This document discusses service employees and their important role in delivering quality service. It covers the functions of service personnel in representing the service to customers and influencing customer satisfaction. It also examines sources of conflict for frontline employees and the emotional challenges of dealing with customers. The document provides recommendations for maximizing service employee productivity, such as through effective hiring, training, monitoring, and rewarding employees. The goal is to ensure service excellence and quality service delivery through developing people.

1. Chap. 6 - ServiceEmployees and Their Behavior The old adage, “People are most important asset,” is wrong. The right people are your most important asset. - Jim Collins

2. Functions ofService Personnel/Actors Add tangibility to the service Act as source of information in the commonly ambiguous service situation and help the customer to cognitively frame the service encounter Often perceived as the service itself Customer satisfaction is influenced by the quality of the interpersonal interaction between the customer and the contact employee

3. Performance Issues Cycle of Failure: design jobs that are low skill, emphasize rules instead of service, minimal effort in selection and training. - bored employees who lack ability to respond to customer problems, become dissatisfied, poor service attitude. - low service quality, high employee turnover. Dept. stores, fast foods, call center operations, etc.

5. Bureaucratic hassles, lack of service flexibility, customer resentment

7. Sources of Conflict for Boundary-Spanning Workers Person/role: conflict between what you are asked to do vs. your own personality, orientation, or values: attorney, car salesperson, wearing uniforms at work Organization/client: conflict between organization policies and client demands Ex: employee must follow company policy, but this conflicts with demands of customers

8. Sources of Conflict for Boundary-Spanning Workers Client/client (interclient): incompatible expectations and requirements from two or more customers; television at restaurants Quality/productivity: conflict between effectiveness and efficiency Ex: state auditor is expected to deliver quality, individualized service to state offices and departments, while at the same time finishing jobs as quickly as possible

9. The Emotional Side of Services Workers are required to display cheerful disposition, genuine concern and unrelenting care toward the customer, no matter what the worker’s true feeling Demands of such “emotional labor” can be stressful and mentally challenging

10. Is Empowerment Appropriate? Work requires personalized, customized service. Focus on extended relationships rather than short term transactions. Organization uses technologies that are complex and nonroutine in nature Business environment is unpredictable Employees have strong need to deepen their skills, good interpersonal skills

11. Maximizing ServiceEmployee Productivity Discretionary effort is the difference between the maximum effort one can bring to a task and the minimum effort needed simply to get by. Effort in hiring, training, monitoring, and rewarding service employees

12. Maximizing Service Employee Productivity(cont’d)

13. Maximizing Service Employee Productivity(cont’d) Internal Marketing is the policy of: treating employees as internal customers of the service organization responding to employees’ needs or wants promoting the organization and its policies to the employee

14. Maximizing Service Employee Productivity(cont’d)

15. Ensuring Service Employee Excellence Hire Intelligently: Applicant’s fit with Organization’s Service Culture Hire for technical and social skills – technical skills (proficiency with task), social skills (manner in which service employee interacts with customers and fellow workers)

16. Delivering Service Quality Through People Train Intensely: Double-barreled training: Train for technical and social skills – posture, language, facial expressions, pleasing and attractive ways of talking. Cross-train: to perform multiple task within the organization

17. Delivering Service Quality Through People Monitor Incessantly: Customer Satisfaction Surveys Peer evaluations Mystery shoppers Reward Inspirationally Monetary (pay increase, bonuses) Praise, recognition Meaningful for worker