The Effect of the Internal Customer (Employee) on the External Customer in Citizenship Behavior: A Mediated Model Through Customer Support Perception

Abstract

Organizational citizenship behaviour, which refers to employees exhibiting extra-role behaviours without expecting any tangible reward, can also be observed in customers. Similar to employees, customers can also engage in voluntary behaviours that are beneficial to the business (customer citizenship behaviour). These behaviours exhibited by both employees and customers areimportant for businesses to achieve their goals and survive. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to determine the direct and indirect effects of employees’ citizenship behaviours on customers’ citizenship behaviours. The study formulated hypotheses based on social exchange theory, examining organizational citizenship behaviour’s direct effect on customer citizenship behaviour as well as its indirect effect on customer support perception. To test these hypotheses, data were collected from 302 customers of clothing stores in Turkey. The data were analysed using SPSS, AMOS, and Process MACRO (for SPSS and SAS) programs. The data were subjected to various procedures. Specifically, frequency analysis, normality test analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis were conducted. In addition, detection analyses for method-related problems (multicollinearity and common method bias), correlation analysis, and regression analysis were performed. The results indicated that the data met the assumption of a normal distribution, the scales used were reliable and valid, and there was no evidence of multicollinearity or common method bias. Controlling for demographic variables, the correlation analysis revealed positive relationships between perception of organizational citizenship behaviour, customer citizenship behaviour and customer support perception. The regression analysis conducted to test the hypotheses revealed that organizational citizenship behaviour has a positive effect on customer citizenship behaviour. Moreover, the results indicated that customer support perception plays a mediating role in this effect. In other words, organizational citizenship behaviour affected customer citizenship behaviour both directly and indirectly (through customer support perception). These findings indicate that employees who are “good soldiers” influence customers to be “good soldiers” as well. Therefore, the study proved the importance of the internal customer (employees) for businesses in influencing the behaviour of external customers. Implications were made based on the findings in the study.