Employees Role in Service
Delivery
CHAPTER 11
Service Employees and Their Behavior
 Why Are Service Employees So Important?
 Are All Service Employees Equally Important?
 Which Are More Important: Technical Skills or
Social Skills?
Are All Service Employees Equally
Important?
 Boundary spanners – the frontstage/line
employees who link an organization with its
customers.

Represent the organization to customers as well as provide
information about customers to the organization

Can range from subordinate positions to professionals
 Technical skills – the proficiency with which
service employees perform their tasks.
 Social skills – the manner in which service
employees interact with customers and fellow
workers.
Importance of Service Employees
 Service employees:
 Are the service – e.g., hair cutting, personal training
 Are the organization in the customer’s eyes
 Are the brand – e.g., a flight attendant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIEIvi2MuEk
 Are the marketers – most service firms look to build
relationships with their customers
Ensuring Service Employee Excellence
 For all workers—the frontstage “boundary
spanners” and those who work backstage--its
important to:

Hire intelligently

Train intensively

Monitor incessantly

Reward inspirationally
 Sometimes, it’s necessary to address employees’
poor performance
The Changing Role of Employees in Service
Firms
• Many routine transactions are now conducted without
involving front-line staff, e.g.,



ATMs (Automated Teller Machines)
IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems
Websites for reservations/ordering, payment etc.
• Though technology and self-service interface is
becoming a key engine for service delivery, front-line
employees remain crucially important
• “Moments of truth” affect customer’s views of the service
firm
The Service Talent Cycle for Service Firms
(Fig. 11.12)
Tools to Identify the Best Candidates
• Employ multiple, structured interviews


Use structured interviews built around job requirements
Use more than one interviewer to reduce “similar to me” biases
• Observe candidate behaviour



Hire based on observed behavior, not words you
hear
Best predictor of future behaviour is past behavior
Hire those with service excellence awards and
complimentary letters
• Give applicants a realistic preview of the job



Chance for candidates to “try on the job”
Assess how candidates respond to job realities
Allow candidates to self select themselves out of the job
Singapore Air
What are the implications of the following
communication?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNEJrd6GkSY&f
eature=youtu.be