On the Role of Empathy in Customer-Employee Interactions

Wieseke, Jan; Geigenmüller, Anja; Kraus, Florian

doi:10.1177/1094670512439743

Cited by 282 publications

(254 citation statements)

References 121 publications

(164 reference statements)

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“…Findings for emotional contagion contrast prior results from Wieseke et al. (), who have found a positive effect on customer satisfaction within a B2C service failure context (travel agencies).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Empathic Relationships in Professional Services and the Moderating Role of Relationship Age

Weißhaar¹,

Hüber²

2016

Psychology and Marketing

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Empathy has been identified as a key success factor for employees who interact with customers. Despite its overall relevance, only a few studies have acknowledged its multidimensional nature. Knowledge remains scarce about the relative impact of cognitive and affective empathy on relational outcomes. In addition, few pieces of research have explicitly acknowledged empathy as theorized within stage‐models focusing on the communication of empathy. The authors conceptualize empathy as a multidimensional construct perceived by the client. Empathy has to be communicated to be effective, while customers’ perceptions of empathy may also be more complex as they distinguish between cognitive and affective empathy. This article investigates the effects of perspective taking, emotional concern, and emotional contagion on trust and commitment. Drawing upon relationship stage concepts, the authors further argue that the influence is moderated by relationship age. Finally, this study investigates if employees benefit from being perceived as empathic partners in terms of “hard facts” (objective sales performance). Based on a data set from 215 business clients of a large consulting firm, this study adopts a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach by using multigroup analysis. To test the empathy–performance link, the authors aggregate customer responses nested in 84 employees and link perceived empathy with performance data. The results show that within B2B relationships, perspective taking exerts the strongest influence on trust, whereas emotional concern is the strongest driver for commitment. The results also confirm the moderating role of relationship age and that perspective taking leads to an increase in actual sales performance. This study underpins the relevance of empathy within services marketing, while providing a more detailed approach to account for empathy as a relation building tool. Practical and academic implications are also addressed.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Empathic Relationships in Professional Services and the Moderating Role of Relationship Age

Weißhaar¹,

Hüber²

2016

Psychology and Marketing

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“…The former approach of empathy have described empathy as a personal character [38,39] or as an capability [40] and it can be one of cognitive, affective or both. The perspective of cognitive about empathy, also report as "perspective taking", is the understanding of another person's direction at a cognitive level [41].…”

Section: Customer Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The emotive view merges different aspects such as emotional concern and emotional contamination [44]. Empathic involvement occurs when an individual responds to the emotional state of someone else without experiencing the emotion themselves [45]. Empathic concern is associated with altruistic comportments, due to feelings of congruency with a person who is in need [46].…”

Section: Customer Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Service Quality Dimensions on Patient Satisfaction in the Private Healthcare Industry in Pakistan

Rehaman¹,

Husnain²

2018

J Hosp Med Manage

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The present study examines the "The impact of service quality dimensions on patient satisfaction in the private health sector located in district Sargodha, Pakistan. Service quality is considered to be as one of the significant factor to keep people safe and health from diseases. The study has been carried out by employing questionnaire as data collection techniques by designing 21 items on a five point likert scale. The sample size of the study is composed of 380 respondents from district Sargodha. The results of the study reveals that the most important factor that impact on service quality dimension is tangible "(Physical facilities, equipment, and appearance of personnel)" and empathy "(Caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers)" so these are the most important factors of SERVQUAL model that impact on service quality. Future research may explore the service quality in various sectors in Pakistan in general and in the Sargodha region in particular.

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“…Wieseke, Geigenmüller, and Kraus (2012) support this notion by first hypothesizing that any work environment where there is an atmosphere of understanding, courtesy, and reciprocal attentiveness will lead to rewarding service outcomes, while refusal to connect and inability to relate will likely only lead to dissatisfaction, anger, and frustration. Wieseke et.…”

Section: Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untitled

2017

JVBL

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Volume X | Issue I | Winter/Spring 2017 SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATEAs we turn our focus to becoming a socially responsible university, the Valpo MBA program is now offering a Certificate in Sustainability. After completing a bachelor's degree, or while enrolled in a Valpo master's program, a student may choose to take four additional courses -eight (8) additional credits -and receive the graduate Certificate in Sustainability. The four additional courses include:• MBA 702 Managing Sustainability -2 credits • MBA 703 Forces Affecting Sustainability -2 credits • MBA 704 Case Studies in Sustainability -2 credits • MBA 705 Fieldwork in Sustainability -2 credits WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?Sustainability is a vital answer to existence on this planet, but also to the existence of our economy. As we look for better answers to energy issues, the end of landfills, and clean air and water for future generations, we need the business model of efficiency and return on investment to be sure we are taking the best paths to improve the future. MBA VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY MBA JVBL Mission StatementThe mission of the JVBL is to promote ethical and moral leadership and behavior by serving as a forum for ideas and the sharing of "best practices." It serves as a resource for business and institutional leaders, educators, and students concerned about valuesbased leadership. The JVBL defines values-based leadership to include topics involving ethics in leadership, moral considerations in business decision-making, stewardship of our natural environment, and spirituality as a source of motivation. The JVBL strives to publish articles that are intellectually rigorous yet of practical use to leaders, teachers, and entrepreneurs. In this way, the JVBL serves as a high quality, international journal focused on converging the practical, theoretical, and applicable ideas and experiences of scholars and practitioners. The JVBL provides leaders with a tool of ongoing self-critique and development, teachers with a resource of pedagogical support in instructing valuesbased leadership to their students, and entrepreneurs with examples of conscientious decision-making to be emulated within their own business environs. Submission Guidelines for the JVBLThe JVBL invites you to submit manuscripts for review and possible publication. The JVBL is dedicated to supporting people who seek to create more ethically-and sociallyresponsive organizations through leadership and education. The Journal publishes articles that provide knowledge that is intellectually well-developed and useful in practice. The JVBL is a peer-reviewed journal available in both electronic and print fora (fully digital with print-on-demand options). The readership includes business leaders, government representatives, academics, and students interested in the study and analysis of critical issues affecting the practice of values-based leadership. The JVBL is dedicated to publishing articles related to:1. Leading with integrity, credibility, and morality; 2. Creating ethical, values-based org...

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On the Role of Empathy in Customer-Employee Interactions

Cited by 282 publications

References 121 publications

Empathic Relationships in Professional Services and the Moderating Role of Relationship Age

Empathic Relationships in Professional Services and the Moderating Role of Relationship Age

The Impact of Service Quality Dimensions on Patient Satisfaction in the Private Healthcare Industry in Pakistan

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