1. EMPLOYEES’ ROLE IN SERVICE DELIVERY

2. IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE EMPLOYEES Employees are the ‘Service’. They are the ‘Brand’. They are the ‘Organisation’. They are the ‘Marketers’. They are the ‘Most Visible Element’ in the servicescape.

3. SERVICE QUALITY DIMENSIONS All service quality dimensions: Reliability Responsiveness Assurance Empathy Tangibles…….Are directly influenced by service employees.

4. BOUNDARY SPANNERS The frontline employees who operate at peripheral level or the boundary of the organisation. They transfer information to and from the organisation….by understanding, filtering and interpreting it.

5. They cover the full spectrum of jobs and professions. At one end are the low qualified and low skilled workers and at the other end are the highly skilled and qualified professionals. ……..CONTINUED

6. Irrespective of the skill or job, most boundary spanners often go through highly stressful situations. They are also required to handle inter personal and inter organisational conflict.

7. EMOTIONAL LABOUR Effort required to deliver quality service. Suppression of true feelings. Emote with friendliness, empathy, responsiveness, courtesy towards their customers.

8. SOURCES OF CONFLICT Person / Role Conflict Organisation / Client Conflict Inter Client Conflict

9. STRATEGIES TO BUILD A CUSTOMER ORIENTED ORGANISATION Hiring the right type of employees. Train and develop them to deliver service quality. Provide the needed support system. Retain the best people.

10. HIRE THE RIGHT TYPE OF EMPLOYEES Compete for the best people. Hire for service competencies and service inclinations. Be the preferred employer.

11. Train for technical, interactive and inter-personal skills. Empower employees. Encourage team work. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

12. Develop service oriented internal procedures / processes. Provide supportive technology and equipments. Measure internal service quality.

13. RETAIN THE BEST PEOPLE Measure and reward performers. Treat employees as customers. Include employees in the company’s vision.