The roles of co-clients and their influence on overall satisfaction during the service experience

Abstract

The objective of this article is to show how co-clients – clients interacting with the customer during the service experience but unknown before it– impact customer satisfaction with service delivery. This exploratory research is based on a mix of qualitative methods in the context of rail transport and fitness classes. It identifies six roles that have an impact on satisfaction and four mechanisms by which these roles influence satisfaction. Co-clients give information about the forthcoming service, set the standards for social rules, provide a standard for comparison, distract, perturb and help to participate. Through these roles, other customers impact satisfaction by modifying customer expectations and perceived service performance, as well as perceived service equity. The authors propose situational variables that moderate this relationship.

Socio-spatial distance during the service delivery process: The case of restaurants

“…A high level of imposed physical proximity between customers has a negative impact on meal duration and average spending. The results obtained enrich the existing literature on the influence of individuals who do not know one another (Camélis et al, 2013) but share a limited consumption space. In line with the work of Clauzel (2007), who points out that the intrusion of an endogenous group's space by another person results in different choices being made, we observed behavioural responses with an impact on duration and spending.…”

“…We have been able to highlight the changes in behaviour brought about by consumption spaces that are either chosen or imposed, echoing the findings of other researchers, particularly in respect of crowd behaviour (Dion, 2000). It would also appear that interpersonal influences from fellow customers determine individual satisfaction levels (Camélis et al, 2013). Although our research is not intended to measure satisfaction levels, it indirectly contributes to our understanding of this variable by suggesting explanatory factors in temporal and financial terms that can be related to other sources of dissatisfaction identified in the literature.…”

“…Nonetheless, it is thought that this social presence also modifies service evaluation (Bitner, 1992;Grove and Fisk, 1997;Jung and Yoon, 2011;Robson and Kimes, 2009), the choices made by the consumer (Clauzel, 2007), the desire to leave a retail space more quickly (Dion, 2000), and satisfaction levels (Camélis et al, 2013;Martin and Pranter, 1989). Such diverse reactions to the presence of others are often observed in terms of their negative aspects.…”

“…between customers who are assumed not to know one another. We refer to these as 'co-clients' (Camélis et al, 2013) or fellow customers. Several studies have considered the influence of fellow customers according to the nature of the interaction between consumers (e.g.…”

“…Several studies have considered the influence of fellow customers according to the nature of the interaction between consumers (e.g. Camélis et al, 2013;Grove and Fisk, 1997). Furthermore, one's relationship with others within commercial spaces has also been analysed in terms of density and crowds (Dion, 2000;Dion and Bonnin, 2004).…”