It takes 2 to Tango: The role of emotion in service interactions

Transcription

1 It takes 2 to Tango: The role of emotion in service interactions March 19, 2015 Véronique TRAN

2 Tango, you said tango? 2

3 Emotion and business are much more connected than we usually acknowledge! Company Practices Satisfied Employees Less turnover Consistent service Customer s Perceived Value Satisfied customers Customer referrals Higher Revenue Growth and Profits 3

4 What is an emotion? Emotion is an episodic phenomenon, of a relatively brief duration, event/object specific Translation = you always have an emotion because of something or someone! 4

5 Our brain is the mastermind Emotion is a multiple-component phenomenon: With a cognitive content, With some physiological manifestations With focused and specific behavioral implications (e.g. specific facial expression; action tendencies) With a subjective feeling This cognitive evaluation triggers conversations between different parts of our brain 5

6 Our body sends us valuable messages Emotion is a multiple-component phenomenon: With a cognitive content, With some physiological manifestations With focused and specific behavioral implications (e.g. specific facial expression; action tendencies) With a subjective feeling 6

7 We catch facial expressions and have instantaneous information about others Emotion is a multiple-component phenomenon: With a cognitive content, With some physiological manifestations With focused and specific behavioral implications (e.g. specific facial expression; action tendencies) With a subjective feeling 7

8 What about emotion and customer service? Service with a Smile or Using the Right Tone It can be part of a company s strategy From the employee point of view, we are talking about emotional labor From the customer point of view, we are talking about customer delight, customer loyalty, customers leaving, customer rage 8

9 From the employee point of view Emotional labor is the effort, planning and control needed to express organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions: with the clients with one s collaborators I introduced the term emotional labor to capture the emotional dimension of what is produced in most service industries 1979 Source: A. Hochschild, The Emotional Labour in Health Care: Who Takes Care of the Carers? 9

10 There are two ways of regulating emotions in the emotional labor context Surface acting Changing the face You pretend to display an emotion while being aware you are acting for a specific audience Deep acting Changing the heart You really change your emotions by exhorting yourself, remembering past memories (e.g. sad memories when at a funeral) 10

11 We can imagine interaction scenarios 11

12 An example of emotional congruence 12

13 An example of emotional divergence The Pretty woman effect 13

14 An example of emotional convergence 14

15 Pleasant Companies should gain insights in moving from Emotion added value to Economic added value Company Practices Satisfied Employees Less turnover Consistent service Customer s Perceived Value Satisfied customers Customer referrals Antagonistic emotions Unpleasant Disgust Envy Contempt Guilt Anger High control Pride Elation Joy Achievement emotions Satisfaction Relief Higher Revenue Growth and Profits Shame Hope Fear Interest Resignation emotions Sadness Surprise Low control EVA Approach emotions EVA 15

16 So, ready to danse? Antagonistic emotions Anger High control Pride Achievement emotions Contempt Disgust Elation Joy You Envy Guilt Satisfaction Relief Me Shame Fear Hope Interest You Resignation emotions Sadness Surprise Low control Approach emotions 16