Customer Perceptions of Skills of Agents in Effectively Managing Their Needs within a Call Center

Devina Oodith

doi:10.22610/jebs.v9i2(J).1650

Author

Devina Oodith
- College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- South Africa

Abstract

The world’s dynamics and demands of employment and production have evolved over the past decade. Human resources has today become the single largest unrestrained resource and many firms are striving to enhance competence and interaction between its customers and itself via the customer call center through enhanced skills, knowledge, ability and attitude by fostering better interpersonal skills and through the promotion of training and development of their call center agents. This study was undertaken in EThekwini (Durban), South Africa and was conducted within a Public Sector service environment comprising of four major call centers employing a total of 240 call center agents. Using simple random sampling, 220 customers were drawn from all consumers subscribing to e-billing in EThekwini (Durban). Data for the customer sample was collected using a precoded, self-developed questionnaire whose psychometric properties were statistically determined. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results specify that agents were unsuccessful in handling customers’ needs timeously and efficiently and that most customers felt burdened by being transferred to other agents due to the incompetence of original agents in handling their queries/complaints. Furthermore it was found that there was an overall lack of empathy from agents in following-up after a customer communication to ensure that the customer was satisfied with their experience within the call center. Based on the results of the study recommendations have been made to manage the interaction between the customers and call center agents more competently and efficiently.

