The relationship between employee satisfaction with organizational communication and customer orientation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between satisfaction with the organizational communication and external customer orientation among front-line employees in a commercial recreation setting. Data for the current study were collected through the use of a survey instrument completed by front-line employees of a large regional family entertainment center in the Midwest USA. Contrary to the anecdotal evidence, a significant relationship was not found between the level of organizational communication satisfaction reported by front-line employees and their external customer orientation. Results of the current study are consistent with research by Wagenheim (2006) and Homburg et al. (2009) within a commercial recreation setting, but run contrary to previous studies conducted in non-commercial recreation environments. Results suggest that front-line employees within a commercial recreation setting may be fundamentally different in regard to the organizational communication satisfaction and the customer orientation as compared with front-line employees in other service settings. Suggestions are given that may help managers better facilitate customer orientation among front-line employees.