Service Encounters, Emotional Labor, and MindfulnessIn the journal:Business Horizons Download the article here

The Authors

Emma (Junhong) WangMcCallum School of Business, Bentley University

Pierre BerthonMcCallum School of Business, Bentley University

Leyland PittBeedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University

Ian P. McCarthyBeedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University

Mind full = MindlessnessWhen we are in a state of mindlessness, we act like automatons: oblivious to important options, stuck in routines, and unable to adapt.

The paper:Wang (Emma) Junhong, Pierre Berthon, Leyland Pitt, and Ian P. McCarthy. Service, emotional labor, and mindfulness, in the journal Business Horizons (2016).Download the article here

Mindfulness:Monastery to main street“If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is. If you try to calm it, it only makes it worse, but over time it does calm, and when it does, there’s room to hear subtler things –— that’s when your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more” (Steve Jobs)

What is mindfulness?Contemplative perspective of mindfulness = a present centred and nonjudgmental awareness of what is happening.

Cognitive perspective of mindfulness = a state of alertness for drawing distinctions and understanding and reacting to the present.

How to be mindful?● Make time to do nothing

and practice focusing on your present surroundings, actions, and emotions.

● Occasionally single task, rather than multi-task and do the tasks slowly.

● At times fully and carefully listen to someone or something.

The service encounterA service encounter is when a customer directly consumes a service, typically via a service employee.

In ‘high contact’ services the service is jointly produced and consumed during the encounter e.g., healthcare and hospitality.

Service employees are like actors who deliver performances (i.e., service experiences)

Four ways mindfulness can improve service encounters?1.Emotion regulation: as service

employees are better able to:● induce or suppress emotions

to sustain an outward countenance that is both empathetic and pleasing to the customer.

● deliver services based on ‘deep acting’ rather than ‘surface acting’.

Four ways mindfulness can improve service encounters?2. Understanding customer expectations: as service employees are better able to:

● observe and more clearly read customers’ emotions.

● engage in dialectical thinking and see different or opposing points of view.

Four ways mindfulness can improve service encounters?3. Situational adaptability and flexibility: as service employees are better able to:

● appreciate the idiosyncratic, experiential and contextual features of a service encounter

● view service encounter disruptions and failures as opportunities, rather than threats.

● Improvise in value-adding ways

Four ways mindfulness can improve service encounters?4. Creativity of solutions: as service employees are better able to:

● reduce negative emotions and enhance cognitive potential and creativity

● to deviate from scripted service reactions and responses

Enhance service encounters by being less “mind full” and more “mindful”

Mindfulness enables service employees to:

1.use deep acting that heightens positive attitudes and feelings toward their work and to their customers

2.be empathetic and better understand customers’ expectations

3.to adapt to and creatively deal with changes in a service encounter

Dr. Ian McCart

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@toffeemen68

Professor, Technology and Operations Management

Beedie School of Business Simon Fraser University

Ian McCarthyIt Depends Blog

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