Testing the influence of real-time performance feedback on employees in digital services

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-371
Author(s):  
Jonas Lechermeier ◽  
Martin Fassnacht ◽  
Tillmann Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Performance Feedback ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Feedback Timing ◽  
Time Performance

PurposeWhile digital media changed the nature of communication in service contexts, often allowing customers to interact instantly with service providers, the implications and opportunities for managing service employees are widely unknown. This is surprising, given that service employees are an important determinant of service firms’ success. This article examines the effects of real-time performance feedback on employees’ service performance and investigates both how and under what conditions timely feedback encourages employees’ engagement.Design/methodology/approachTwo experiments test the conceptual model and the proposed hypotheses. A field experiment uses real customer feedback gathered after interaction with the app-chat of a large telecommunications provider. It tests the effect of feedback timing on service employees’ performance and also examines the effect of feedback timing on their engagement. A subsequent scenario-based experiment then investigates the influence of selected moderators on the feedback timing–engagement relationship.FindingsThis article finds that real-time feedback leads to greater service performance than subsequent feedback. Furthermore, real-time feedback positively affects service employee engagement through the perceived controllability of the feedback and the service situation. Finally, feedback valence, task goals, individuals’ need for closure (NCL), and gender interact with feedback timing to influence employee engagement.Originality/valueThis research investigates the potential of real-time performance feedback for service firms, combines and extends a variety of literature streams, and provides recommendations for the future management of service employees.

The role of initiative climate as a resource caravan passageway in developing proactive service performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zia Aslam ◽  
Adnan Fateh ◽  
Safiah Omar ◽  
Mohammad Nazri
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
Frontline Service

PurposeThe study aims to examine the role of initiative climate as a resource caravan passageway in engaging employees and developing a proactive frontline service workforce to identify the mechanisms whereby scarce resources efficiently yielding the desired outcomes can help organizations improve productivity and gain competitive advantage, thereby helping clarify the leadership–performance relationship in service organizations.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative research design with a cross-sectional survey conducted among frontline hospitality employees in Malaysia. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe initiative climate is significant as a resource caravan passageway to transmit the positive impact of interpersonal leadership onto the engagement and proactive performance of frontline hospitality employees in whom initiative climate and employee engagement sequentially mediated the relationship between interpersonal leadership and proactive service performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe online data collection procedure conducted through LinkedIn and Facebook and cross-sectional, self-reported survey method are significant limitations of the current study.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study will aid in developing organizational interventions for an engaged and proactive frontline service workforce, as interpersonal leadership can positively impact the engagement and proactive behavior of frontline service employees via initiative climate. Therefore, hospitality managers should value interpersonal leadership and initiative climate as coexisting organizational resources.Originality/valueThe study shows the significance of initiative climate in the relationships between interpersonal leadership, employee engagement and the proactive performance of frontline service employees.

An empirical investigation of tourist’s choice of service delivery options

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1892-1913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Kumar Kaushik ◽  
Zillur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Technology Readiness ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Perceived Ease Of Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Delivery Options

Purpose This paper aims to offer and examine a conceptual model of tourist innovativeness toward self-service technologies (SSTs) to confirm whether tourists prefer service delivery by SSTs over employees in an offline hospitality environment. Design/methodology/approach Tourists’ perceived usefulness (PU) of SSTs and need for interaction (NI) with service employees have been taken as crucial mediating variables to examine the effects of perceived ease of use and technology readiness index personality dimensions toward SST and employee-based service adoption. Findings Findings reveal that both “NI” and “PU” play significant roles in Technology Readiness and Acceptance Model (TRAM) when tourists select one of two service delivery options – SSTs and service employees. Research limitations/implications The foremost limitation of the study is its dependence on domestic tourist samples. However, such samples were chosen because tourists comprising these samples tend to use similar service delivery options more, in turn increasing their use of SSTs available in sample hotels. Practical implications The study gives a deeper understanding of TRAM with an extremely crucial mediating variable (NI) in an offline service context. It also provides useful insights to service providers and policy makers for developing new strategies and policies to enhance user experience. Social implications This study recommends the usage of numerous SSTs by tourists. Originality/value During extensive literature review carried out in this research, no study was found that proposed such an effective framework in an offline service context.

Does transformational leadership always matter in frontline service roles?

