Moments of truth: Examining transient authenticity and identity in service encounters

We explore service employees' transient authenticity in their interactions with customers. Drawing on interviews with employees, we present a model of authenticity that begins with the salience of a customer's nonservice identity characteristics and an employee's identification with his or her task, both of which generate a sense of autonomy in employees. This psychological autonomy enhances the behavioral expression of authenticity, though such expression may yield costs involving loss of resources. Authenticity is reflected in uncalculated honesty, viewing a task as a personal endeavor, and conveying distinctive interpersonal closeness to customers.