A service brand’s offering is intangible and therefore sometimes difficult for customers to understand. Acknowledging the importance of human elements in service brand success, STHM researchers conclude that employees and customers are significant information sources for other customers to gain knowledge of the brand. 

Ceridwyn King and Lu Lu emphasize that social cues observed during a service encounter between employees and customers, employees and other employees and other customer interactions affect consumers’ understanding and evaluation of the brand. When these cues are consistent with how the brand has been promoted, customers are more easily able to positively assess a brand, affirming the importance of expanding brand management efforts beyond the marketing department to operational and human resource decision making.