What the eye does not see,the mind cannot reject: Can call center location explain differences in customer evaluations?

Moving call centers offshore may be an effective way to increase service productivity by lowering costs, yet recent research suggests that customers associate offshore call centers with lower service quality. This study clarifies customer evaluations of call centers with a field study that examines how customer perceptions of a foreign accent, call center location, and the agent's customer orientation relate to nonmonetary performance outcomes. Multivariate analysis of data collected from more than 800 customers using call centers located in three countries suggests that neither accent detection nor call center location relates to customer satisfaction, trust, or word-of-mouth communication; only perceived customer orientation has an effect on these outcomes. These findings suggest offshore call center locations are not necessarily associated with lower performance outcomes and that service firms should place a higher priority on ensuring call center agents have a strong customer orientation, rather than on avoiding the use of call centers abroad.     

Customer Service in UK call centres: : organisational perspectives and employee perceptions

The 1990s have witnessed a dramatic rise in consumer demand for, and hence provision of, call centres in the UK. Central to the success of call centres is customer service. Although there exists an ever-expanding tranche of literature on call centres and customer service, it primarily focuses on aspects of their functionality. In contrast, this article encompasses analysis of organisational perspectives and employee perceptions in its review of the contemporary nature of customer service in UK call centres. Drawing from recent, exploratory research, the article asserts that, in general, there is significant potential for improving customer service and satisfaction through the medium of more sophisticated employee management practices.     

The consequences of customer-oriented constructive deviance in luxury-hotel restaurants

Prior research has illustrated the antecedents of customer-oriented constructive deviance. However, research on their consequences has been limited. To clarify the relationship between customer-oriented constructive deviance and its outcome, the present study is based on affective event theory and posits that customer-oriented constructive deviance predicts customer gratitude and employee guilt, which in turn lead to customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty, respectively. This research also investigates how service and ethical climates moderate these relationships. Based on a dataset comprising 223 matched employee–customer pairs collected from luxury hotel restaurants, we found that customer-oriented constructive deviance is positively related to customer loyalty, but negatively related to employee loyalty. Furthermore, service and ethical climates are found to have disparate impacts on these relationships. Our findings call attention to a potential risk that managers should be aware of when they manage customer-oriented constructive deviance to achieve greater customer service.     

Customer defection due to service elimination and post-elimination customer behavior: An empirical investigation in telecommunications

Service industries require rapid innovations in their service portfolios to gain and maintain competitive advantages. Service elimination is a potential tool for portfolio renewal, though it might threaten increased defection rates. To contribute to both service elimination and customer defection literature, this paper proposes a model of customer responses to service elimination, with practical implications for decision-makers in rapidly innovating telecommunication markets.In particular, the main study, conducted in the context of Hungary’s telecommunications sector, reveals that customers’ tenure, usage intensity, and age reduce the negative effects of a price increase on their defection; the price increase, degree to which customers interact with service providers, customer defection, and competitive effects in turn increase post–service elimination usage intensity.These findings suggest implementation strategies that can reduce customer defection following price increase due to service elimination, by focusing on new customers, light users, and the quality of customer interactions.     

Factors influencing sales call frequency of industrial salespersons

Industrial sales representatives face a problem of allocating their time in deciding which customers or prospects to call on and how frequently to make those calls. These decisions directly influence the firm's costs and revenues, yet research in this area has been sparse. This article reports an empirical study of the relationship between the call frequency of salespersons and select characteristics of the market, the customer, and the salesperson-customer interaction. Data for the study were collected by a self-administered questionnaire which was completed by 83 salespersons representing 34 different firms. Respondents provided data concerning their call frequency on a particular customer, time in the sales territory, and responses to a series of Likert statements. Eight summative scales were developed from the statements. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between call frequency and the independent variables. Several predictors (Role Consensus, Important Purchase Decision, Important Customer, and Customer Disposition) were salient variables in the model. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the research findings to marketing managers and researchers.     

The development of service quality dimensions for internet service providers: Retaining customers of different usage patterns

This study examines the relationships among relevant service quality dimensions of Internet service providers (ISP) and their customers’ perceived value, trust and commitment. Data was collected from residential Internet users in Thailand. The final usable sample size was 1507. The analyses include segmenting ISPs’ customers on the basis of their usage pattern and evaluating their perceptions of Internet service quality dimensions. In addition, several alternatives models were compared using structural equation modelling to confirm the mediation effects. An ISP’s service quality is influenced by the following four dimensions (a) network quality, (b) customer service and technical support, (c) information quality and (d) security and privacy. The findings reveal that while all dimensions have positive effects on trust, only network quality, information support and privacy influence customer value significantly and information support is the only dimension which is directly related to commitment. Additionally, the effects of customer service and information support on value vary across customers of different Internet usage patterns. The contribution of the present paper stems from the simultaneous modelling of a range of mediation effects which can better help explain the impact of service quality dimensions on customers’ cognitive and affective evaluations in high-tech service settings.     

