Macroergonomics Research Methodology: Determining Future Job Requirements of a Customer Service Representative (CSR) in a Bank
Macroergonomic research techniques were used to determine current and future organizational changes, information technology requirements, and personnel training and recruiting demands for Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) in a bank. This research demonstrated the power of suite of behavioral science methods that included: group interviews, task analysis, focus groups, and concept mapping. Concept mapping proved to be an effective method for illustrating differences in group perceptions; five clusters were mapped for both CSRs and managers. Responses differed significantly among four of the clusters. The sequence used in the application of these methods was critical to maximize the value and validity of the results. The results from this study are useful for identifying the challenges that the retail banking industry has to address in order to change the role of the CSR to meet anticipated future business demands.