Managing service quality in high customer contact B2B services across domestic and international markets |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Marketing and International Business, Lee Business School, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA;2. Department of Marketing and International Business, Carson College of Business, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4750, USA;3. Department of Marketing, College of Business and Economics, University of Wisconsin—Whitewater, Whitewater, WI 53190-1790, USA;1. East Carolina University, College of Business, 3102 Harold H. Bate Building, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, USA;2. University of Kentucky, 425N Gatton College of Business and Economics, Lexington, KY 40506-0034, USA;1. University of Birmingham, Department of Marketing, Birmingham Business School, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom;2. Foundation for Management Education, Unit C, 33/F, Tower 6, Harbour Place, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong;1. HAN University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 5171, 6802 ED Arnhem, The Netherlands;2. Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9108, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands;3. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;1. University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA;2. University of Wisconsin—Whitewater, USA |
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| Abstract: | This research aims to examine the nature of the moderating influence of empowerment on the effect of service training and internal marketing on service quality in a high customer contact B2B setting, and to investigate the differential effects of internal marketing, service training, and empowerment on service quality across domestic and international operations. Data from 880 customer-contact employees show several direct and interaction effects. Our analysis shows that the three focal variables, internal marketing, service training and empowerment positively relate to service quality. Our results support a positive moderating influence of empowerment on the relationship between internal marketing and service quality, and between service training and service quality. Finally, our hypotheses for the moderating influence of type of service operations (domestic/international) on the effect of internal marketing and service training on service quality were also supported. Our results suggest that offering service employees the skills, ability and power to do their job is essential in both domestic and international operations, and also helps maximize the effects of a firm's internal marketing efforts and service training. Overall, the findings inform managers as to how their employee focused strategies for service quality can be managed effectively across domestic and international markets. |
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