Linkage between perceived external prestige and emotional labor: Mediation effect of organizational identification among pharmaceutical representatives in India

With the increasing importance of customer service in sustaining competitive advantage, one of the challenges before the organizations is how to motivate their employees to perform desired emotional labor during customer interactions. The present study examines the linkage between perceived external prestige and emotional labor strategies among the pharmaceutical representatives in India. Drawing from the social comparison theory and social identity theory, the study shows that perceived external prestige influences employees’ emotional labor strategies directly as well as through organizational identification. Contributions of the study to theory and to human resource management practices are discussed.     

Internet service providers' service quality and its effect on customer loyalty of different usage patterns

This study attempts to investigate the dimensions of an ISP's service quality, and their effects on customer loyalty in high-tech services. Data was obtained from 1231 internet users. The analyses include segmenting ISPs' customers on the basis of their usage pattern and evaluating their perceptions of Internet service quality dimensions. Through the use of structural equation modelling and bias correct bootstrapping techniques, the study confirms that service quality dimensions can influence both attitudinal and behavioural loyalty. These effects, however, are different across different groups of ISP customers. The contribution of the present paper stems from the modelling of mediation effects and the incorporation of Internet usage that can help better explain the impact of service quality dimensions on customers' loyalty in high-tech service settings.     

Healthier for whom? Technological service improvement in the healthcare industry

This study tackles the dilemma of a technology-based service improvement wherein an organization performs a technology change to improve its service process, while its customers do not necessarily perceive the new service as an improvement. The empirical research follows a healthcare provider that changed its primary care provider appointment scheduling using a new call centre technology. The methodology involves three processes reflecting the entire change: personal interviews, focus groups, and surveys. To facilitate adoption of a technology-based service, it is recommended that there be a focus on customers’ experience with similar service industries’ image, and organizational policies on contracting service representatives.     

Exploring communication differences between women and men sales representatives in a relationship selling context

The purpose of this exploratory research is to investigate the different styles of communication used by women and men sales representatives in relationship selling. An analysis of in-depth interviews revealed that the language used by women sales representatives is more conducive to building customer trust and more suggestive of relationship selling behaviour than the language used by their male counterparts. That women sales representatives may draw upon nurturing language and behaviour learned in developing other relationships (wife, mother, daughter, sister or friend) to build customer relationships is consistent with role theory and supports a theoretical explanation for the lower levels of role conflict surprisingly reported by women sales representatives in previous research. The results suggest that in a relationship selling task, marketing managers should consider using sales representatives with a 'feminine' style for sales jobs requiring extensive customer relationships. Directions for future research are also suggested.     

服务补救——留住顾客的关键

市场竞争日益激烈 ,越来越多的企业认识到维系顾客的重要性 ,而维系顾客的关键在于提高顾客的满意程度 ,只有顾客满意了 ,他们才会长时间的保持对企业的忠诚。但是实际上 ,即使最优秀的企业也难免发生失误 ,难免造成顾客的不满。这就要求企业对其失误进行补救 ,最大限度的降低顾客的不满 ,这就是服务补救。而企业要想真正把服务补救工作做好 ,必须制订完善的服务补救策略 ,来指导企业的服务补救工作。     

Managing customer experiences in online product communities

Many companies have established online product communities or forums as a vehicle to extend product support services to their customers. Customers' interactions in such online forums with peer customers and vendor representatives resolve their product-related queries as well as inform on their product purchase decisions. Despite the significance of such interactions, there has been limited theoretical attention so far on how companies can manage customer experiences in online product communities. Drawing on theories and concepts from diverse areas including computer-mediated communication, consumer psychology, and online communities, this study proposes a four dimensional construct - Online Community Experience (OCE) - to capture customer experiences in such online product communities, and examines its impact on customer attitudes regarding the product, the company, and the quality of service. Data collected from customers in online product forums offered by four companies is used to test the study hypotheses. Implications for research on online consumer behavior and marketing are discussed.     

A service innovation framework for start-up firms by integrating service experience engineering approach and capability maturity model

The service sector contributes more than 70 % to the GDP of many countries in which their services should continually be innovated to improve customer satisfaction. This study reviews the literature from 1995 to 2014 in the field of service innovation, service experience and engineering, and maturity model. Results show that the existing service innovation frameworks lack a focus on business process improvement, particularly for start-up firms. It causes the startups not ready enough to deal with inevitable challenges that may be encountered in the future. Accordingly, this study proposes a novel framework that combines the service experience engineering method and capability maturity model of integration for service to develop a new innovative service and improve service quality process for start-up firms. A practical case is implemented by applying the proposed framework. A service innovation prototype system is developed on the basis of the case study to deliver a mobile campus merchandise purchasing service.     

