Are Customers Always Right? The Importance of Sincerity and Keenness in Creating Retail Sustainable Development

Abstract

In recent years, sustainability has become one of the essential elements of corporate management. There are many ways retailers can influence and develop a sustainable environment. The Taiwanese retail sector accounts for 10% of GDP. The capital city Taipei has the world’s highest department store density (per capita). This study encapsulates retail expertise to generate ten dimensions from 46 retail service quality scale indicators: SNAKE ROSES. The study first adopts qualitative analysis by conducting semi-structured interviews with five experts in the industry. Fifteen Delphi technique experts were then consulted for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the indicators. Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the most important aspects of customer service were ranked. The study shows that service quality dimensions are Sincerity, Neatness, Attentiveness, Keenness, Empathy, Reliability, Optimism, Steadfastness, Expertise, and Store Policy. Sincerity and Keenness are the most crucial globally. Although numerous researchers have examined the broader topic of perceived service quality, studies have yet to explore the critical role of Eastern culture, and therefore this study introduces an innovative framework. Implications include a conceptual framework for the key factors influencing customer satisfaction, one of the most critical dimensions of perceived service quality and customer satisfaction in the Taiwanese retail industry. A specification for retailers is delivered, intending to improve their sustainability strategies.

1. Introduction

The cultural differences between East and West affect how customers respond to the customer services provided [1]. To gain a competitive advantage in the market, retailers must provide a style of service that caters to customers [2]. Sustainability can be an essential source of competitive advantage for the retail sector [3]. Online Merge Offline (OMO) is a new retail marketing concept that combines the benefits of both online sales and physical stores [4]. There is a strong focus on moving towards this business model in Asia. However, as there is no direct interaction between customers and retailers in the online shopping model, brick-and-mortar retail remains the dominant retail move in Asia [5].

Taiwan ranks first in Asia in terms of financial assets per capita, according to the Allianz Global Wealth Report 2022 [6]. Its capital, Taipei, has the highest density of department stores in the world (88,000 people per store), making the Taiwanese retail industry a fertile ground for the study of brand development and various services. In 2021, there were ten department stores in Taiwan with a revenue of over $10 billion NTD. Therefore, a thriving face-to-face retail sector still emphasizes physical interaction between frontline salespersons and customers [7].

There is no better demonstration of the Chinese aphorism, “the river can sail a boat, but it can also sink it”. Product differentiation is inextricably linked to the service attitudes provided by the frontline salesperson [8,9,10]. Previously, sales training has been needed to pay more attention to the perceived attitudes of salespeople [11]. Attitude is one of the main determinants of purchase intention [12]. More and more organizations are integrating sustainability into their businesses to gain a competitive advantage [13,14]. Therefore, we have developed a new strategic framework and recommendations for practice, investigating the attitudes of frontline salespeople, as defined by the ten service quality scales (SNAKE ROSES).

This study aims to address two significant research gaps: first, to develop a service innovation quality framework suitable for cultural retailing in the East; second, to validate the intangible service quality indicators of the OMO business environment and their importance in physical channels.

This study fills a service quality gap concerning the physical channel of OMO in the retail industry and provides a key for decision-making. Thus, we hypothesize that a service quality framework should be related to Sincerity, Neatness, Attentiveness, Keenness, Empathy, Reliability, Optimism, Steadfastness, Expertise, and Store Policy as ten dimensions. We analyze each indicator’s importance in strengthening retail training, and providing reinforcement via behavioral psychology [15] and behavior shaping [16].

1.1. Literature Review

Customer satisfaction is the top priority for most business ventures and is the interface bridging customers and the business [17,18]. Customer service is of particular interest to the retail industry [19]. Competition in the retail sector is growing increasingly fierce, because products often have significant similarities [20,21]. To this end, good customer service is often seen as winning competitive advantage [22]. The last few decades have seen rapid changes in the retail sector’s business model and marketing strategy, driven by online retailing: in 1984, the English Videotex started the first all-day shopping channel on television; in 1995, the Amazon online bookshop and eBay online stores heralded the age of the E-Commerce Platform. At the time, e-commerce retailing had a limited impact on traditional physical retailing. Nevertheless, a new business model was born [20,23,24].

