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This work analyzes the effect that service company employee behavior has on customer perceptions of the quality of services received, and the consequent company performance. Organizational citizenship behavior has been recognized as relevant behavior of some employees, but its role regarding customer perceptions and company profitability remains unexplored. Beginning with a brief review of the conceptual background of organizational citizenship behavior, service quality, and its consequences, this paper proposes a model to test these relationships empirically. Some helpful recommendations for managing service companies are presented.

The present empirical study intends to address a significant topic for business management, such as the influence of market orientation (MO) on the internal and external environments of an organisation. More precisely, the main objective of this paper focuses on the effect of such an orientation on employees – organisational commitment and OCBs – as well as on customers – satisfaction and perceived service quality.

Structural equation models are employed to analyse the data collected from the spanish retail banking sector in order to verify the hypotheses corresponding to the causal relationships proposed in our research model.

The results achieved in this research represent significant contributions both from a theoretical perspective as well as for management in the service industry. From a theoretical perspective, these findings reinforce the research position stressing the role of the employees in the MO relationship and the operational level of the business incorporating new evidence into this emerging field of study.

Limitations of the study can account for the anomalous relationships that have been identified. First, the cross‐sectional nature of the study could have been an obstacle to revealing short‐term answers. In addition, the empirical study focused on one particular case in the service industry – banking – hindered the generalization of results.

Provides further research on the role of market orientation as a major source of achieving sustainable competitive advantage.

Aims to interrelate two lines of research: market orientation and strategic groups identification. Suggests that degree of market orientation of an enterprise should be connected to its competitive strategy and, also, to its final levels of performance. Identifies, in a highly competitive Spanish sector, groups of homogeneous enterprises with regard to their market orientation degree to see if the identified groups differ significantly in the competitive strategy mainly followed by their members and, also, in their economic profile. Uses cluster methodology and the analysis of variance. Also applies multidimensional scaling to visually represent the position of each enterprise in a perceptual space. Recommends some guides to get a market orientation status and also a competitive position in the competitive space.