Exploring manager’s perspective of service quality strategies in Malaysian Banking Industry

In service industry, the subject of service quality remains crucial as business strive to maintain a comparative advantage in the marketplace. In aftermath of globalization, the operating environment for banking industry has become more dynamic and competitive. Banks have evolved to become diversified financial providers instead of traditional banking-only service providers. With bank placing emphasis on a mutually beneficial bank–customer relationship, customer loyalty must be pursued through repeat purchases. Central to achieving this is often the quality of services offered by the bank should satisfy the customer’s needs. This article attempts to identify any service gaps in Malaysian banking industry and to recommend effective strategies to close these service gaps from bank mangers’ and executives perspectives based on GAPs Model of Service Quality (GAPs Model). Using qualitative data collected from interviews with 30 bank managers and executives, this article provides effectives strategies to close each of the gaps in GAPs Model. It is hoped that the empirical evidences and recommendations provided in this article shed some light to management of banks to improve upon their customer service quality in order to benefit from customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and other behavioural outcomes which will lead to greater competitive advantage and profitability to the banks concerned.     

Positive and Negative Affectivity as Mediators of Volunteerism and Service‐Oriented Citizenship Behavior and Customer Loyalty

This study sought to examine the impact of volunteerism (motivation to help) on service‐oriented organizational citizenship behavior (S‐OCB) of salespeople as mediated by the positive and negative affectivity, and further how the involvement of salespeople in S‐OCB would affect the customer loyalty toward the company. The context chosen for empirical investigation was the Indian pharmaceutical sector and the sample consists of 125 medical sales representatives from four companies that are well‐established players, including three multinational firms and one Indian company, as well as their supervisors (n = 48) and doctors (n = 150). The data are analyzed through partial least squares approach to path modeling to estimate the measurement and structural parameters. All of the hypotheses are confirmed. The results of this study indicate that volunteerism exhibits a significant positive impact on S‐OCB and customer loyalty. In addition, this positive impact is partially mediated by positive and negative affectivity. In sum, the proposed model explains a large amount of variance in S‐OCB and customer loyalty, suggesting that it will serve as a useful tool for analyzing service‐oriented organizational sale persons’ behavior and customers’ reactions. The implications of these results include improving service OCB by promoting volunteerism in the service industry and emphasizing the important roles of service staff in enhancing the customer loyalty.     

顾客服务模式选择及顾客服务组织匹配问题的研究

顾客服务模式是指企业利用人员或设备满足顾客某种要求的行为过程的标准形式。顾客服务模式分为机械型顾客服务模式和情感型顾客服务模式两大类。企业进行顾客服务模式选择的基本依据主要有两项:目标市场需求分析和服务竞争战略分析。顾客服务组织要从决策管理层、接触实施层与所选择的顾客服务模式相匹配。     

Service integration in omnichannel retailing and its impact on customer experience

Although omnichannel retailing has received considerable attention from scholars and practitioners in recent years, its impacts on customer experience and relationship outcomes remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of two components of service integration in omnichannel retailing, namely service consistency and service transparency, on customer experience (i.e. flow and perceived privacy risk), and customer loyalty. Flow theory and hyperbolic discounting theory are employed to underpin these relationships. The data was collected using an online survey with 786 useable responses. Our findings indicate that service consistency has a direct and significant impact on flow and perceived risk while only the effect of service transparency on flow is significant. Moreover, both flow and perceived risk are related to customer loyalty to a retailer. Furthermore, it is found that showrooming behaviour and location-based service usage moderate the relationship between service consistency and privacy risk. The findings of the research provide important implications for a retailer regarding the development, implementation and management of omnichannel strategy.     

Engaging and retaining customers with AI and employee service

Artificial intelligence (AI) permeates in service organisations as a tool to enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience. Reports show that most consumers prefer human interactions with service employees. Drawing on this observation, the current study examines how customers' service experiences with employees and AI influence customer engagement and loyalty. Customers’ emotional intelligence is proposed as a moderator between service experience and customer engagement. The study was conducted with hotel customers in Australia. The results show that whilst both service experience with employees and AI are significantly related to customer engagement and loyalty, only certain dimensions make significant unique variances in the outcome variables. The findings indicate that customers prefer employee service. These service experiences also have significant partial mediation effects on customer loyalty. Emotional intelligence has a significant moderation effect on customer engagement. Discussion of these findings and implications derived from this study concludes this paper.     

Service Orientation: Its Impact on Business Performance in the Medical Service Industry

From the viewpoint of internal marketing, employees who are content in their job may be motivated to satisfy their customers better than ones who are not content. Another relevant premise is that the content employees, because of their work motivation, would eventually help improve the performance of their firm. To verify these relationships, some previous studies looked into the effects of organisational service orientation on employee's satisfaction. But only few of them investigated the mediating effects of variables such as service value and customer orientation for their role in linking service orientation to business performance. This study examines how an organisation's service orientation had an effect on its performance at hospitals. For this purpose, verification of the mediating role of service value perceived by employees as well as the role of customer orientation on the firm's performance was attempted. For this study, a total of 292 usable questionnaires were collected from hospital staffs located in metropolitan cities of Korea. The hypotheses concerning relationships among service orientation, service value, employee satisfaction and customer orientation were verified by covariance structural modelling, using SPSS 10.0 and AMOS 4.0 programs. The result is as follows. First, organisational service orientation had a positive effect on both employee satisfaction and service value perceived by hospital staff. Second, employee satisfaction had a positive impact on service value and customer orientation. Finally, service value as well as employee's customer orientation were found to exert positive influence on the medical firm's performance.