COVID-19 accelerated digitization and changed business operations, but abnormal e-commerce trends may decline after the pandemic. People may revert to old buying habits, particularly for food and groceries [21]. Therefore, businesses need to adapt commercial models to keep up with changing customer behavior. Some international online retailers have complemented their online presence with physical stores, such as 7-ELEVEN’s acquisition of American Speed Way, Lotte Group’s heavy investment in the Japanese SEIYU supermarket, and PX Mart’s acquisition of RT-MART for $11.5 billion. This rediscovery of traditional physical stores’ value and potential is evident in Taiwan’s growing OMO development. This paper aims to identify the theoretical qualities of customer service in staff training, and highlights that standardization can strengthen responsibility and reduce the costs of sustainable retailing [3,25].

1.1.1. Frontline Salesperson

There is a wealth of research on the importance of the frontline salesperson to a retailer’s success [26,27,28,29]. Consumers are 60% more likely to accept new products as a direct result of the frontline salesperson [30]. When an organization invests in frontline salesperson training, it can improve staff knowledge, skills, and attitudes [1], along with staff knowledge, skills, and philosophy. Furthering better performance and customer service, the literature on employee education and training has proven the strategic relationship between exercise and organizational performance [1]. This movement also results in better customer service and satisfaction, reflecting sales figures. An attitude is a psychological disposition that can be taught and learned [12,13]. Both emotional and factual messaging should be used when promoting a product. Emotional appeals motivate purchases, while information that is true reduces perceived risk [31].

1.1.2. Online-Merge-Offline Service Features

Online-Merge-Offline is a new retail concept that means what it says: linking physical retail stores to an online shopping website. OMO combines a powerful online presence with the appeal of material shopping. Dr. Kai-Fu Lee proposed the OMO concept in September 2017 in China [32]. The OMO model is a business model that connects online e-commerce with offline physical stores, directs the passenger flow from the online platform to offline physical stores, and transforms the passenger flow of these offline physical stores via the dual advantages of online user operation [4]. The effective integration of online and offline channels is the new foundation for the modern retail industry. Many traditional retailers are catching up with this trend in order to meet current customers’ increasing complexities and needs [33,34,35]. Scholars [36] have found that, in cross-border e-commerce, eight factors (training, performance, user-friendliness, trust, usability, security, quality, and design) significantly affect e-service satisfaction. Improving these factors can enhance e-commerce performance and benefit physical stores.

1.1.3. The SNAKE ROSES Illusion

A ‘more live’ relationship in traditional commerce may mean better product customization, which is why improved customer service can lead to increased customer satisfaction [37].There are considerable cultural differences between the West and the East. These affect consumer behavior, experiences, customer attitudes, and satisfaction [1]. In the current literature, there is a deficit of research on Asian retail expertise. To investigate the impact on service quality of the various intangible service qualities in the context of OMO offline physical stores, the SNAKE ROSES indicators were constructed to measure the service quality and attitude of the frontline salesperson. An anagram was formed by the first letters of the ten dimensions: Sincerity, Neatness, Attentiveness, Keenness, Empathy, Reliability, Optimism, Steadfastness, Expertise, and Store policy. This is a framework for sustainable and measurable service indicators. It is expected that the frontline salesperson will behave like a “snake”, with a keen sense of perception and a self-transformation mentality, treating customers with care and passion as if they were “roses”, establishing a unique corporate culture for brand positioning and differentiation.

1.1.4. The Service Quality Model

In a competitive industry, consumer service quality is a critical success factor [1,38]. The quality of customer service can both be affected by tangible and intangible attributes [39]; these attributes make up the attitudes of the frontline salesperson. Improving the quality of customer service has a direct positive impact on customer loyalty and profitability. Therefore, accurate measurement of customer service quality is an essential concern for management [40].

The SERVQUAL scale [20] is the most widely used and respected. Focus Group Interviews analyzed the original 1985 PZB [41] model, the proposed service quality model. In 1988, the model was consolidated into five significant dimensions and 22 questions [20]. Most subsequent research scholars use the modified scale as their benchmark to improve service quality. The five major components are Assurance, Empathy, Tangibles, Responsiveness, and Reliability. SERVQUAL is a broad scale that applies to industries that provide goods and services. However, it has yet to be validated for use in other countries.

Since then, service quality-related issues have attracted various experts and scholars [10,42,43,44,45], but some have questioned the SERVQUAL scale and its suitability for the retail industry as a whole [46,47,48,49,50]. Subsequently, three scholars proposed the Retail Service Quality Scale (RSQS) [49]. RSQS uses qualitative research to determine the main factors that consumers use to evaluate service quality in the retail industry. This has proven useful in the experience of department stores, but still needs to capture the differences in Eastern cultures.

