The buffering role of collective mindfulness in customer incivility and service sabotage: a multilevel study of Indian banks

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the moderated mediation effect, wherein collective mindfulness attenuates the hypothesised relationship between customer incivility, service sabotage and psychological well-being and is supported by the conservation of resources (COR) theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiwave and multisource data were collected from 315 frontline employees (FLEs) working in 32 Indian bank branches. Using HLM 7.00, the authors tested a multilevel model in which branch-level collective mindfulness moderated the association amongst individual-level customer incivility, psychological well-being and service sabotage.

Findings

A higher level of collective mindfulness had a profound cross-level effect on the association between customer incivility and service sabotage through psychological well-being.

Originality/value

Distinct from prior research that focussed on individuals' personal resources as a buffer against customer incivility, the authors' study identified branch-level collective mindfulness as a boundary condition that helps employees experiencing customer incivility decrease service sabotage. By uncovering a branch-level variable that reduces the negative impact of customer incivility on service sabotage, the authors' study offers valuable insights for banks to enhance customer service at their branches.

Citation

Gaan, N. and Shin, Y. (2024), "The buffering role of collective mindfulness in customer incivility and service sabotage: a multilevel study of Indian banks", International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 42 No. 3, pp. 596-619. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-07-2023-0371