Purpose

Frontline employees (FLEs) are a key source of competitive advantage for organizations and have a significant impact on the quality of customer–firm interactions. This study aims to use the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model as a theoretical lens to examine whether internal communication (IC) (stimulus) evokes FLEs’ organizational identification (emotional) and job satisfaction (cognitive), and whether these in turn shape FLE customer-oriented behavior (response). The study also tested whether these mediated relationships are moderated by perceived communication formalization.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypothesized mediated and moderated effects were tested using data collected from a cross-sectional survey of 293 full-time salespeople working for a large general insurance company.

Findings

Both organizational identification and job satisfaction simultaneously mediate the relationship between IC and customer-oriented behavior. Perceived communication formalization was found to weaken the mediated relationship between IC and customer-oriented behavior, but only when this is via job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

This study has shown that where IC is positively viewed by FLEs, it can be leveraged as a key driver by organizations to evoke simultaneous positive emotional and cognitive reactions, leading to increased customer-oriented behavior.

Practical implications

This study informs both theory and practice related to effective IC among customer-contact FLEs.

Originality/value

The study shows how IC can simultaneously produce two simultaneous emotional and cognitive reactions leading to FLE customer-oriented behavior and how these mediated relationships can be moderated by perceived communication formalization. The study used the S-O-R model as the theoretical lens to test these relationships.

中文翻译：

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一线员工之间的内部沟通和以客户为中心的行为的发展

目的

一线员工（FLE）是组织获得竞争优势的重要来源，并且对客户与公司互动的质量产生重大影响。这项研究旨在使用刺激有机体反应（SOR）模型作为理论镜头，以检查内部沟通（IC）（刺激）是否唤起FLE的组织认同（情感）和工作满意度（认知），以及是否反过来塑造FLE以客户为导向的行为（响应）。该研究还测试了这些介导的关系是否通过感知的交流形式化来调节。

设计/方法/方法

使用从293家在一家大型综合保险公司工作的全职销售人员的横断面调查收集的数据，对假设的介导和适度影响进行了测试。

发现

组织识别和工作满意度都可以同时协调IC和以客户为导向的行为之间的关系。发现知觉的沟通形式化削弱了IC与以客户为导向的行为之间的中介关系，但仅当这是通过工作满意度时才如此。

研究局限/意义

这项研究表明，在FLE积极看待IC的情况下，组织可以利用它作为主要驱动力，从而引起积极的情绪和认知反应，从而增加以客户为中心的行为。

实际影响

这项研究为客户接触式FLE中的有效IC相关的理论和实践提供了信息。

创意/价值

该研究表明，IC如何同时产生两种同时发生的情绪和认知反应，从而导致FLE以客户为导向的行为，以及如何通过感知的沟通形式化来调节这些介导的关系。该研究使用SOR模型作为理论镜头来检验这些关系。