Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Apr 4:16:1063-1077.
doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S400500. eCollection 2023.

Research on Mechanisms of Customer-Oriented Deviance on Brand Trust: The Mediating Roles of Perceived Benefit / Uncertainty and the Moderating Role of Customer Involvement

Yi Zhang  1 , Jingyi Zhao  1
Affiliations

Research on Mechanisms of Customer-Oriented Deviance on Brand Trust: The Mediating Roles of Perceived Benefit / Uncertainty and the Moderating Role of Customer Involvement

Yi Zhang et al. Psychol Res Behav Manag. .

Abstract

Backgrounds and aims: In the era of the service economy, the personalized needs of customers are increasing rapidly. It often occurs that frontline employees bend organizational rules to help customers. The study sought to explore the influence mechanism of specific dimensions of customer-oriented deviance on brand trust from the customer's perspective, examine the mediating role of perceived benefits and perceived uncertainty, and the moderating role of customer involvement in the process.

Methods: We conducted an online survey study in China from May 1 to 20, 2022. We use online survey questionnaire technique and random sampling method for data collection. Participants anonymously completed the measures of customer-oriented deviance scale, perceived benefits scale, perceived uncertainty scale, brand trust scale, and customer involvement scale.

Results: The results show that deviant service adaptation and deviant use of resources positively affect brand trust through the mediation of perceived benefits. In contrast, deviant service communication has a negative effect on brand trust through the mediation of perceived uncertainty. Furthermore, customer involvement plays a negative moderating role in the relationship between deviant service adaptation, deviant use of resources, and perceived benefits. Customer involvement plays a negative moderating role in the relationship between deviant service communication and perceived uncertainty.

Conclusion: Current results demonstrated that there is a double-edged sword effect of deviant customer-oriented behaviors on brand trust. Deviant service adaptation and deviant use of resources positively affect perceived benefits, and perceived benefits positively affect brand trust. Deviant service communication positively affects perceived uncertainty, and perceived uncertainty negatively affects brand trust. Customer involvement plays a negative moderating role in the above processes. This study enriches the study of customer psychological states of customer-oriented deviance, which helps managers use organizational resources rationally to guide and control different types of deviant customer-oriented behaviors effectively. It provides inspiration and references for management practice.

Keywords: brand trust; customer involvement; customer-oriented deviance; perceived benefits; perceived uncertainty.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of commercial or financial relationships that could be constructed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Research model.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The moderating role of customer involvement in deviant service adaptation and perceived benefits.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The moderating role of customer involvement in deviant use of resources and perceived benefits.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The moderating role of customer involvement in deviant service communication and perceived uncertainty.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Zhang LL. A study on the influence of customer-oriented atmosphere on employees’ proactive behaviors. Res Finance Eco Issues. 2021;9:121–129. doi:10.19654/j.cnki.cjwtyj.2021.09.014 - DOI
    1. Hu JJ, Wan Q, Xiong L. Customer-oriented deviance: a new direction for hotel service research. Tourism Hospitality Prospects. 2018;6:69–74.
    1. Leo C, Russell-Bennett R. Investigating Customer-Oriented Deviance (COD) from a frontline employee’s perspective. J Marketing Manage. 2012;28(7–8):865–886. doi:10.1080/0267257X.2012.698636 - DOI
    1. Boukis A. Achieving favorable customer outcomes through employee deviance. Service Industries J. 2016;36(7–8):319–338. doi:10.1080/02642069.2016.1219722 - DOI
    1. Lo Iacono J, Weaven SK, Griffin D. Examination into the effects of job satisfaction on salesperson deviance: the moderating role of customer orientation. J Business Eco Manage. 2016;17(2):173–186. doi:10.3846/16111699.2015.1046399 - DOI