Research on Mechanisms of Customer-Oriented Deviance on Brand Trust: The Mediating Roles of Perceived Benefit / Uncertainty and the Moderating Role of Customer Involvement

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: In the era of the service economy, the personalized needs of customers are increasing rapidly. It often occurs that frontline employees bend organizational rules to help customers. The study sought to explore the influence mechanism of specific dimensions of customer-oriented deviance on brand trust from the customer’s perspective, examine the mediating role of perceived benefits and perceived uncertainty, and the moderating role of customer involvement in the process. METHODS: We conducted an online survey study in China from May 1 to 20, 2022. We use online survey questionnaire technique and random sampling method for data collection. Participants anonymously completed the measures of customer-oriented deviance scale, perceived benefits scale, perceived uncertainty scale, brand trust scale, and customer involvement scale. RESULTS: The results show that deviant service adaptation and deviant use of resources positively affect brand trust through the mediation of perceived benefits. In contrast, deviant service communication has a negative effect on brand trust through the mediation of perceived uncertainty. Furthermore, customer involvement plays a negative moderating role in the relationship between deviant service adaptation, deviant use of resources, and perceived benefits. Customer involvement plays a negative moderating role in the relationship between deviant service communication and perceived uncertainty. CONCLUSION: Current results demonstrated that there is a double-edged sword effect of deviant customer-oriented behaviors on brand trust. Deviant service adaptation and deviant use of resources positively affect perceived benefits, and perceived benefits positively affect brand trust. Deviant service communication positively affects perceived uncertainty, and perceived uncertainty negatively affects brand trust. Customer involvement plays a negative moderating role in the above processes. This study enriches the study of customer psychological states of customer-oriented deviance, which helps managers use organizational resources rationally to guide and control different types of deviant customer-oriented behaviors effectively. It provides inspiration and references for management practice.