Societal Factors Can Shape How Companies Best Respond After Customers Misbehave

Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management | September 11, 2024

Apologizing to customers who witness other patrons misbehave may not always be the best response for hospitality businesses, researchers find UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — From rule breaking and theft to verbal abuse and foul language, one customer’s behavior can negatively affect another customer’s experience. How hospitality businesses can best respond to instances of customer misbehavior can depend on the strictness of societal norms, according to a new study from researchers in the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. The study, published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, found that customers who observe m...