Encounter 7
Encounter 7
Learning Objectives
• Use the service encounter triad to describe a
service firm’s delivery process.
• Discuss the role of organizational control systems
for employee empowerment.
• Prepare abstract questions and write situational
vignettes.
• Discuss the role of customer as coproducer.
• Describe how elements of the service profit chain
lead to revenue growth and profitability.
The Service Encounter Triad
Service
Organization
Efficiency Efficiency
versus versus
autonomy satisfaction
Contact
Customer
Personnel Perceived
control
Definitions of Culture
• Schwartz and Davis (1981) - Culture is a pattern
of beliefs and expectations shared by the
organization’s members.
• Mintzberg (1989) - Culture is the traditions and
beliefs of an organization that distinguish it from
others.
• Hoy and Miskel (1991) - Culture is shared
orientations that hold the unit together and give a
distinctive identity.
The Service Organization
• Culture
ServiceMaster (Service to the Master)
Disney (Choice of language)
• Empowerment
Invest in people
Use IT to enable personnel
Recruitment and training critical
Pay for performance
Organizational Control
Beliefs To Core values Identify core
Systems contribute & mission values
4
Customer
Terrible 1
1 2 3 4 5 6
Terrible Outstanding
Employee
Satisfaction Mirror
Internal External
Operating strategy and Service
concept Target market
service delivery system
Loyalty
Customers Revenue
Satisfaction growth
Productivity
& Service
Employees Satisfaction Loyalty
Output value
quality
Capability
Profitability
Service
quality
Customer orientation/quality emphasis Attractive Value Lifetime value
Quality & productivity
Allow decision-making latitude Service designed Retention
improvements yield
Selection and development higher service quality & delivered to Repeat Business
Rewards and recognition and lower cost meet targeted Referrals
Information and communication customers’ needs
Provide support systems Solicit customer
Foster teamwork feedback
Topics for Discussion
• How does the historical image of service as servitude affect
today’s customer expectations and service employee
behavior?
• What are the organizational and marketing implications of
considering a customer as a “partial employee”?
• Comment on the different dynamics of one-on-one service
and group service.
• How does use of a “service script” relate to service quality?
• If the roles played by customers are determined by cultural
norms, how can services be exported?
Interactive Exercise
The class breaks into small groups and each
group comes up with an example from each
of the four organizational control systems
(i.e., belief, boundary, diagnostic, and
interactive)
Amy’s Ice Cream on Guadalupe
Amy’s Ice Cream
1. Describe the service organization culture at
Amy’s Ice Cream.
2. What are the personality attribute of the
employees who are sought by Amy’s Ice
Cream?
3. Design a personnel selection procedure for
Amy’s Ice Cream using abstract questioning, a
situational vignette, and/or role playing.
AMY’S ICE CREAM
Abstract Questions
• What was your most rewarding past
experience and why?
• What are you looking for in your next job?
• What have you done in the past to irritate a
customer?
• What flavor of ice cream best describes
your personality?
AMY’S ICE CREAM
Situational Vignette
A particular customer has the irritating habit
of always showing up about two minutes
before closing and staying late. Often this
occurs on the night when weekly store
meeting are held after closing time. This
delays starting the meeting and furthermore
employees are on the clock waiting for the
customer to leave. What would you do?
AMY’S ICE CREAM
Situational Vignette
As a new employee at a busy store, you
have been routinely performing clean-up
tasks (garbage removal and restroom
cleaning). Company policy dictates that
these are tasks to be shared. It has become
clear that two employees consistently avoid
these jobs in favor of more pleasant duties.
How would you handle this situation?
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
1. How has Enterprise Rent-A-Car (ERAC)
defined its service differently than that of the
typical national car rental company?
2. What features of its business concept allow
ERAC to complete effectively with the existing
national rental care companies?
3. Use the service profit chain to explain the
success of ERAC.