The Role of Conscientiousness on Commitment to Service Quality and Service Recovery Performance

Abstract

This study explores the role of conscientiousness in the service profit chain process. The study extends previous research by investigating the impact of personality traits on employees’ commitment to service quality and service recovery performance. It is proposed that management commitment to service quality and conscientiousness work in concert to influence employee commitment to service quality and their service behavior to enhance customer experience of service recovery. Little attention has been given to understand the role of personality traits on service recovery performance; therefore, the study responded to the call for additional research to improve service behavior. In doing so, the current study contributed to literatures by investigating the role of personality traits on employees’ attitude and service recovery performance. The data was obtained from 1,235 call center agents in Thai to test the collaboration between management commitment to service quality and conscientiousness in influencing employee affective attitude on service quality and their service behavior. The findings confirm that conscientiousness work in concert with management commitment to predict employees’ commitment to service quality and service recovery performance. This study provides insights for business managers that employees’ attitude and service behavior could be enhanced corresponding to the level of management commitment and employee’s personality. Thus, managers should take into account on both employees’ personality, i.e. conscientiousness as well as management commitment to service quality by providing supportive people policies and so as to improve employee service attitudes and delivery.