In 2009, James [50] conducted an in-depth case study investigating the differences in consumption patterns between Asian and Western cultures. Despite this, the study was only run by a single wholesaler, so its finding could only be extrapolated to some retail sectors. In [51], the SOR framework was used to understand the impact of live-streaming e-commerce on consumers’ real-time online shopping behavior. Organism factors, such as personal characteristics, psychological states, knowledge and emotions, can significantly affect consumers’ emotional and cognitive states, influencing their purchasing behavior. Balázs et al. [37] proposed an e-commerce supply chain management model that includes customer-oriented marketing strategies, alignment with supply chain partners, and real-time monitoring. These principles also apply to physical stores, helping businesses stay competitive.

SNAKE ROSES is based on expert opinions from across the Taiwanese retail industry in the context of offline sales, which may improve the guidance of customer interactions in a physical face-to-face retail service. Attitude is centered on knowledge about the evaluated entity and gradually accumulates specific detail; as such, it is a predictor of behavior. We can presume that attitudes are tendencies manifested in purchase options [24]. As mentioned above, it can be inferred that this study hypothesizes that the SNAKE ROSES service quality framework consists of the dimensions of Sincerity, Neatness, Attentiveness, Keenness, Empathy, Reliability, Optimism, Steadfastness, Expertise, and Store Policy. The framework is shown in

Table 1. SNAKE ROSES Literature Reference.

Dimensions	Description	Reference
Sincerity	The most critical aspect of customer service is genuine friendliness. A sincere greeting, considered approach, and pleasant demeanor in interacting with customers.	[36,50,52,53]
Neat	Frontline salespersons should approach customers with a courteous attitude, giving a warm and welcome feeling.	[41,49,50,54]
Attentiveness	Treat each customer as a VIP and proactively and thoughtfully assist to meet their needs.	[49,50,55]
Keenness	To identify customers’ needs and understand their key preferences quickly and early, so the interaction can focus on value generation.	[54,56,57,58,59,60]
Empathy	Attentiveness: aim to provide customers with a personalized service, focusing on suitable products and advice.	[20,37,59]
Reliability	Service the process quickly and with commitment, accurately documenting customer preferences.	[20,49,53,61]
Optimism	Entrepreneurs consider optimism an important factor in customer orientation and job satisfaction, leading to emotionally responsive behavior.	[31,62,63]
Steadfast	Demonstrate a high level of teamwork when selling, not attacking competitors’ products, being able to identify primary customers readily, and provide differentiated services.	[1,41,51,64,65]
Expertise	Good professional skills and knowledge; do not exaggerate the product; provide suitable products.	[41,50,53]
Store Policy	Do not be forced to sell products. Prioritize the interests of customers when there is a conflict with company policy.	[49,50,53]

.

1.1.5. The Knowledge Gap and Research Questions

Retailers must adopt a sustainable strategy to guide customers to become loyal [24] and create strong differentiations and a greater willingness to buy their products [66,67,68,69]. To this extent, in order to implement business strategies to create a competitive advantage, special attention must be paid to the benefits and consequences of a frontline salesperson’s service attitude and to customer loyalty. To this extent, to implement business strategies in order to create a competitive advantage, special attention must be paid to the antecedents and consequences of a frontline salesperson’s service attitude and customer loyalty. In addition, the other side of the gap will be presented differently in the current study by focusing on Eastern cultural influences that lead to service attitude indicators. This knowledge gap has led to the development of the main research question, as follows.

• What service quality indicators illustrate the sustainability of the retail industry from the perspective of Eastern culture after the retail sector has entered the OMO marketing model? What is the importance of these indicators?

Answering this question will deliver more insights and create the capability of building a hypothesis for a critical study.

2. Materials and Methods

The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches, qualitative research through expert interviews using Delphi techniques. Constructing innovative service indicators for the sustainable development of the retail industry, AHP was used to present the conclusion and analysis. After an extensive literature review, a semi-structured questionnaire was developed. Five industry experts first confirmed the validity of the questionnaire, each with more than 25 years of experience in the retail industry. A panel of 15 Delphi technique experts and scholars was then invited to form the Expert Panel to conduct three rounds of the Delphi Technique Expert Questionnaire, with the primary goal of constructing a SNAKE ROSES framework based on appropriateness and consistency. The weights of the 46 indicators were analyzed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process.

