Connecting with Customers: The Effects of Cultural Differences on Service Encounters

Abstract

Foreign born workers are nearly one and a half times more likely to be employed in the service industry than U.S. born workers and they account for a significant portion of the industry’s net increases in employment. Many foreign-born service workers occupy frontline service positions where they interact directly with consumers and act as the representative of the service organization. The growing diversity of the population has lead to greater opportunities for individuals of different cultural backgrounds to interact in the service environment. This article describes theory and research which suggest that a potential explanation for the effects of cultural differences on service encounters. Results from a study find that service evaluations are negatively affected when culture is made salient during the service encounter. A plan for future research is proposed, as well as a discussion of the current results.