When employees attempt to engage with customers, they conduct emotional labor (Hochschild 1983).
One form of emotional labor is the creation of rapport (e.g. Gremler and Gwinner 2000).
Rapport relates to enjoyable interactions, including feelings of care and friendliness and personal connections based on psychological similarity or a genuine interest in the other party.
It also involves the conveying of authentic understanding, which is particularly important in extended, affective and intimate service encounters (Price, Arnould and Tierney 1995).
Authentic understanding is achieved when service providers and clients engage in self-revelation, expend emotional energy, and connect as individuals rather than simply performing their respective roles (Price, Arnould and Tierney 1995, p. 92).
This is an important part of overall provider performance, influencing customer satisfaction.