Differential effects of frontline employee feedback seeking behaviour towards customers in relational exchanges

The primary purpose of this research is to study the effects of frontline employee (FLE) feedback seeking behaviour (FSB) towards customers on customer relationship quality (with the FLE vs the firm) and performance measures as distal outcomes. While previous FSB studies have focused on peers and supervisors as targets, this study proposes a new conceptualisation of FSB similar to Gong et al.’s (2017) typology; along foci (self and firm) and valence (positive and negative) where customers are the target of the FLE’s FSB. Preliminary studies confirm the validity of the newly developed feedback seeking constructs. The main study uses hierarchical linear modelling to analyse survey data from 246 banking customers nested in 62 private banking reps across 47 branches of 13 of the largest commercial banks in Nigeria. The main study results show differential effects of the FSB types on customer relationship quality with the FLE vs the firm based on how FLEs frame FSB. In summary, the results show that the FLE’s positive (negative) feedback seeking behaviour is positively (negatively) related to the customer’s relationship quality with the FLE and the firm owing to mere measurement effects. The results also show moderating effects of customer and selling orientation on the relationship between firm FSB and customer relationship quality. Additionally, word of mouth was found to be a deterrent to the inherent risk of losing customers that stay loyal to their service reps should they defect to competing firms.