Deck 9: People As Strategy: Managing Service Employees

Question 1

Employees who feel that they are often caught in the middle between company rules and regulations and customer requests for services that are against company rules are experiencing which of the following types of conflict?

A)person/role conflict
B)channel conflict
C)organization/client conflict
D)inter-client conflict
E)vertical conflict

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a cost associated with empowerment?

A)higher labor costs
B)slower or inconsistent service delivery
C)decreased word-of-mouth advertising
D)excessive giveaways and bad decisions
E)a perception of inequitable service treatment among customers

Answer 2

C

Question 3

____ gives discretion to front-line personnel to meet the needs of consumers creatively.

A)Empowerment
B)Enfranchisement
C)Service passion
D)Service climate
E)Production-lining

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The two primary roles that boundary-spanning personnel fulfill are:

A)sales and profit-production.
B)sales and customer service.
C)information transfer and representation.
D)process flow and service.
E)information transfer and profit production.

Question 5

Despite popular beliefs,the "Freeloading Fredas" of the world probably represent only _____ of all customers.

A)1% to 2%
B)3% to 4%
C)5% to 6%
D)7% to 8%
E)9% to 10%

Question 6

​Initially,bank tellers were uncomfortable with their new task of selling services to customers.They viewed themselves as bank tellers and not salespersons.This is an example of which type of conflict?

A)​precise-duty conflict
B)​channel conflict
C)​organization/client conflict
D)​inter-client conflict
E)​person/role conflict

Question 7

Which of the following customers needs to be "moved offstage" as quickly as possible?

A)Egocentric Edgar
B)Badmouth Betty
C)Hysterical Harold
D)Dictatorial Dick
E)Badmouth Betty and Hysterical Harold

Question 8

Service personnel are influenced by their shared perception of the practices,procedures,and kinds of behaviors that get rewarded.That shared perception is referred to as:

A)empowerment.
B)enfranchisement.
C)service passion.
D)the climate for service.
E)production-lining.

Question 9

All of the following are behaviors by which service employees attempt to reduce their role stress except:

A)engaging the customer.
B)engaging in a people-processing mode (robotism).
C)using physical symbols in their office to regain some sense of control.
D)engaging in service sabotage.
E)none of these are exceptions.

Question 10

A Disney tram driver that is asked to break up a fight between a feuding couple is experiencing which of the following types of conflict?

A)person/role conflict
B)channel conflict
C)organization/client conflict
D)inter-client conflict
E)horizontal conflict

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of sensitivity training?

A)having new bus drivers spend their first week on the help desk instead of the bus
B)having store employees play roles of service representative and customer
C)having hotel employees play roles of check-in clerk and hotel guest
D)presenting stereotypical examples of a customers from hell with suggestions for ways todeal with each type
E)having airline employees meet with a counselor on a regular basis ​

Question 12

The empowerment approach in which service employees are trained to manage themselves is called:

A)job involvement.
B)suggestion involvement.
C)high involvement.
D)production-line approach.
E)contingency involvement.

Question 13

The empowerment approach that utilizes teams and allows employees to use a variety of skills withconsiderable latitude regarding lower-level decisions is:

A)job involvement.
B)suggestion involvement.
C)high involvement.
D)production line approach.
E)contingency involvement.

Question 14

All of the following are benefits associated with empowerment except:

A)empowered employees are more customer focused and quicker in responding to customer needs.
B)empowered employees are more likely to respond in a positive way to service failures and to engage in effective service recovery strategies.
C)empowered front-line employees gain a false sense of power,in turn aiding the customer.
D)empowered front-line service employees can be key to new service ideas and a cheaper source of market research than going to the consumer directly.
E)empowered employees tend to feel better about their jobs and themselves,which is automatically reflected in the way they interact with customers.

Question 15

Empowerment coupled with a performance-based compensation method is referred to as:

A)double empowerment.
B)straight salary.
C)enfranchisement.
D)quota systems.
E)straight commission.

Question 16

Which of the following is a type of conflict experienced by boundary-spanning personnel?

A)precise-duty conflict
B)channel conflict
C)organization/client conflict
D)inter-client conflict
E)organization/client and inter-client

Question 17

Empowerment approaches fall along a continuum that ranges from control-oriented to involvement-oriented.Which of the following empowerment approaches is the most control-oriented?

A)job involvement
B)suggestion involvement
C)high involvement
D)enfranchisement
E)contingency involvement

Question 18

Which of the following types of interpersonal training provides stereotypes with which a service provider can categorize customers?

