Lehtinen (1991) proposes that Oriental, American, European, and Soviet service
styles differ on the following customer service style dimensions: (a) empathetic/nonempathetic
illustrates the degree of empathy shown by the service provider in his or
her approach to the customer, (b) efficient/nonefficient describes the efficiency of the
service production process as seen from the customer’s viewpoint, (c) remote/close
illustrates how customers experience the contact resources, and (d) attentive/nonattentive
describes the speed with which contact persons react to the customer’s need.
Lehtinen shows that culture affects service such that the nature of the Oriental service
style is remote, efficient, and very attentive. He states that the American service style
could be described as extremely close and friendly. While American contact persons
try to be attentive and efficient toward the customers, they are not highly empathetic.
In general, the European service style is not as efficient and close as the American
service style. In addition, European service style is not as attentive and empathetic as
the Oriental service style. Lehtinen found that the Soviet service style is extremely
non-attentive, non-empathetic, remote, and inefficient