<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of how frontline employees cope with service recovery situations and recover from them. It also takes a closer look at employee empowerment. This work represents a qualitative case study, and investigates the topic from the perspective of frontline employees. Data collection is implemented by interviewing the case hotel’s frontline personnel. A content analysis method was utilised to analyse the collected data. The findings suggest that the support of colleagues is more crucial in coping with service recovery situations and recovering from them than the support of managers. Personality traits also play a role. A theoretical scheme of the service recovery process from the perspective of frontline employees is developed from the analysis of the interviews. The findings indicate that written instructions would assist employees in service recovery situations.</p></abstract>

The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of how frontline employees cope with service recovery situations and recover from them. It also takes a closer look at employee empowerment. This work represents a qualitative case study, and investigates the topic from the perspective of frontline employees. Data collection is implemented by interviewing the case hotel’s frontline personnel. A content analysis method was utilised to analyse the collected data. The findings suggest that the support of colleagues is more crucial in coping with service recovery situations and recovering from them than the support of managers. Personality traits also play a role. A theoretical scheme of the service recovery process from the perspective of frontline employees is developed from the analysis of the interviews. The findings indicate that written instructions would assist employees in service recovery situations.

A case study on service recovery: Frontline employees’ perspectives and the role of empowerment

University of Eastern Finland, Business School, P.O.Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu

University of Eastern Finland, Business School, P.O.Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Tel. +358 50 4387 475

European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of how frontline employees cope with service recovery situations and recover from them. It also takes a...

A case study on service recovery: Frontline employees’ perspectives and the role of empowerment

Published Online: Dec 28, 2016

Page range: 117 - 127

Received: Jun 30, 2015

Accepted: Jul 20, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ejthr-2016-0014

Keywords
Service failure, Service recovery, Employee recovery, Empowerment, Frontline employee

© 2016 Satu Schumacher et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

A case study on service recovery: Frontline employees’ perspectives and the role of empowerment

Published Online: Dec 28, 2016

Page range: 117 - 127

Received: Jun 30, 2015

Accepted: Jul 20, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ejthr-2016-0014

KeywordsService failure, Service recovery, Employee recovery, Empowerment, Frontline employee

© 2016 Satu Schumacher et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Service failure, Service recovery, Employee recovery, Empowerment, Frontline employee