A)sensitivity training
B)role-playing
C)behavioral modeling
D)red-taping
E)flexibility training

Question 19

All of the following are boundary-spanners except:

A)classroom teachers.
B)JCPenney customer service representatives.
C)hospital nurses.
D)Applebee's servers.
E)none of these are exceptions.

Question 20

When a lawyer feels a conflict between what she is asked to do and her own personality,orientation,or values she is experiencing _____ conflict.

A)person/role
B)channel
C)organization/client
D)inter-client
E)horizontal

Question 21

All of the following are roles of middle management except:

A)enable the front-line providers to focus on customers and not be distracted.
B)manage the crises.
C)move the roadblocks to good service out of the way.
D)relieve pressure by doing some of the front-line work.
E)invest in technology and ensure foundations are in place that allow the front-line teams to do their work.

Question 22

Indicate whether the service firm should employ a control-oriented (nonempowered) approach oran involvement-oriented (empowered) approach under each of the following conditions:
a.control-oriented approach
b.involvement-oriented approach
The technology involved with the business is nonroutine and complex.

Question 23

Which of the following tests of reward effectiveness reflects the notion that if rewards are given to the wrong people for the wrong reasons,they should not be lifelong?

A)availability
B)flexibility
C)visibility
D)durability
E)reversibility

Question 24

The HR functions that together support the creation of a climate for service is referred to as the:

A)concept strategy.
B)service HR wheel.
C)marketing wheel.
D)service operation strategy.
E)interdepartmental support.

Question 25

Discuss the customer profiles developed to assist customer contact personnel in dealing with "customers from hell."

Question 26

Indicate whether the service firm should employ a control-oriented (nonempowered) approach oran involvement-oriented (empowered) approach under each of the following conditions:
a.control-oriented approach
b.involvement-oriented approach
The firm produces a low-cost,high-volume product.

Question 27

Discuss the three sources of conflict for boundary-spanning service workers.

Question 28

Which of the following tests of reward effectiveness reflects the notion that rewards should be given immediately following desired behaviors?

A)availability
B)flexibility
C)timeliness
D)durability
E)perishability

Question 29

Which of the following tests of reward effectiveness reflects the notion that rewards should be tied to desired performance criteria?

A)availability
B)flexibility
C)timeliness
D)durability
E)contingent

Question 30

Which of the following tests of reward effectiveness reflects the notion that rewards should be able to be given to anyone at anytime?

A)availability
B)flexibility
C)timeliness
D)durability
E)visibility

Question 31

Discuss the methods in which marketing can reduce the sources of conflict felt by its employees.

Question 32

Which of the following tests of reward effectiveness reflects the notion that rewards should be large enough for employees to take notice?

A)availability
B)flexibility
C)timeliness
D)durability
E)contingent

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT a broad category in the service HR wheel?

A)concept strategy
B)control,reward,and evaluation strategy
C)retention strategy
D)recruitment strategy
E)training/development strategy

Question 34

Discuss the benefits and costs associated with empowerment.

Question 35

One of the major lessons to learn from the service-profit chain is:

A)customer loyalty leads to customer satisfaction.
B)firms must satisfy their employees in order for customer satisfaction to become a consistent reality.
C)employee retention leads to employee satisfaction.
D)the firm's profitability leads to customer satisfaction.
E)revenue growth leads to customer satisfaction.

Question 36

Discuss the role of boundary-spanning personnel.

Question 37

Discuss the relevance of employee satisfaction as it relates to the service-profit chain.

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT one of the seven tests of reward effectiveness?

A)availability
B)flexibility
C)visibility
D)durability
E)perishability

Question 39

Indicate whether the service firm should employ a control-oriented (nonempowered) approach oran involvement-oriented (empowered) approach under each of the following conditions:
a.control-oriented approach
b.involvement-oriented approach
Multiple customers are present during service delivery.

Question 40

Indicate whether the service firm should employ a control-oriented (nonempowered) approach oran involvement-oriented (empowered) approach under each of the following conditions:
a.control-oriented approach
b.involvement-oriented approach
The organization guarantees consistency of product and service.

Question 41

Indicate whether the service firm should employ a control-oriented (nonempowered) approach oran involvement-oriented (empowered) approach under each of the following conditions:
a.control-oriented approach
b.involvement-oriented approach
The business employees Theory Y managers who believe that employees have high growth needs and strong interpersonal skills.