When customers exhibit verbal aggression, employees pay cognitive costs

The Journal of Applied Psychology
Anat RafaeliRavit Scheyer

Abstract

In 4 experimental studies, we show that customer verbal aggression impaired the cognitive performance of the targets of this aggression. In Study 1, customers' verbal aggression reduced recall of customers' requests. Study 2 extended these findings by showing that customer verbal aggression impaired recognition memory and working memory among employees of a cellular communication provider. In Study 3, the ability to take another's perspective attenuated the negative effects of customer verbal aggression on participants' cognitive performance. Study 4 linked customer verbal aggression to quality of task performance, showing a particularly negative influence of aggressive requests delivered by high-status customers. Together, these studies suggest that the effects of even minor aggression from customers can strongly affect the immediate cognitive performance of customer service employees and reduce their task performance. The implications for research on aggression and for the practice of customer service are discussed.

Citations

Jun 9, 2015·Journal of Applied Social Psychology·Karen Niven
May 7, 2020·Stress and Health : Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress·Seonghee ChoUnber Ahmad
Jan 29, 2019·Work : a Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation·Valentina SommovigoDeirdre O'Shea
Jun 7, 2021·Journal of Dental Education·Andrew WoolumPanagiotis Zoidis
Aug 28, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Youngeun ChuEung Il Kim
Apr 18, 2018··Neta BarkayMonika Westphal

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