 'language plays a crucial role in service contexts, especially when consumers interact with company representatives' (Holmqvist & Grönroos, 2012). The relationship between language and communication and its economic consequences has become an area of much interest (Zhang & Grenier, 2013).…”