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 733-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keo Mony Sok ◽  
Phyra Sok ◽  
Lan Snell ◽  
Pingping Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
High Level ◽  
Frontline Service Employees ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Frontline Service

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of frontline service employees (FSEs) motivation (enjoyment of work and driven to work) and ability (customer service ability) in the relationship between TFL and employee service performance. Design/methodology/approach This is a survey-based study which involves 534 FSEs and 135 supervisors in a hair salon setting. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings Results show that TFL is significantly related to employee service performance; this relationship is enhanced with the presence of driven to work; yet, it is neutralized with the presence of enjoyment of work. Further, the three-way interaction of TFL, enjoyment of work and customer service ability as well as TFL driven to work, and customer service ability are negatively associated with employee service performance. Practical implications The results advance service managers’ understanding of the importance of FSEs motivation and ability if they are to fully reap the benefits from their FSEs. The role of leader is not always effective in all situations. FSEs with high level of enjoyment of work and customer service ability would least rely on the guidance and support from the supervisors. Originality/value This research is one of the first to examine the role of subordinate’s characteristics (motivation – enjoyment of work and driven to work and ability – customer service ability) as the key moderators in the relationship between TFL and employee service performance.

Hardware-in-the-loop simulation for real-time software verification of an autonomous underwater robot

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-181
Author(s):  
Pouria Sarhadi ◽  
Reza Nad Ali Niachari ◽  
Morteza Pouyan Rad ◽  
Javad Enayati
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Autonomous Systems ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Underwater Robot ◽  
Real Time System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Time Performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a software engineering procedure for real-time software development and verification of an autonomous underwater robotic system. High performance and robust software are one of the requirements of autonomous systems design. A simple error in the software can easily lead to a catastrophic failure in a complex system. Then, a systematic procedure is presented for this purpose. Design/methodology/approach This paper utilizes software engineering tools and hardware-inthe-loop (HIL) simulations for real-time system design of an autonomous underwater robot. Findings In this paper, the architecture of the system is extracted. Then, using software engineering techniques a suitable structure for control software is presented. Considering the desirable targets of the robot, suitable algorithms and functions are developed. After the development stage, proving the real-time performance of the software is disclosed. Originality/value A suitable approach for analyzing the real-time performance is presented. This approach is implemented using HIL simulations. The developed structure is applicable to other autonomous systems.

Effect of restaurant manager emotional intelligence and support on front-of-house employees’ job satisfaction

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 2807-2825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su Jin Han ◽  
Woo Gon Kim ◽  
Sora Kang
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Hierarchical Linear Model ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Manager Support ◽  
Frontline Service

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of restaurant manager’s emotional intelligence (EI) and manager support on service employees’ attitudes and performance by applying affective event theory. Design/methodology/approach The multi-level research approach incorporates three different levels of analysis: employees’ job satisfaction and service performance; manager’s EI and support; and) restaurant unit level service under pressure. Data were collected from wait staff employed in full-service restaurants in the southeastern region of the USA. This research uses the hierarchical linear model to process the survey data. Findings The findings indicate that manager EI and support have a significant impact on employees’ job satisfaction, and further leads to high levels of service performance. The moderating effect of service under pressure between leader’s EI and employees’ job satisfaction is not statistically significant. Practical implications Results suggest practical management implications to restaurant managers and frontline service employees. This study’s research findings imply management training and development programs should help managers regulate their own and better understand service employees’ emotions. Findings further highlight the important role manager support has upon employee’s job satisfaction and frontline service performance. Originality/value The present study offers a comprehensive perspective to better understand the variation of employees’ job satisfaction that arises from three different sources: between individuals, between teams and between restaurants. The findings also provide new insight into EI scale development.

Accommodating ethnic minority consumers during service encounters: the fine line

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mady ◽  
John B. Ford ◽  
Tarek Mady
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Perceptions ◽  
Language And Ethnicity ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to examine the effect of intercultural accommodation efforts on service quality perceptions among ethnic minority consumers. Specifically, the paper postulates that during an intercultural service encounter, the impact of the service provider’s language and ethnicity on the consumer’s service quality perceptions is moderated by the level of service involvement, consumer acculturation and perceived discrimination, which, in turn, influence purchase intent. Design/methodology/approach A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with an online nationwide consumer panel of Hispanic consumers was conducted where 377 participants were randomly assigned to a series of service encounter scenarios in the banking service context to manipulate accommodation efforts (yes vs no) and the level of involvement with the service (high vs low). Findings When such language and ethnicity accommodations were offered, highly acculturated minority consumers regarded the service encounter less favorably than low acculturated minority consumers. Moreover, during low-involvement service encounters, intercultural accommodations positively impacted consumer’s service quality perceptions compared to situations involving high-involvement services. Also, minority consumers with perceptions of past discrimination had less favorable evaluations of the service quality than when such perceptions were nonexistent when intercultural accommodation efforts were made by the service provider. Research limitations/implications The findings add to the sparse literature that examines the effectiveness of intercultural accommodation and focuses on the combined use of service provider’s language and ethnicity as a means to enhance service quality. Practical implications The study delivers cautions for service firms not to generalize the receptivity of intercultural accommodation efforts. Given the increasingly sizable segments of minority customers, this study offers insights for service providers to develop suitable recruitment strategies and training programs when devising effective ethnic targeting strategies. Originality/value This research is among the first to explain why the effect of target marketing is not homogenous by expanding the research on intercultural accommodations toward a new context considering service involvement levels among varied minority consumer groups.

