Communication in the service provider-customer relationship: the role of gender and communication strategy
Sparks, B.A.; Callan, V.J.
Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing 4(4): 3-23
1997
Document Number: 341593
The study examined the effects of a service provider's gender and style of interacting with a customer, and the customer's gender, upon evaluations of the performance of the service which was provided. Two hundred and ten subjects at a university in Australia rated the performance of a male or female service provider (hotel reservationist) who used three interactional styles (under, medium and over accommodation) which were operationalized using audio taped stimulus material. Results indicated that service provider communication style and gender influenced performance ratings. Male and female service providers were judged differently based upon their interactions with customers of the same or opposite sex. A medium style of accommodative communication was generally preferred regardless of whether the service provider and customer were of the same or opposite sex. However, the other styles of accommodation were evaluated more favourably when the service provider and customer in the dyad were of the opposite sex. Differences in judgements of performance are explained in terms of communication and gender role theory.