This study improves the validity of the questionnaire via industry experts, and the successive use of the Delphi Technique is used to improve the content quality of decision making by building consensus, through the expertise and experience of a group of experts, for the evaluation and planning of future policies [70,71]. This study invited a Delphi panel of 15 experts to conduct three rounds of questionnaires. The members preferably held different philosophies and social backgrounds [72]. Traditionally, small samples are used for Delphi technique membership. It is suggested that, if the Delphi technique expert group is less homogeneous, the number of members should be between five and ten [14]. When there are at least 10 members, the group’s errors are minimized and reliability is highest [70]. Therefore, five experts from the industry, five from nonprofit organizations, and five from academia were selected to form the AHP. The appropriateness (M, Mo) and consistency (SD, Q) of the constructed SNAKE ROSES framework using a Likert five-point scale and SPSS 20.0 software were examined, and AHP calculated the weights of the indicators.

Thomas developed the AHP in 1971, which was mainly applied to decision problems under uncertainty and with multiple evaluation criteria [73]. To assess the importance of each indicator, an AHP was conducted. A nine-point scale to compare the significance of each indicator was used, and the scale was divided into five factors: “Absolute Importance”, “Very Strong Importance”, “Essential Importance”, “Weak Importance”, and “Equal Importance”. Fifteen Delphi experts were invited to fill out the questionnaire, and Expert Choice software was selected for the analysis.

The expert respondent’s judgment must exclude subjectivity, which would result in the questionnaire failing to meet the consistency option. Therefore, the consistency index (CI) and consistency ratio (CR) were used to check the consistency of the pairwise comparison questionnaire, which can show the respondent’s judgment before and after the question [73].

The overall framework is categorized into: (1) Sincerity; (2) Neatness; (3) Attentiveness; (4) Keenness; (5) Empathy; (6) Reliability; (7) Optimism; (8) Steadfastness; (9) Expertise; and (10) Store Policy, with ten dimensions and 46 indicators to explore. Conducting a literature review can be summarized into three main phases: planning, conducting the review, and reporting the study [74]. The five stages of the research methodology in this paper are shown in Figure 1. Finally, expert opinions are rated and the SNAKE ROSES dimensions are weighted.

This study used a purposive sampling method to conduct the questionnaire. The process was completed in two stages, firstly with five industry experts and secondly with f15 Delphi technique experts. Responses were coded to ensure anonymity. The study was conducted over three months, from February to May 2022. In the industry expert interview part, five experts were contacted by phone or email to explain the purpose and use of this research. One-on-one interviews were conducted after obtaining the consent of the interviewees. Due to concerns about the pandemic virus (COVID-19), the three experts used communication software (Microsoft Teams version 1.6), and two experts communicated via email.

The results from the Delphi technique experts panel were published anonymously to avoid the influence of a few authoritative experts and to build consensus. Surveys by letter or email were repeated until 15 experts reached agreement. The study was completed in January 2023, and respondents were invited to request summaries of the results by contacting the authors.

3. Results

From the literature review, 49 indicators were compiled to capture the attributes of frontline retail services. Five industry experts were invited to assist in ensuring content validity, making corrections, or adding explanations. Upon discussion with experts, two were deleted, and ten were revised, leaving 47 final indicators in the analysis.

Concerning the 47 indicators revised by the industry experts, 15 experts in the Delphi Technique conducted a three-round survey. SPSS 20.0 was used to analyze the relevance and consistency of the data.

(1)

Selection criteria: Appropriateness: M ≥ 3.5 or Mo ≥ 3; Consistency: SD ≤ 1 or Q < 1.

(2)

Deletion criteria: Appropriateness: M < 3.5 or Mo < 3; Consistency: SD > 1 or Q ≥ 1.

First, we used the Delphi method to conduct qualitative analysis (with four indicator modifications); in the first round of quantitative analysis, we removed one question from the questionnaire due to duplication and amended the questions to 46 indicators. The statistical results for appropriateness and consistency were M = 3.93~5.00 ≥ 3.5, Mo = 4~5 ≥ 3, SD = 0.000~0.748 ≤ 1, and Q = 0.000~0.500 < 1.

The second round of Delphi Technique expert questionnaires was based on the analysis results of the First round of questionnaires, and the importance of the indicators was checked. The questionnaire is divided into two parts. The first part is based on the statistical analysis and correction results of the first round of questionnaires, a reference for experts to use in filling in the second round.

The second part consists of the new questionnaire for the Second round. Delphi Technique experts are asked to select the importance of the SNAKE ROSES indicators. The statistical results for suitability and consistency are M = 4.23~5.00 ≥ 3.5 (where M = 5 has three indicators: Sincerity in customer service, Proper time to swallow your pride, and respond to customer questions promptly). Mo = 4~5 ≥ 3 (Mo = 5, total 41 indicators), SD = 0.000~0.799 ≤ 1, Q = 0.000~0.500 < 1, Remarks = all are reserved. Furthermore, a consensus was reached for qualitative analysis (Second round). Appropriateness and consistency were also within the scope for selection.

