Does it pay off to smile even it is not authentic? Customers’ involvement and the effectiveness of authentic emotional displays

Abstract Research has shown that while the authenticity of positive emotional displays plays an important role in service encounters, it not yet demonstrated a universally effect on customers’ behavior. This study, which is first to present customer involvement as contextual factor influences processing, provides deeper understanding effectiveness displays. The model based expectation disconfirmation theory and contagion validated field experiment two laboratory experiments use video stimuli with actors real-world contexts. results show even inauthentic can meet expectations depending their high-involvement customers adapt employees’ authentic emotions more strongly than low-involvement do. In summary, presented strengthens approach improve labor strategies.