Within sniffing distance: impact of ambient scent and physical distancing on consumer comfort with frontline employees

Abstract Many sales and service interactions with frontline employees take place in scented places. This research focuses on the effect of ambient scents on consumer comfort with frontline employees and subsequently on the perceived quality of product and service offers. Two experimental studies carried out in actual setting in Paris, in taxis (242 respondents interacting with drivers) and in a small shop (120 respondents interacting with advisors), show that consumer comfort with frontline employees and perceived quality are higher (lower) in the presence of an ambient scent when the frontline employees maintain strong (low) physical proximity with consumers. This study shows the impact of ambient scents in consumers-employee’s relationships and questions their relevance when social interactions are constrained by distancing rules.