The total mean of the mean is 4.64, which means that the concentration of agreement for the indicators is high and the importance of each indicator tends to be influential; the mean of the standard deviation is 0.461, which means that the dispersion of the opinions of the group members is small, indicating that the experts tend to agree on the questions; the more significant the mode, the higher the importance of the indicators, indicating that each indicator has reached the level of importance, as in

Table 2. Delphi technique second round data analysis.

Indicators	Appropriateness		Consistency		Remarks
	M	Mo	SD	Q
1. Sincerity in customer service	5.00	5	0.000	0.000	reserve
2. Maintaining a happy mood at work	4.98	5	0.362	0.000	reserve
3. Smile always on your face	4.74	5	0.676	0.000	reserve
4. Smiling and body language coordination	4.56	4	0.594	0.500	reserve
5. See the advantages of customers at first glance	4.56	5	0.354	0.000	reserve
6. Praise customers generously	4.55	5	0.258	0.000	reserve
7. Sincerely care about customers	4.27	5	0.516	0.500	reserve
8. Speak humorously	4.55	5	0.424	0.000	reserve
9. Proper time up, swallow your pride	5.00	5	0.000	0.000	reserve
10. Listen attentively to customer questions	4.73	5	0.594	0.000	reserve
11. Try to meet customer needs	4.64	5	0.352	0.000	reserve
12. Warm greetings and gratitude	4.61	5	0.640	0.500	reserve
13. Know how to resolve customer’s emotions	4.62	5	0.511	0.500	reserve
14. Observe customer behavior appropriately	4.55	5	0.414	0.500	reserve
15. Understanding customer motivation to purchase	4.72	5	0.458	0.500	reserve
16. Guiding the preferences of main buyers	4.77	5	0.516	0.000	reserve
17. Respond to customer questions promptly	5.00	5	0.000	0.000	reserve
18. Customer first	4.70	5	0.548	0.000	reserve
19. Thinking of our customers from the heart	4.49	5	0.464	0.000	reserve
20. Introduce the company’s products truthfully	4.41	5	0.312	0.000	reserve
21. Keep the conversation in a good tone	4.74	5	0.352	0.000	reserve
22. Focus on customer service	4.60	5	0.507	0.000	reserve
23. Be organized	4.27	4	0.799	0.500	reserve
24. Familiar with the workflow	4.77	5	0.352	0.000	reserve
25. The service process can be done quickly	4.68	5	0.643	0.500	reserve
26. Good communication skills	4.43	5	0.728	0.500	reserve
27. Correctly recording customer preferences	4.23	4	0.640	0.500	reserve
28. Be able to control negative emotions	4.83	5	0.516	0.000	reserve
29. Maintain a suitable attitude when serving	4.58	5	0.352	0.000	reserve
30. Take care of customer self-esteem	4.98	5	0.148	0.000	reserve
31. Think positively	4.35	5	0.724	0.500	reserve
32. Tolerance of bad emotions among customers	4.73	5	0.458	0.500	reserve
33. Identify VIP promptly	4.59	5	0.414	0.500	reserve
34. Customized Service	4.53	5	0.632	0.500	reserve
35. Teamwork	4.23	4	0.673	0.500	reserve
36. Do not attack opponent products	4.97	5	0.258	0.000	reserve
37. No exaggeration of product benefits	4.67	5	0.488	0.500	reserve
38. Spearing professional terminology when appropriate	4.46	5	0.640	0.500	reserve
39. Market Sensitivity	4.13	4	0.640	0.500	reserve
40. Provide customers with suitable products	4.85	5	0.352	0.000	reserve
41. Enhance your expertise	4.63	5	0.458	0.500	reserve
42. Prioritize customer interests	4.87	5	0.352	0.000	reserve
43. Delivering the brand concept	4.76	5	0.516	0.500	reserve
44. Handle issues flexibly	4.47	5	0.640	0.500	reserve
45. Don’t push customers to buy	4.80	5	0.458	0.500	reserve
46. Implementation of company policies	4.67	5	0.478	0.500	reserve
Overall Average	4.64		0.461

.

