A study of the effectiveness of emotional labor strategies in predicting customer satisfaction in small- and medium-sized enterprises
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Asaad Alsakarneh 
, Hebah Zaki Makhamreh, Fauzi Zowid , Fawzi Altaany, Kadri S. Al-Shakri, Bilal Sakarneh
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
This study examines the influence of emotional labor strategies on customer satisfaction in Jordanian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with emotional intelligence (EI) serving as a moderating variable. Data from 190 customer-facing employees were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results confirmed that deep acting has a positive influence on customer satisfaction, whereas surface acting has a negative impact. EI was found to mitigate the negative effect of surface acting, but unexpectedly, it also attenuated the positive effect of deep acting. The findings challenge the universal applicability of EI benefits, highlighting cultural particularities in service interactions. For Jordanian SMEs, prioritizing genuine emotional engagement (deep acting) in training is more critical than generic EI training.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, Emotional Intelligence, Emotional Labor, Surface Acting, Deep Acting, SMEs
Authors’ individual contribution: Methodology — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Formal Analysis — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Investigation — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Data Curation — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Resources — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Writing — Original Draft — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Writing — Review & Editing — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Supervision — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.; Project Administration — A.A., H.Z.M., F.Z., F.A., K.S.A.-S., and B.S.
Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
JEL Classification: M10, M12, M51
Received: 22.08.2025
Revised: 20.11.2025; 25.02.2026
Accepted: 16.03.2026
Published online: 19.03.2026
How to cite this paper: Alsakarneh, A., Makhamreh, H. Z., Zowid, F., Altaany, F., Al-Shakri, K. S., & Sakarneh, B. (2026). A study of the effectiveness of emotional labor strategies in predicting customer satisfaction in small- and medium-sized enterprises. Corporate and Business Strategy Review, 7(2), 115–128. https://doi.org/10.22495/cbsrv7i2art11
