An attachment theory perspective of professional service providers' social bonds with their clients

Abstract

Social bonds developed by professional service providers have received limited research attention. Yet how individuals in these roles build social bonds with their clients can have a significant impact on the business outcomes achieved by the professional services firm. Attachment theory is one of the most influential psychology theories which supports the development of affectionate bonds but has not, so far, been applied to professional service providers' social bonds with their clients. We conduct in-depth interviews with professional service providers to capture their experiences of developing social bonds. Our findings identify three distinct relationship roles adopted by professional service providers with their clients (manager, caregiver and partner) and uncover two social bonds: the closeness bond and the security bond, based on different characteristics. We find that relationship roles and social bonds are inter-related and that social bonds can develop authentically or be developed strategically by the professional services provider. We propose how professional services firms can benefit from this knowledge in improving their business outcomes.