How and when Identification with a Boundary-Spanning Part of One's Organization Influences Customer Satisfaction

Membership of boundary-spanners is controversial, as employees operate largely at the borders of the organization in close relations with customers. Nevertheless, we know little about its influence on customer satisfaction. We investigate how and when identification with the branch influences customer satisfaction. The how question is answered by showing that degree of control of one's performance mediates the impact of branch manager identification on customer satisfaction. The when question is answered by proposing two moderating variables. Locus of control regulates the extent to which identification influences performance control. Dedicated meetings between branch managers and their colleagues regulate the degree to which performance control influences customer satisfaction. Hypotheses were tested in a longitudinal design on a sample of 1,461 managers from a firm specializing in banking and financial services in Europe. Results largely confirm our hypotheses, providing a novel look on determinants of customer satisfaction from the perspective of boundary-spanning managers.