Since the experts agreed on the second round of Delphi expert questionnaires without additional comments, a third round of expert questionnaires will not occur. The final questionnaire will be based on the second round of Delphi questionnaires. In this study, we again conducted a consistency check on the suitability of the questionnaire, i.e., we calculated the Dimensions Consistency Index (CI) and Consistency Ratio (CR). As indicators of the Consistency Ratio Hierarchy (CRH), as Thomas [73] suggested, the CI and CR must be less than 0.1 to be acceptable. Otherwise, the association of stratified factors would become problematic, and all elements and connections should be reanalyzed.

The results show that Dimensions’ CI = 0.01 < 0.1, CR = 0.02 < 0.1, and the experts agree on the ten Dimension indexes. Indicators CRH = 0.098 < 0.1, which means that the experts have improved consistency in filling out the 46 Indicators for SNAKE ROSES. Indicator Overall Average was M = 4.64, which means that the concentration of agreement is high and tends towards the necessary. SD = 0.461. This means that the dispersion of opinions in the group members is small, and their views on the issues tend to be consistent. The larger the Mo value, the higher the importance of the indicators. In this study, as many as 41 indicators have an Mo value of 5, which means that all indicators have reached the importance level. Thus, the SNAKE ROSES framework was established, as

Table 3. SNAKE ROSES framework.

	Dimensions	Sub-Dimensions	Indicators
S	Sincerity	Friendly	1. Sincerity in customer service
		Friendly	2. Maintaining a happy mood at work
		Smile	3. Smile always on your face
		Smile	4. Smiling and body language coordination
N	Neat	approachable	5. See the advantages of customers at first glance
		Courtesy	6. Praise customers generously
		Courtesy	7. Sincerely care about customers
		approachable	8. Speak humorously
A	Attentiveness	Helpful	9. Proper time up, swallow your pride
		Helpful	10. Listen attentively to customer questions
		Enthusiasm	11. Try to meet customer needs
		Enthusiasm	12. Warm greetings and gratitude
		Enthusiasm	13. Know how to resolve customer’s emotions
K	Keenness	Observation	14. Observe customer behavior appropriately
		Observation	15. Understanding customer motivation to purchase
		Promptness	16. Guiding the preferences of main buyers
		Promptness	17. Respond to customer questions promptly
E	Empathy	Respect	18. Customer first
		Communication	19. Thinking of our customers from the heart
		Communication	20. Introduce the company’s products truthfully
		Communication	21. Keep the conversation in a good tone
		Respect	22. Focus on customer service
R	Reliability	Reaction	23. Be organized
		Doing it Right	24. Familiar with the workflow
		Reaction	25. The service process can be done quickly
		Reaction	26. Good communication skills
		Doing it Right	27. Correctly recording customer preferences
O	Optimism	Positive Thinking	28. Be able to control negative emotions
		Tolerant	29. Maintain a suitable attitude when serving
		Tolerant	30. Take care of customer self-esteem
		Positive Thinking	31. Think positively
		Tolerant	32. Tolerance of bad emotions among customers
S	Steadfast	None	33. Identify VIP promptly
			34. Customized Service
			35. Teamwork
			36. Do not attack opponent products
E	Expertise	Professional Expression	37. No exaggeration of product benefits
		Professional Expression	38. Spearing professional terminology when appropriate
		Learning Skill	39. Market Sensitivity
		Professional Expression	40. Provide customers with suitable products
		Learning Skill	41. Enhance your expertise
S	Store Policy	None	42. Prioritize customer interests
			43. Delivering the brand concept
			44. Handle issues flexibly
			45. Don’t push customers to buy
			46. Implementation of company policies

shows.

To assess the relative importance of each SNAKE ROSES indicator, we used AHP, a nine-point scale, and Expert Choice software to find a weighted close relationship between the indicators. Fifteen project experts checked the relative importance of the questions for the two criteria and selected the importance scale.

The most critical Dimensions were Sincerity (0.232), followed by Keenness (0.151), Attentiveness (0.150), Store Policy (0.125), and the least important were Neatness (0.047) and Reliability (0.047). The most important indicators were sincerity in customer service (0.085) and responding to customer questions promptly (0.085), followed by Proper use of time, Swallow your pride (0.084) and Maintaining a happy mood at work (0.057). The least important are Market Sensitivity (0.005) and Do not push customers to buy (0.006), as shown in

Table 4. AHP index weights and ranking.

