Embodiment of activity progress: The temporalities of service evaluation

Editors: Deppermann, A. and Streeck, J.

Pages: 261-291

Publisher: Jon Benjamins

Abstract:

This paper examines participants’ negotiation of temporality in the service-assessment activity in haircutting sessions. The customer performs an adequate inspection to validate their assessment, and the stylist secures enough time for the customer’s self-inspection to ensure their satisfaction. Yet, an efficient progress of this activity is crucial, as there are often subsequent customers waiting. My analysis shows that this dilemma of taking enough time without taking too much time is managed by the participants’ embodiment of valid activity progress, which is realized through their (sometimes asynchronous) mobilization of multimodal resources. Such activity organization helps participants not only to embody the meaningful (versus wasted) consumption of time, but also to secure the customer’s enhanced appreciation of the service outcome.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/30241/

https://benjamins.com/catalog/pbns.293

Source: Manual