The effects of nonverbal communication of employees in the family restaurant upon customers’ emotional responses and customer satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to understand interrelationships among customers’ perception of nonverbal communication, customers’ emotional responses and customer satisfaction in the family restaurant. A total of 333 customers in Korea participated. The results showed that employees’ kinesics and proxemics among nonverbal communications have a significant effect on customers’ positive emotions, while employees’ kinesics and paralanguage affect customers’ negative emotions. Also, it was found that whether customers feel positive or negative determines their satisfaction. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

Research highlights▶ The purpose of this study was to understand interrelationships among customers’ perception of nonverbal communication, customers’ emotional responses and customer satisfaction in the family restaurant. ▶ The study shows that employees’ kinesics and proxemics among nonverbal communication methods have a significant effect on customers’ positive emotions, while employees’ kinesics and paralanguage affect customers’ negative emotions. In addition, it was found that whether customers feel positive or negative determines their satisfaction. ▶ Based on an objective analysis, this study concludes that a high level of nonverbal communication performed and provided by employees to customers has a direct impact on tangible outcomes such as customer satisfaction. In particular, this study provides a desirable result for restaurant managers, which is necessary in their establishment of policies on overall management, by inducing them to establish practical methods of encouraging their employees to change their nonverbal communication in a positive way. ▶ Consequently, companies should pay overall attention to designing strategies to manage nonverbal communication methods, which help increase customers’ positive emotions, reduce their negative emotions and trigger their favorable behaviors.