Dimensions (Weight)	Ranking	Sub-Dimensions	Indicators	Weight	Ranking
Sincerity (0.232)	1	Friendly	1. Sincerity in customer service	0.085	1
		Friendly	2. Maintaining a happy mood at work	0.057	4
		Smile	3. Smile always on your face	0.019	15
		Smile	4. Smiling and body language coordination	0.008	31
Neat (0.047)	9	approachable	5. See the advantages of customers at first glance	0.035	8
		Courtesy	6. Praise customers generously	0.035	8
		Courtesy	7. Sincerely care about customers	0.006	42
		approachable	8. Speak humorously	0.008	32
Attentiveness (0.150)	3	Helpful	9. Proper time up swallow your pride	0.084	3
		Helpful	10. Listen attentively to customer questions	0.017	18
		Enthusiasm	11. Try to meet customer needs	0.017	19
		Enthusiasm	12. Warm greetings and gratitude	0.010	28
		Enthusiasm	13. Know how to resolve customer’s emotions	0.010	27
Keenness (0.151)	2	Observation	14. Observe customer behavior appropriately	0.008	32
		Observation	15. Understanding customer motivation to purchase	0.044	5
		Promptness	16. Guiding the preferences of main buyers	0.031	13
		Promptness	17. Respond to customer questions promptly	0.085	1
Empathy (0.067)	6	Respect	18. Customer first	0.012	19
		Communication	19. Thinking of our customers from the heart	0.007	36
		Communication	20. Introduce the company’s products truthfully	0.008	35
		Communication	21. Keep the conversation in a good tone	0.017	17
		Respect	22. Focus on customer service	0.017	26
Reliability (0.047)	9	Reaction	23. Be organized	0.006	41
		Doing it Right	24. Familiar with the workflow	0.020	14
		Reaction	25. The service process can be done quickly	0.014	23
		Reaction	26. Good communication skills	0.031	12
		Doing it Right	27. Correctly recording customer preferences	0.006	40
Optimism (0.069)	5	Positive Thinking	28. Be able to control negative emotions	0.008	34
		Tolerant	29. Maintain a suitable attitude when serving	0.007	37
		Tolerant	30. Take care of customer self-esteem	0.017	19
		Positive Thinking	31. Think positively	0.006	44
		Tolerant	32. Tolerance of bad emotions among customers	0.017	19
Steadfast (0.063)	7	None	33. Identify VIP promptly	0.035	8
			34. Customized Service	0.010	30
			35. Teamwork	0.006	43
			36. Do not attack opponent products	0.035	8
Expertise (0.058)	8	Professional Expression	37. No exaggeration of product benefits	0.014	24
		Professional Expression	38. Spearing professional terminology when appropriate	0.007	39
		Learning Skill	39. Market Sensitivity	0.005	46
		Professional Expression	40. Provide customers with suitable products	0.041	6
		Learning Skill	41. Enhance your expertise	0.010	28
Store Policy (0.123)	4	None	42. Prioritize customer interests	0.040	7
			43. Delivering the brand concept	0.019	15
			44. Handle issues flexibly	0.007	38
			45. Don’t push customers to buy	0.006	45
			46. Implementation of company policies	0.014	24

.

4. Discussion

Sustainability in retail is an emerging topic, along with knowing how to communicate retailers’ sustainability initiatives to different audiences [3]. Michael Porter said, “Do not do operationally competitive, do Differentiation Competitive” [75]. A differentiation strategy uses factors other than price to make customers feel different. Therefore, this study constructs an innovative retail service framework (SNAKE ROSES) to strengthen the service attitude of frontline salespeople and enhance corporate differentiation, in order to achieve the goals of sustainable business operation.

This study presents a practical methodology for validating a framework for service quality. Based on a thorough literature review, the study postulated ten dimensions of the service quality framework. Reliability analysis was conducted via industry expert interviews, and validity analysis using the Delphi method was employed to assess the hypothesis. After thorough data analysis and statistical testing, it was determined that the ten dimensions of the framework effectively explain service quality. Based on these findings, we conclude that the ten dimensions of the service quality framework, namely Sincerity, Neatness, Attentiveness, Keenness, Empathy, Reliability, Optimism, Steadfastness, Expertise, and Store Policy, are supported. This study provides empirical evidence that validates the research hypothesis.

In the past, sales training has rarely explicitly focused on the perceived attitudes of salespeople [11], and most scholars exploring retailing scales have not specifically emphasized service attitudes; most have adopted qualitative research methods (e.g., SERVQUAL [20,41], RSQS [49]). Some scholars have considered Eastern culture, but the research object has been a single outlet, which cannot show the whole picture of the retail industry (e.g., [50]). For consumers, in addition to the condition of the goods themselves, the quality of physical goods also includes intangible feelings about the service process [76]. In the micro-profit competition environment, high-quality service delivery is an essential strategy for the survival and competition of enterprises, and consumers’ judgment of service quality depends partly on the performance of service personnel [20,38,41,49]. So far, much of the literature still needs an innovation framework for retail, consistent with Eastern culture and intangible service quality. Therefore, this study is essential for the Eastern brick-and-mortar retail industry.

