Compassionate customer service in ethnic minority microbusinesses

Haq, Muhibul, Johanson, Martin, Davies, Julie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6875-3100, Dana, Léo-Paul and Budhathoki, Tribikram (2021) Compassionate customer service in ethnic minority microbusinesses. Journal of Business Research, 126. pp. 279-290. ISSN 0148-2963

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Abstract

Business researchers and policymakers frequently overlook ethnic minority microbusinesses. Yet, together with small and medium-sized organizations, microbusinesses drive both local and national economies. Combining social capital theory with the resource-based view and building upon 43 in-depth interviews, this study proposes a model of ‘compassionate customer service’. In ethnic minority microbusinesses, coethnic culturally sensitive customer service is an important strategic resource for sustainable success, which high street chains lack. A key challenge for ongoing business survival and success is to ensure that future ethnic minority generations sustain coethnic compassionate customer service.