Classifying, identifying and managing the service brand saboteur

This paper explores the management of brand saboteurs. The literature emphasises the role of the employee in delivering a service brand, and advocates the cultivation of brand ambassadors. Yet there exist saboteurs, employees who work against the brand, and there is a dearth of literature exploring this group. Through 20 in-depth interviews with mangers in the Irish banking and grocery sectors, the researchers identify three types of sabotage: deviance, underperformance, and service failure. A framework for identifying potential saboteurs is presented, together with methods to manage these employees. Notably, the paper identifies the criticality of saboteur management in a ‘job for life’ environment.