Examining the influence of strategic profit emphases on employee engagement and service climate

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 152-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn (“Casey”) Findley Musgrove ◽  
Alexander E. Ellinger ◽  
Andrea D. Ellinger
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Job Engagement ◽  
Service Climate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Effective Service

Purpose – Research suggests that employee engagement favorably influences the provision of customer service, that high levels of service employee engagement are rare, and that firms' strategic profit emphases affect engagement and service climate. This study responds to calls for research that identifies drivers of employee engagement and foundational issues that promote effective service climates within service organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A survey method is utilized to assess data from 502 key informant service employees from multiple service industries. Findings – The findings indicate that service organizations' revenue enhancement and cost containment strategic profit emphases differentially influence employee engagement, and that organizational and job engagement differentially influence service climate. Research limitations/implications – Data comprised of individual service employees' perceptions of their firms' strategic profit emphases and service climates are utilized. Although it is conceivable that some respondents' perceptions of these variables may be misguided, the study findings are based on a large sample of experienced service employees from multiple service industries. Practical implications – The findings suggest that the most effective approach for promoting effective service climate is to hire service employees with a track record of job engagement and then focus on encouraging organizational engagement by creating working environments that support, value, and reward service quality. Originality/value – Managers increasingly realize that how firms treat service employees critically affects customer service quality. However, relatively few studies examine service employees' perceptions of their own engagement and their organizations' working environments. This research incorporates social exchange theory and concepts from the fields of strategy and organizational behavior to assess service employees' perceptions of their organizations' strategic profit emphasis and its influence on engagement and service climate.

Service with a conscience: moral dilemmas in customer service roles

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Yagil ◽  
Tamar Shultz
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Personal Values ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Moral Emotions ◽  
Moral Decision Making ◽  
Moral Conflicts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees ◽  
Moral Decisions

Purpose Service employees are frequently exposed to moral dilemmas as a result of their boundary role, attending to the interests of both the organization and customers. The purpose of this paper is to explore organizational and personal values that generate moral dilemmas in the service context, as well as emotions related to employees’ moral decisions. Design/methodology/approach Using the critical incidents technique, data were collected from service providers about moral dilemmas in the workplace. The data were analyzed independently by each author, with an agreement rate of 84-88 percent. Findings The results show that service employees confront dilemmas as a result of conflicts between the following organizational and personal values: standardization vs personalization; profit vs integrity; and emotional display rules vs dignity. Moral decision making involves emotions generated by customer distress, negative emotions toward customers, and emotions of guilt, shame, or fear. Originality/value Little research has studied moral conflicts in service encounters from employees’ perspective. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores the role of personal values and moral emotions in such processes.

Modelling near-real-time order arrival demand in e-commerce context: a machine learning predictive methodology

2020 ◽  
Vol 120 (6) ◽  
pp. 1149-1174 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.H. Leung ◽  
Daniel Y. Mo ◽  
G.T.S. Ho ◽  
C.H. Wu ◽  
G.Q. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Implementation Framework ◽  
Inference System ◽  
Content Type

PurposeAccurate prediction of order demand across omni-channel supply chains improves the management's decision-making ability at strategic, tactical and operational levels. The paper aims to develop a predictive methodology for forecasting near-real-time e-commerce order arrivals in distribution centres, allowing third-party logistics service providers to manage the hour-to-hour fast-changing arrival rates of e-commerce orders better.Design/methodology/approachThe paper proposes a novel machine learning predictive methodology through the integration of the time series data characteristics into the development of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. A four-stage implementation framework is developed for enabling practitioners to apply the proposed model.FindingsA structured model evaluation framework is constructed for cross-validation of model performance. With the aid of an illustrative case study, forecasting evaluation reveals a high level of accuracy of the proposed machine learning approach in forecasting the arrivals of real e-commerce orders in three different retailers at three-hour intervals.Research limitations/implicationsResults from the case study suggest that real-time prediction of individual retailer's e-order arrival is crucial in order to maximize the value of e-order arrival prediction for daily operational decision-making.Originality/valueEarlier researchers examined supply chain demand, forecasting problem in a broader scope, particularly in dealing with the bullwhip effect. Prediction of real-time, hourly based order arrivals has been lacking. The paper fills this research gap by presenting a novel data-driven predictive methodology.

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