Abstract
Purpose - Building on role theory, this study examines how frontline service employees (FSEs)
generate ideas for task improvement during recovery service and how these ideas benefit recovery speed and product reliability.
Methodology -We gathered data from 134 FSEs of a firm in the document management industry;
both subjective survey data and objective performance data from the company's database were available.
Findings - PlS analyses reveal that FSEs may engage in knowledge sourcing behaviors (i.e.,
deliberately exchanging informaltion with customers during service encounters These behaviors
have a direct negative effect on recovery speed, but an indirect positive effect through ideas for task
improvement. Also product reliability increases as more ideas for task improvement are developed.
We also find that managers can enhance the idea generation process through optimizing an idividuaI's
product and customer portfuHo.
Practical/ research implications - Our results challenge the way many manufacturers manage recovery services and add innovation perspective to service recovery literature.
Value - For manufacturers of complex and customized B2B goods, providing aftersales services are of key importance. Prompt recovery of problem's by FSEs is a key driver of customer satisfaction and
can be very profitable, if performed rost-effectively. Nonwithstanding the importance of efficient
recovery procedures, recent research suggests that frontline employees' frequent customer contact
puts them in an exellent position to access rich cuIstomer information and generate ideas that can
improve service speed and the overaIl quality of a firm's products. However a existing recovery research has predominantly focused on satisfactin-related outcomes, it is unknown whether FSEs
can combine effiicient service delivery with innovation-related activities.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Title of host publication | Proceedings of the SERVSIG international Service Research Conference (AMA SERVSIG 2012) June 7-9 2012, Helsinki, Finland |
Editors | K. Heinonen |
Place of Publication | Helsinki |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |