Role Conflict Among Role Conflict Among Service EmployeesService Employees

Chapter 9: Case 1Chapter 9: Case 1Darren BumannDarren BumannDavid StandleyDavid Standley

Amy TomichAmy TomichPatrick WilsonPatrick WilsonBrian KennedyBrian Kennedy

Case SummaryCase Summary

Maggie Beckhard was recently hired Maggie Beckhard was recently hired as a supervisor of approximately 20 as a supervisor of approximately 20 telephone customer-service telephone customer-service operators.operators.

Her previous job was supervision of Her previous job was supervision of productions, a much different focus productions, a much different focus than customer service.than customer service.

Case SummaryCase Summary

Maggie now has to deal with employees Maggie now has to deal with employees who are facing cases of role conflict and who are facing cases of role conflict and lack of clear responsibility.lack of clear responsibility.• As customer service operators, their job entails As customer service operators, their job entails

providing quality customer service regardless providing quality customer service regardless of time and resources.of time and resources.

• As employees, they are charged with serving As employees, they are charged with serving the most amount of customers in the fastest the most amount of customers in the fastest and most efficient manner.and most efficient manner.

‘‘Roles’ in BusinessRoles’ in Business

AdvantagesAdvantages• Increase internal communicationIncrease internal communication• Handle specialized or priority problemsHandle specialized or priority problems• Increase task identityIncrease task identity• Allow specialization in tasks/trainingAllow specialization in tasks/training

DisadvantagesDisadvantages• Role ConflictRole Conflict• Incorrect Role Expectations/PerceptionsIncorrect Role Expectations/Perceptions• Employee Dissatisfaction Employee Dissatisfaction

Role ConflictRole Conflict

Role Conflict- A situation in which an Role Conflict- A situation in which an individual is confronted by divergent individual is confronted by divergent role expectations.role expectations.

Ex. Studying for a test on FridayEx. Studying for a test on Friday• Education- study to get good gradesEducation- study to get good grades• Social - go out late Thursday nightSocial - go out late Thursday night

Ex. Work vs. Home Life/FamilyEx. Work vs. Home Life/Family

Problems Problems

Serving Two Masters (Opposing external Serving Two Masters (Opposing external Role Expectations)Role Expectations)• Employees’ role conflict comes from being Employees’ role conflict comes from being

forced to choose between opposing forced to choose between opposing constituents (opposing internal role constituents (opposing internal role perceptions)perceptions)

To meet managerial objectives, operators must abide To meet managerial objectives, operators must abide by training guidelines and have high caller turnoverby training guidelines and have high caller turnover

To serve customer needs, operators must be allowed To serve customer needs, operators must be allowed sufficient time and flexibility to make sure customers sufficient time and flexibility to make sure customers are satisfiedare satisfied

ProblemsProblems

From Managerial Perspective From Managerial Perspective • Increased Turnover and AbsenteeismIncreased Turnover and Absenteeism• Lower Job SatisfactionLower Job Satisfaction• Increased Turnover CostsIncreased Turnover Costs

• Maggie believes that role conflict leads Maggie believes that role conflict leads to these problems because operators to these problems because operators can never satisfy both constituencies. can never satisfy both constituencies.

SolutionsSolutions

Eliminate Role Conflict in OperatorsEliminate Role Conflict in Operators• Make management serve in customer-Make management serve in customer-

contact positions periodicallycontact positions periodically Gain perspective, lead to more realistic Gain perspective, lead to more realistic

goals/objectives for operatorsgoals/objectives for operators

• Encourage upward communication Encourage upward communication from operators to managementfrom operators to management

Having ideas and suggestions taken Having ideas and suggestions taken seriously can increase task identity, seriously can increase task identity, autonomy, and job satisfaction in operatorsautonomy, and job satisfaction in operators

SolutionsSolutions

Eliminate Role Conflict in OperatorsEliminate Role Conflict in Operators• Survey Customer SatisfactionSurvey Customer Satisfaction

Market research of customer Market research of customer needs/complaints can show operators where needs/complaints can show operators where to focus to better serve customersto focus to better serve customers

• Reduce Emphasis of Management on Reduce Emphasis of Management on High Call TurnoverHigh Call Turnover

Implement corporate culture of customer Implement corporate culture of customer service and Total Quality Management service and Total Quality Management

• Ever-improving customer serviceEver-improving customer service• Customer retention through satisfactionCustomer retention through satisfaction

SolutionsSolutions

Take Advantage of Role ConflictTake Advantage of Role Conflict• Empower operators to handle conflictsEmpower operators to handle conflicts• Distinguish between high- and low-Distinguish between high- and low-

priority callspriority calls• Use as catalyst for increased Use as catalyst for increased

communication to managementcommunication to management

Role Divergence in TeamsRole Divergence in Teams

Role conflict in a teamRole conflict in a team• Conflict can arise between the goals of Conflict can arise between the goals of

an individual and goals of the teaman individual and goals of the team• Role divergence can occur within a teamRole divergence can occur within a team

A team “leader” may not be accepted by A team “leader” may not be accepted by others as a team “member”others as a team “member”

A team member may not want to oppose A team member may not want to oppose team views (groupthink)team views (groupthink)

Question #1Question #1

What’s the source of role conflict What’s the source of role conflict here?here?• Maggie’s employees experienced Maggie’s employees experienced

opposing role expectations. They opposing role expectations. They believed:believed:

Customers wanted their undivided attention Customers wanted their undivided attention and limitless time to solve problemsand limitless time to solve problems

Managers wanted high caller turnover and Managers wanted high caller turnover and as many calls handled as possibleas many calls handled as possible

Question #2Question #2

Are there functional benefits to Are there functional benefits to management from role conflict?management from role conflict?• In this specific case, operators may feel In this specific case, operators may feel

more obliged to serve customers as well more obliged to serve customers as well as they canas they can

• Role conflict may encourage upward Role conflict may encourage upward communication about concernscommunication about concerns

Question #3Question #3 Should role conflict among these telephone Should role conflict among these telephone

service employees be any greater than a typical service employees be any greater than a typical employee who works as part of a team and has to employee who works as part of a team and has to meet the expectations of a boss as well as team meet the expectations of a boss as well as team members?members?• On one hand, a member of peer team may experience On one hand, a member of peer team may experience

greater conflict because satisfying both management greater conflict because satisfying both management and team members over the long run can create difficult and team members over the long run can create difficult decisions.decisions.

• On the other, these operators’ internal conflict can not On the other, these operators’ internal conflict can not be eliminated without creating better service for be eliminated without creating better service for customers. Inferior service leads them to lower job customers. Inferior service leads them to lower job satisfaction, higher absenteeism, and higher turnover.satisfaction, higher absenteeism, and higher turnover.

Question #4Question #4

What can Maggie do to manage this role What can Maggie do to manage this role conflict?conflict?• Eliminate operators’ perception of role conflictEliminate operators’ perception of role conflict

Enhance culture of TQM and customer serviceEnhance culture of TQM and customer service Make managers serve as operators to understand the Make managers serve as operators to understand the

situation and gain perspective on managerial situation and gain perspective on managerial objectivesobjectives

Encourage employees to communicate needs and Encourage employees to communicate needs and concerns with managers about serviceconcerns with managers about service