COVID-19 시기에 5성급 호텔 레스토랑 직원의 비언어적 커뮤니케이션이 사회적 라포 및 관계지속의도에 미치는 영향 : 고객 공감의 조절효과

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of non-verbal communication of five star hotel restaurant employee perceived by customer on social rapport and relationship continuity intention during COVID-19. This study also investigates the moderating effect of customer empathy and mediating effect of social rapport. The final valid 312 samples among customers who have a experience of visiting five star hotel restaurant at least more than two times were put into the empirical analysis. We performed multiple & hierarchical regression analysis to investigate the research hypotheses and identify whether a mediating and moderating effect exists. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, we found that non-verbal communication had a significantly positive effect on social rapport and relationship continuity intention. It means that the higher customer’s perception of non-verbal communication, the higher social rapport and relationship continuity intention occurred Second, we turned out that moderating effect of customer empathy and mediating effect of social rapport were statistically significant. It implies that a significant difference in the effect of non-verbal communication on social rapport by customer empathy exists, and in the influential relationship between non-verbal communication and relationship continuity intention social rapport plays a mediating variable role. These results suggest that non-verbal communication is the key determinant of social rapport and relationship continuity intention. Hence, if five star hotel restaurant managers who want to raise relationship continuity intention via social rapport during COVID-19, they have to consider the non-verbal communication as a strategic tool.