The purpose of this study is to propose Eastern Culture as an innovative framework related to customer value and sustainable business operations. The study consulted industry and Delphi technique experts to construct the SNAKE ROSES indicators. It used AHP to confirm the ranking of the indicators. According to the experts, the SNAKE ROSES framework dimensions index, in order of importance, consists of: Sincerity, Keenness, Attentiveness, Store Policy, Optimism, Empathy, Steadfastness, Expertise, and the least essential Reliability and Neatness indicators. The results showed that Sincerity and Keenness equally were the most critical dimensions. These findings expand the previous understanding in this field [41,61]. The top five indices of importance for 46 indicators are “Sincerity in customer service”, “Responding to customer questions promptly”, “Proper time up swallow your pride”, “Maintaining a happy mood at work”, and “See the advantages of customers at first glance.” Many service industries worldwide have embraced the concept of “the customer is always right” over many years. However, facing unreasonable customer demands can sometimes be difficult for frontline employees. This study found that “Sincerity in customer service” and “Responding to customer questions promptly” are more likely to win the hearts and minds of customers. The present study not only extends the research of past scholars but also enriches the expansion of research methodologies and contributes to the sustainable operation of the retail industry.

5. Conclusions

Use your heart rather than your mouth to convince people. To win customer satisfaction, you must move consumers with a sincere service attitude and behavior and make them feel the advantage of service quality [41]. This study selects the brick-and-mortar retail industry as the background, analyzes the factors affecting customer service quality, and initially uses interviews with industry experts to construct a framework for the SNAKE ROSES Service Quality Index. Using Sincerity, Neatness, Attentiveness, Keenness, Empathy, Reliability, Optimism, Steadfastness, Expertise, Store Policy as yhe ten indicators, a measurable and consistent service quality rating index framework is constructed. Finally, the Analytic Hierarchy Process was used to comprehensively measure customer service quality in the retail industry. The SNAKE ROSES service indicator framework is expected to achieve sustainable business operations, especially for the Eastern retail industry.

5.1. Theoretical Contributions

With the expansion of retail scale, the retail industry is constantly encountering new challenges in service management. For the retail sector, how to do a better job in offline service quality management and how to retain customers with a high degree of loyalty has become one of the critical factors in the retail industry in obtaining sustainable business operations. Therefore, the retail sector needs to identify the influencing factors on Physical Retail service quality and determine the relevant weights to improve service quality. The SNAKE ROSES Framework is an innovative, practical, and teachable business model that improves upon the original Retail Business Scale, focusing on Eastern cultures. The framework (46 indicators, as in Table 3) also creates a measurable, consistent indicator for sustainability performance assessment, providing companies and frontline salespersons with clear goals and guidelines with regards to customer service quality.

5.2. Practical Implications

Peter Drucker stated, “The purpose of business is to create customers [77]”. In frontline customer service, positive attitudes from the salesperson have a more substantial impact on customers than negative attitudes [78]. PZB (1985) [41] confirmed that the frontline salesperson’s sincere and friendly attitude is essential in determining service quality. Drawing from the Taiwanese retail experience, this study found that the intangible indicators, sincerity and keenness, can better cater to customer needs than blindly following the axiom “the customers are always right”. This study focuses on the impact of intangible service quality on business sustainability and treats the SNAKE ROSES indicators as a framework for measurability and sustainability; the training of frontline salespersons is strengthened in order to improve their service and customer interaction skills; more emphasis is placed on Sincerity, Neatness, Attentiveness, Keenness, Empathy, Reliability, Optimism, Steadfastness, Expertise, and Store Policy in the formation process.

5.3. Limitations

We consulted 20 experts in the frontline retail industry to construct our framework, designed to be practical and teachable to a frontline salesperson. However, the experiences included in this study may reflect something other than the frontline salesperson. In a follow-up study, we interviewed 700 frontline salespersons regarding their expertise to validate the SNAKE ROSES framework. We recommend refining SNAKE ROSES to the particular context before implementation.

5.4. Directions for Future Research

The framework was constructed with expert input. We recommend that further research include front-line salespeople and “on-the-ground” retail experience and is imported into actual corporate operations to analyze the different perceptions of companies and employees. This will allow further refinement of the SNAKE ROSES framework.