Service Delivery Strategies

Paper Summary:

The paper aims to provide insights into how service delivery strategies of the leading companies in the travel and hospital industries are increasingly relying on the employees' and customers' roles in service delivery, in addition to the managing of service supply chains to ensure customers' expectations are consistently met or exceeded. The paper focuses on the call center functions within the Hilton Hotel chain, Southwest Airlines and Avis rental cars. The paper then presents recommendations to ensure service delivery strategies are turned into competitive advantages. The paper explains how service delivery strategies in these industries need to foster and nurture self-efficacy on the part of customers while at the same time keeping the role of employees more clearly defined.

Outline:
Service Delivery Strategy: Background and Introduction
Main Conclusions
Recommendations
Turning Service Delivery Strategies into a Competitive Advantage: Defining the roles of Employees versus Customers
Developing More Effective Demand Forecasts with Role Clarification
Making Self-Efficacy Work Rather Than Hinder Service Delivery Strategies
Future Trends
Limitations, Conclusions and Recommendations

From the Paper:

"To be effective, service delivery strategies in the travel and hospitality industries need to foster and nurture self-efficacy on the part of customers while at the same time keep the role of employees more clearly defined. The challenge many self companies have, from Hilton Hotels to Southwest Airlines, is to continue the successes obtained in getting customers involved in the service process yet not confusing internal employees about their relative role. In the case of Avis, the division of labor between employee and customer are well-delineated and the supply chain is well defined through a reservation program. Yet for Hilton and Southwest, the challenges of continuing to build on the gains made in customer participation and service that lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction need to be managed to ensure consistent levels of self-efficacy opportunities as well (McKee, Simmers, Licata, 2006). As much empirical research has shown that the higher the level of participation the higher the level of "ownership" on the part of customers, employees are often unsure which part of the process they should also take responsibility and accountability for (Hsieh, Yen, Chin, 2004)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Anderson, G., Morrice, D., Lundeen, G. (2005). The "physics" of capacity and backlog management in service and custom manufacturing supply chains. System Dynamics Review, 21(3), 217-247. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 970922231).
• Hartline, M.D, Ferrell, O C. (1996). The management of customer-contact service employees: An empirical investigation. Journal of Marketing, 60(4), 52-70. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 10281333).
• Hsieh, A & Yen, C.H., Chin, K (2004). Participative customers as partial employees and service provider workload. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 15(2), 187-199. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 650144811).
• Jack, E., Bedics, T., McCar, C.. (2006). Operational challenges in the call center industry: a case study and resource-based framework. Managing Service Quality, 16(5), 477-500. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1143410581).
• King, C., & Grace, D (2005). Exploring the role of employees in the delivery of the brand: a case study approach. Qualitative Market Research, 8(3), 277-295. Retrieved March 31, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 877216851).

More papers on Service Delivery Strategies:

• Research Paper # 3431 : "Retail Banking Services Delivery"
• Research Paper # 64704 : "Customer Service"
• Research Paper # 97433 : "Supply Chain Time-Based Strategies"

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MLA Citation: