Desired Qualities of Customer Contact Employees_JMM.pdf (172.1 kB)
Download fileThe desired qualities of customer contact employees in complaint handling encounters
journal contribution
posted on 2013-03-11, 12:47 authored by Thorsten GruberThorsten Gruber, Isabelle Szmigin, Roediger VossThis paper explores the nature of complaint satisfaction with a particular emphasis on the
qualities and behaviours that affect customers during the personal complaint handling
encounter. The paper reviews the literature on complaint satisfaction and the role of the
contact employee in the complaint encounter. An empirical study using the means-end
approach and the paper-and-pencil version of the laddering technique provides a deeper
understanding of attributes of effective customer contact employees and reveals the
underlying benefits that complainants look for. The research indicates that complainants want
contact employees to give positive nonverbal signals, to have sufficient product (service)
knowledge and the authority to handle their problems adequately. They also want employees
to be willing to try hard and spare no effort. Customers think that if employees take them
seriously, this will lead to a problem solution and feelings of satisfaction. The paper
concludes with suggestions to managers to introduce and improve active complaint
management and reviews the limitations of the research method.
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- Business