Emotional Labor and the Difficult Customer: Coping Strategies of Service Agents and Organizational Consequences

ABSTRACT While the service quality literature suggests the importance of courteous service agents, the emotional labor literature has shown that there are important negative personal consequences associated with emotional work requirements. In this study, a survey which evaluated employee responses to the emotional labor involved in serving difficult customers is detailed and significant consequences for the organization are considered. Some of these consequences have the potential to negatively impact several determinants of service quality.