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Critical Implications ofService Employees

D. Sudha

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The Critical Importance of Service Employees

Boundary Spanning Roles

Strategies for Closing Gap 3

Objective

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Importance of service Employees

People Frontline employees and those supporting them

from behind the scenes are critical to the success of any

service organizations

They are the service. Ex : Doctors, trainers They are the organization in the customers eyes.

They are the brand. Ex : Financial institutes

They are marketers. They act as walking billboard frompromotional point of view. Ex : Bank tellers cross sell

bank products

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Service Employees

Their importance is evident in: The Services Marketing Mix (People)

The Service-Profit Chain

The Services Triangle

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The Services Marketing Triangle

InternalMarketing

Interactive Marketing

ExternalMarketing

Company(Management)

CustomersEmployees

enabling thepromise

delivering the promise

setting thepromise

Source: Adapted from Mary Jo Bitner, Christian Gronroos, and Philip Kotler

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Boundary Spanning Roles

Focus is on the frontline service employees whointeract directly with customers

Boundary Spanners: Front line employees are

referred as Boundary spanners as they operate in

the boundary of the organization

They perform functions in understanding, filtering

and interpreting information and resources to and

from the organization and its external

constituencies

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Boundary Spanners Interact with Both Internal

and External Constituents

Internal Environment

External Environment

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Boundary Spanning Roles

Emotional Labor All the boundary spanners are characterized by

Emotional Labor.

Emotional Labor is the labor that Goes beyond thephysical or mental skills needed to deliver quality

service. Ex : Giving Smile, Having Eye Contact,

showing interest, friendly conversation

It often requires to suppress their true feelings to

deliver service

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Sources of Conflict for

Boundary-Spanning Workers

Person vs. Role

Organization vs. Client

Client vs. Client

Quality vs. Productivity

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Sources of Conflict forBoundary-Spanning Workers

person/role conflict Boundary spanners feel conflicts between what they are asked to

do and their own personalities, orientations or values are.

Ex: wearing of dress as per the job requirement

organization/client conflict

Front line employees face the conflicts when te rules, regulations

of the organization are not customer centric.

They Get in conflict when customers have excessive demands

whether to obey customers or follow the riles of organization

Following the customer, might risk the job

Following the organization may dissatisfy customer and so no tips.

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Sources of Conflict forBoundary-Spanning Workers

Interclient conflict

Conflict occurs for boundary spanners when

incompatible expectations and requirements arise from

two or more customers

This occur when servicing customers in turn(Doctor), or

serving simultaneously(Teachers)

Time rendered for each customer, the degree ofinterpersonal relationship expected by customers

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Sources of Conflict forBoundary-Spanning Workers

Quality/productivity conflict Front line workers are asked to be both effective and efficient

Frontline employees are asked to deliver courteous service to

employees and also reach their target on time.

This trade off between quality and quantity, and effectiveness

and efficiency put pressures on service employees

Internal support from understanding managers and control

over job task can help employees to handle the quality/

productivity tradeoffs.

Technology is used extensively to handle the quality and

productivity tradeoffs.

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CUSTOMER

COMPANYService Delivery

GAP 3

Customer-DrivenService Designs and

Standards

Provider GAP 3

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Gap 3

also known as the Service delivery gap.

It is the difference between specifications orstandards of service quality and the actual service

delivered to customers.

The possible major reasons for this gap are:Deficiencies in human resource policies such asineffective recruitment, role ambiguity, role conflict,improper evaluation and compensation systemIneffective internal marketingFailure to match demand and supplyLack of proper customer education and training

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Customer-

Oriented

Service

Delivery

Hire the

Right People

ProvideNeeded Support

Systems

Retain the

Best

People

Develop

People to

Deliver

Service

Quality

Hire for

Service

Competenciesand Service

Inclination

Provide

Support ive

Technology

an dEquipment

Trea

t

Emp

loyees

as

Cus

tomers

Em

pow

er

Em

plo

yees

Human Resource Strategies for Closing GAP 3

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Strategies for closing GAP 3

Hire the right people

Compete for the best people

Hire for service competencies and Service Inclination

Be the preferred employer

Develop people to deliver Service Quality

Train for Technical and Interactive Skills

Empower Employees

Promote team work

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Strategies for closing GAP 3

Provide Needed Support Systems

Measure Internal Service Quality

Provide Supportive Technology and Equipment

Develop Service Oriented Internal processes

Retain the Best People

Include Employees in the Companys vision

Treat Employees as customers

Measure and Reward strong service performers

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Technology Spotlight:Services Production Continuum

1 2 3 4 5 6

Gas Station Illustration1. Customer pumps gas and pays at the pump with automation

2. Customer pumps gas and goes inside to pay attendant3. Customer pumps gas and attendant takes payment at the pump4. Attendant pumps gas and customer pays at the pump with automation5. Attendant pumps gas and customer goes inside to pay attendant6. Attendant pumps gas and attendant takes payment at the pump

Customer Production Joint Production Firm Production

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