Keywords

References

Adhikari, R. (2009). Why business needs a CRM Strategy. Available at http://www.internetnews.com/webcontent/article.php/3800911.
Akanji, B., Mordi, C. & Taylor, A. (2015). The nature and outcomes of emotion in customer service management. Economic Insights - Trends and Challenges, 4(LXVII), 13-21.
Articlesbase. (2006). Four ways to motivate service professionals – guide to getting wow performance. Available at http://www.articlesbase.com/leadership-articles/four-ways-to-motivate-serviceprofessionals-a-guide-to-getting-wow-performance-61886.html.
Bailey, K. & Leland, K. (2008). Customer Service in an Instant: 60 Ways to Win Customers and keep them coming Back. Franklin lakes: Career Press Inc.
Bannatyne, D. (2010). Twitter and Facebook can improve customer service. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/duncan-bannatyne/7206420/twitter-and-facebook-canimprove-customer-service.
Best Employers: SA. (2008). SAB Limited. Available at http://www.bestemployers.co.za/Company%20profiles/BEST%20EMPSAB.pdf.
BizAssist Technologies (PTY) Ltd. (2009). The 10 Commandments of Customer Service. Available at http://www.bizassist.co.za/news.asp?Head=&cat=start&Ref=460.
Blem, N. (1995). Service Please South Africa. RSA: Juta & Co, Ltd.
Brown, L. (2007). What your Customers Really want: 7 qualities of customer care. Available at http://www.allbusiness.com/sales/4493484-1.html.
Cant, M., Brink, A. & Brijball, S. (2006). Consumer Behaviour. Cape Town: Juta & Co. Ltd.
Cavitt, C. (2010). Improve on your customer service – The 5 outstanding qualities of a service superstar. Available at http://ezinearticles.com/?Improve-on-Your-Customer-Service---The-Outstanding-Qualities-of-a-Service-Superstar&id=141561.
Cho, Y., Im, I. L. & Hiltz, R. (2003). The impact of e-services failures and customer complaints on electronic commerce Customer Relationship Management. Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behaviour, 16, 106-118.
Collie, T. A., Sparks, B. & Bradley, G. (2000). Investing in International Justice: a study of fair process effect within a hospitality failure context. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 24(4), 448-472. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/109634800002400403
CRM Magazine. (2014). Deploying an intelligent contact centre in the cloud. WP 24.
CRM Magazine. (2014). Empower your agents to deliver exceptional Omnichannel customer experience.
Davidow, M. (2003). Organizational responses to customer complaints: what works and what doesn’t. Journal of Service Research, 5(3), 225-250. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670502238917
Dean, D. H. (2008). What’s wrong with IVR self-service. Available at http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=7&did=1600828341&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1268381826&clienId=30060.
Deery, S., Iverson, R. & Walsh, J. (2002). Work relationships in telephone call centre’s: understanding emotional exhaustion and employee withdrawal. Journal of Management Studies, 39(1), 471-496. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00300
Donaldson, B. & O’Toole, T. (2002). Strategic Market Relationships: from strategy to implementation. Shannon England: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Eisingerich, A. B. & Bell, S. J. (2006). Relationship Marketing in the financial services industry: The importance of customer education, participation and problem management for customer loyalty. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 10(4), 86–97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.fsm.4760022
Gabbott, M. & Hogg, G. (1998). Consumers and Services. England: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Goodman, J. A., Broetzmann, S. M. & Adamson, C. (1992). Ineffective – that’s the problem with customer satisfaction surveys. Quality Progress, 5, 35-38.
Grandey, A. A., Diefendorff, J. M. & Rupp, D. E. (2013). Emotional labour in the 21st Century: Diverse perspective on emotion regulation at work. New York. Psychology Press: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203100851
Griffeth, R. W., Hom, P. W. & Gaernter, G. (2000). A meta analysis of antecedents and correlations of employee turnover. Journal of Marketing, 26(3), 463-488. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/014920630002600305
Grote, D. (2005). Attitude adjustments: to deal with an employee's bad attitude, focus on his or her specific behaviors. Available at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_7_50/ai_n14814551/.
Halliden, B. & Monks, K. (2005). Employee centered management in a call centre. Personnel Review, 34(3), 370-383. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480510591480
Heskett, J. L., Sasser-Jr., W. E. & Schlesinger, L. A. (1997). The service profit chain: how leading companies link profit and growth to loyalty, satisfaction and value. The Fine Press. New York.
Hoffman, K. D. & Bateson, J. E. G. (2006). Services Marketing: Concepts, Strategies & Cases. Third Edition. USA: Thomson South – Western.
Hoyer, W. D. & McInnis, D. J. (2001). Consumer Behaviour. Second Edition. USA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
IBM. (2007). Improving business productivity and client satisfaction with customer and partner self – service portals. Available at ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/lotus/pub/lotusweb/Customer_Self_Service_white_paper.pdf.
Jack, E. P., Bedics, T. A. & McCary, C. E. (2006). Operational Challenges in a call centre industry: a case study and resource-based framework. Managing Service Quality, 16(5), 477-500. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520610686142
Kasabov, E. & Warlov, A. J. (2010). Towards a new model of customer compliance service provision. European Journal of Marketing, 44(6), 700-729. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/03090561011032685
Kinman, G. (2009). Emotional labour strain in frontline service employees. Does mode of delivery matter? Journal of Managerial Psychology, 24(2), 118-135. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940910928847
Kinnie, N., Hutchison, S. & Purcell, J. (2000). Fun and surveillance: the paradox of high commitment management in call centres. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(6), 967-985. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/095851900422375
Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., McDaniel, C., Boshoff, C. & Terblanche, N. S. (2000). Marketing. Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa.
LeClaire, J. (2000). Checklist: hire and train your customer service staff. Available at http://www.inc.com/articles/2000/04/18319.html.
Little, M. M. & Dean, A. M. (2006). Links between service climate, employee commitment and employees service quality capability. Managing Service Quality, 16(5), 460-476. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520610686133
