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All the same to me: outcomes of aesthetic labor performed by frontline service providers

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Abstract

Aesthetic labor practices involve strategically controlling human aesthetics in an effort create a predefined physical appearance profile that becomes part of the value proposition. Retail and service management often implements aesthetic labor by trying to create a matching look among all visible service providers. Social comparison theory provides a general theory that helps explain the way consumers may react to more or less similarity in appearance among service providers. Three studies examine aesthetic labor in service settings. Study 1 tests a theoretical structure suggesting a process by which aesthetic labor in the form of a similar appearance among service providers affects outcomes including self-congruence, affect, hedonic value and future patronage intention. Study 2 adds explanatory power to Study 1 by demonstrating the important role played by authentic fit among service providers. Study 3 explores the impact of uniforms as an aesthetic labor tool and suggests that uniforms may not always enhance perceptions that employees belong together. The research overall demonstrates some counter-intuitive findings including the fact that looking alike is only an effective aesthetic labor strategy to the extent that it drives perceptions of genuine belonging.

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Notes

  1. An additional analysis not reported in detail explored the relative impact of varying market segments on the posited process. Approximately half of participants viewed the slide show as portraying a department store whereas the remaining respondents viewed the shopping experience as a fashion boutique. The idea being that a boutique appeals to a smaller and more narrowly defined target market where a more positive reaction to a homogenous look among employees might be expected. A two-group model constraining all structural parameter coefficients to be equal across these groups produced a difference in χ2 statistics of 44.2 with 13° of freedom (p < .001), suggesting potential differences in relationships between the groups. A series of 1° of freedom χ2 difference tests suggests that two relationships are predominantly responsible for the moderation (p < .05). These relationships suggest stronger, positive relationships between service quality and affect (.54 versus .26) and between self-congruity and intention (.39 versus .16), in boutiques as opposed to department stores. Both suggest a greater role of the employees in creating outcomes in the boutique condition. The direct effects of look similarity on outcomes did not differ.

  2. The design also explored the impact that may result from consumers’ knowledge that a service provider was actively employing aesthetic labor practices. The marketer description included an excerpt from a press release. Embedded within the press release for half of the sample was a statement asserting that the store either strictly enforced an appearance code and dress policy for employees. In the other half, this phrase was substituted with employees are given great freedom in their appearance and dress. The manipulation creates the perception that the similar look occurred through employee actions or managerial policies. A two-group model constraining the relationships to be equal produced an insignificant change in χ 2 (df = 17) of 7.8. The knowledge of aesthetic labor practice does not change the model relationships.

  3. Reviewer comments were helpful in considering the uniform issue and in selecting contexts for Study 3.

  4. The correlation between look similarity and fit is 0.40 (p < .001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Advertising and Public Relations, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Kathrynn R. Pounders & Angeline G. Close

  2. Department of Marketing & Analysis, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, 71272, USA

    Barry J. Babin

Authors
  1. Kathrynn R. Pounders
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Correspondence to Barry J. Babin.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Scale Items

Positive Affect (Means 17.6/18.5)*

  1. 1.

    Excited

  2. 2.

    Happy

  3. 3.

    Cheerful

  4. 4.

    Confident

  5. 5.

    Proud

Empathy (Parasuraman et al. 1988) (Means 8.8/13.5)**

  1. 1.

    The employees here are likely to be friendly.

  2. 2.

    The employees here provide knowledgeable advice.

  3. 3.

    The employees here treat all customers equally.

Self-Congruity (Sirgy et al. 1997; Escalas and Bettman 2003) (Means 6.30/18.6)**

  1. 1.

    The employees and I are very much alike.

  2. 2.

    I can identify with these store employees.

  3. 3.

    These employees are not consistent with the way I view myself.R

  4. 4.

    I feel a personal connection with these employees. (Study 2)

  5. 5.

    These employees pictured could communicate who I am. (Study 2)

Hedonic Shopping Value (Babin et al. 1994; Babin and Darden 1995) (Means 12.7/17.4)**

  1. 1.

    Shopping in this store would be a joy.

  2. 2.

    Shopping in this store would be gratifying.

  3. 3.

    Shopping in this store would feel like an escape.

  4. 4.

    Shopping in this store would let me forget about my problems.

  5. 5.

    Shopping in this store would be fun.

Patronage Intentions (Baker and Churchill 1977) (Means 10.0/14.8)**

  1. 1.

    I would purchase an item in this store.

  2. 2.

    I would shop in this store.

  3. 3.

    I would return to this store in the future.

Perceived Similarity of Service Provider Look (Means 9.84/9.14)

  1. 1.

    The employees here all look very much alike.

  2. 2.

    The employees here share the same ‘look.’

  3. 3.

    The employees here share the same overall appearance.

Fit (Speed and Thompson 2000) (Means na/21.2)

  1. 1.

    These employees share a logical connection.

  2. 2.

    These employees here fit well together.

  3. 3.

    These employees stand for similar things.

  4. 4.

    It makes sense that these employees work together.

* Means for composite scales for study 1/study 2, respectively. ** 5 point scales used in study 1 and 7 point scales used in study 2. Also, for SC, two additional items used in study 2.

Appendix 2

Example of Survey Instructions

The illustrations below illustrate the stimuli that were created to generate variance in the degree to which research participants viewed the employees as sharing the same look.

Condition 1: Similar Fashion Retailer

figure a

Condition 2: Different Fashion Retailer

figure b

Condition 3: Similar Airline

figure c

Condition 4: Different Airline

figure d

Appendix 3

Study 3 Uniform Stimuli

Similar Look-With Uniform

figure e

Different Look- With Uniform

figure f

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Pounders, K.R., Babin, B.J. & Close, A.G. All the same to me: outcomes of aesthetic labor performed by frontline service providers. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 43, 670–693 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0407-4

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