Consumer involvement in services and its implications on language

Consumer involvement in the production of services is a prevalent concept in the service marketing literature (e.g. Bitner et al. 1997; Bloemer & De Ruyter 1999; Holmqvist 2009; Czinkota & Ronkainen 2010; Holmqvist 2011; Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013). Consumer involvement refers to the degree to which the consumer participates in the service encounter (Holmqvist 2009) and it may vary between different services. The most common classification of service encounters is into low involvement, middle involvement and high involvement services (e.g. Bitner et al. 1997; Bloemer & De Ruyter 1999; Holmqvist 2009). The higher the involvement of a service the more a consumer participates in the service encounter.

Based on previous two chapters, it is evident that communication and native language use have an important role in service encounters. However, academic research (Holmqvist 2011; Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013) provides evidence on how effective communication and native language are particularly important in some services; these services are called high involvement services.

According to Bloemer and De Ruyter (1999), high involvement services refer to services where the service delivery takes place over an extended period of time and the customer has an important role. In high involvement services active consumer participation in co- production is essential (Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013) and the service is often customized for the consumer (Bitner et al. 1997). In fact, service delivery of a high involvement service cannot take place without active consumer participation, and the service includes a high risk or high uncertainty for the consumer (Holmqvist & Grönroos 2012). Typical examples of high involvement services are financial, legal and medical services as well as education (Bitner et al. 1997; Holmqvist 2009; Holmqvist & Grönroos 2012).

Low involvement services are services, in which customer presence is required during the service delivery, but the service provider provides the service and the service requires little participation and co-production from the customer (Bitner et al. 1997; Holmqvist & Van Vaerembergh 2013). In low involvement services is the service encounter with a service provider is often of very short duration (Bloemer & De Ruyter 1997). Typical examples of low involvement services are fast food restaurant or a cafeteria visit and a symphony concert (Bitner et al. 1997; Holmqvist 2011). In middle involvement services customer inputs (e.g. material, information) are required for service creation, but the service provider provides a somewhat standard service that can be customized slightly (Bitner et al. 1997). Examples of middle involvement services are full service restaurant and a haircut (Bitner et al. 1997; Holmqvist 2011).

In high involvement services the service outcome is dependent on consumer participation and how well the consumer performs his/her role (Bitner et al. 1997). To give an example, Bitner et al. (1997) note that patients in health care are part of the health service production process as they contribute the process by providing information about their ailment and symptoms. If patients provide precise medical information about themselves in a timely manner, their doctors are able to do more accurate diagnoses. Thus, the quality of information that the patient is providing can ultimately affect the quality of the treatment outcome (Bitner et a. 1997). On the other hand, patients also need to follow their doctors‟ advices in order to receive the desired outcome, so the patient also needs to participate and engage during the treatment process.

Empirical research in service marketing field (e.g. Holmqvist 2011; Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013) has found a relationship between consumer involvement in services and native language use. Holmqvist (2011) concludes in his empirical study that native language use is important for consumers in all service encounters. However, at the same time it is particularly important in high involvement services, like bank services and health care, which were also found to be the two high involvement services in which native language use is most important for consumers (Holmqvist 2011). Correspondingly, Holmqvist and Van Vaerenbergh‟s (2013) findings suggest that across studies in three countries (Belgium, Canada, Finland) all consumer groups studied – both bilingual and not bilingual, female and male as well as young and old – find it important to be served in their native language in high involvement services, whereas in low involvement services native language use is less important. The same study suggests that in low involvement services older consumers find it more important to be served in their native language than younger consumers (Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013).

The importance of native language use in high involvement services is due to the fact that in high involvement services special vocabulary is often needed and increased consumer involvement also often indicates increased communication between the parties (Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013). In general, high involvement services often have a large impact on a consumer. McDougall and Levesque (2000) note that consumers view those service encounters differently that directly affect their person in some way, and they have demonstrated empirically that service encounters that could potentially cause pain for a customer (e.g. dentist) or can have a negative impact on customer‟s appearance (e.g. hairdresser) are evaluated in a different way than more neutral service encounters like a restaurant visit.

As already mentioned in the previous chapter, consumers also have an emotional connection to their native languages (Holmqvist 2011; Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013), which also affects their language preferences. Besides, in low involvement services (such as grocery shopping or a cafeteria visit), it is easier to gain the desired outcome of the service by using other language than one‟s native language (Holmqvist & Van Vaerenbergh 2013). Low involvement services are less dependent on consumer co-production in service encounters, which makes it less important to understand every word of the interaction with the service

Native language use also affects consumers‟ behavioral reactions and actual behavior in service encounters, for example the consumer‟s willingness to pay about the service (Van Vaerenbergh and Holmqvist 2013). Holmqvist (2009) has found in his study that most consumers are willing to pay a premium even in low involvement services if they have the possibility to be served in their native languages. Besides, in general consumers prefer being served in their native language to the extent that they require a large price discount when switching to a company that is not providing service in their native language (Holmqvist 2009). Correspondingly, Van Vaerenbergh and Holmqvist (2013) demonstrate that consumers are more eager to tip the service provider when they are served in their native language. Van Vaerenbergh and Holmqvist‟s (2013) study also indicates that consumers who are served in their native language perceive higher service quality than consumers who are served in their second language.

All in all, Holmqvist (2011) concludes that consumers consider it essential to use their native language in services that include high physical or financial risk (e.g. medical and financial services). Similarly, they find native language use less important in less risky service contexts, like in a cafeteria or grocery store. Holmqvist (2009, p. 35) writes:

Being able to communicate effortlessly with the service provider is an important part of good service communication, an importance that grows the more involved the consumer is.