Lovelock, C. (2001). Services Marketing: People, Technology, Strategy. Fourth Edition. USA: Prentice Hall.
Lucas, R. W. (2005). Customer Service: Building successful skills for the 21st Century. Third Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Mahesh, V. K. & Kasturi, A. (2006). Improving call centre agent performance: A UK-India study based on the agents point of view. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 17(2), 136-157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09564230610656971
Malhotra, N. & Mukherjee, A. (2004). The relative influence of organizational commitment and job satisfaction on service quality of customer contact employees in banking call centres. Journal of Services Marketing, 18(3), 162-174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/08876040410536477
Miller, A. (2010). Exceptional customer service – How do you thank your customers? Available at http://ezinearticles.com/?Exceptional-Customer-Service---How-Do-YOU-Thank-Your-Customers?&id=3889364.
Mulholland, K. (2002). Gender, emotional labour and teamworking in a call centre. Personnel Review, 31(2), 283-303. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480210422714
Oakland, J. S. & Beardmore, D. (1995). Best Practice Customer Service. Total Quality Management, 6(2), 135-148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09544129550035486
Obarski, A. M. (2010). How to Improve Your Telephone Skills. Available at http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/telephone-skills.htm.
Oneayso, G. (2007). Are customers’ Dissatisfaction and Complaint Behaviours Positively Related? Journal of American Academy of Business, 11(1), 18-24, Cambridge.
Overland, H. M. (2005). Top 10 tips for hiring technical staff. Internet. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.mssem.com/library/hiring_guide_top_10.html.
Peters, T. J. & Waterman, R. H. (1982). In Search of Excellence. New York: Harper & Row.
Rust, R. T., Zahorik, A. J. & Keiningham, T. L. (1996). Service Marketing. New York: HarperCollins College Publishers.
Sekaran, U. (2003). Research Methods for Business: A Skills Building Approach. Fourth Edition. USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Singh, J. (2000). Performance productivity of quality of frontline employees in service organizations. Journal of Marketing, 64(2), 15-34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.64.2.15.17998
Snow, D. (2007). Professionalism equals more than just doing your job. Available at http://www.rediff.com/money/2007/jul/24prof.htm.
Stirtz, K. (2010). Three things you can do to improve customer service. Available at http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/operations-customer/13975563-1.html.
Theron, D., Bothma, C. & Du Toit, M. (2003). Focusing on Customer Service in Southern Africa. Pretoria: Prince Publishers.
Timm, P. R. (2008). Customer Service: Career Success through Customer Loyalty. Fourth Edition. USA: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Toolpack Consulting. (2010). Fighting apathy with engagement. Available at http://www.toolpack.com/motivate.html.
Twentyman, J. (2008). How to hire the right staff. Available at http://www.scmagazineuk.com/recruitment-how-to-hire-the-right-staff/article/110130/.
Varca, P. E. (2006). Telephone surveillance in call centres: prescriptions for reducing strain. Managing Service Quality, 16(3), 203-219. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520610663507
Vikesland, G. (2002). Dealing with the negative employee. Available at http://www.employeremployee.com/october2002tips.html.
Wegge, J., Dick, R. V. & Bernstorff, C. (2010). Emotional dissonance in call centre work. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 25(6), 569-619. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941011056950
Wallace, C. M., Eagleson, G. & Waldersee, R. (2000). The sacrificial Human Resource strategy in call centres. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 11(2), 174-184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09564230010323741
Walsh, G. & Bartikowski, B. (2013). Employee emotional and quitting intentions: moderating effects of gender and age. European Journal of Marketing, 47(8), 1213-1237. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/03090561311324291
Ward, S. (2010). How you answer your phone says a great deal about your business. Available at http://sbinfocanada.About.com/cs/management/qt/telephonetips.htm.
Zeithaml, V. A. & Bitner, M. J. (2003). Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm. Third Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J. & Gremler, D. D. (2006). Services Marketing: Integrated Customer Focus Across the Firm. Fourth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
4–R Marketing LLC. (2009). 4–R Marketing Model. Available at http://4rmarketing.com/4Rmodel.htm.
12 manage – The executive Fast Track. (2009). Comparing Service Quality Performance with Customer Service Quality Needs. Available at http://www.12manage.com/methods_zeithaml_servqual.html.

Downloads

Full-text downloads recorded for this article, by month.

No downloads have been recorded for this article yet. Figures appear here once readers begin downloading the full text.

How to Cite

Oodith, D. (2017). Customer Perceptions of Skills of Agents in Effectively Managing Their Needs within a Call Center. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 9(2(J), 58-75. https://doi.org/10.22610/jebs.v9i2(J).1650

Share this article

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author (s) should affirm that the material has not been published previously. It has not been submitted and it is not under consideration by any other journal. At the same time author (s) need to execute a publication permission agreement to assume the responsibility of the submitted content and any omissions and errors therein. After submission of revised paper in the light of suggestions of the reviewers, the editorial team edits and formats manuscripts to bring uniformity and standardization in published material.

This work will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) and under condition of the license, users are free to read, copy, remix, transform, redistribute, download, print, search or link to the full texts of articles and even build upon their work as long as they credit the author for the original work. Moreover, as per journal policy author (s) hold and retain copyrights without any restrictions.

Customer Perceptions of Skills of Agents in Effectively Managing Their Needs within a Call Center

Download the full text

Author

Abstract

Keywords

References

Downloads

How to Cite

Share this article

License

Keywords

Section

Published in

Published

Submissions