ROLES OF A SERVICE EMPLOYEE

Service employees are required to perform varied roles in a service organisation. Employees who are involved in the service production process are required to perform the following roles effectively.

Product designer: The Basic Service Package (BSP) formulated by the service organisation serves as a basic input for the contact employee. Each customer may require a different service for solving his specific problems. Service employees should ascertain each customer’s specific service requirements and design a distinctive service product by taking into consideration the resources and competencies of the service organisation.

Performer: A service employee is the performer in the service production process. He has to interact with uncontrollable elements (consumers) and extract quality performance, by influencing the customers to get involved in the process.

Technician: Some services require the use of equipment and the service employee who possesses the skills to operate such equipment.

Associate: Service employees and service consumers together produce service. The expected role of an employee is to associate with the consumer and produce quality service.

Friend: A service employee has to play the role of a friend with consumers as well as co-employees in a team. Co-employees and customers look for help, cooperation, guidance and support from others on various issues. Every employee of the service organisation should respond to such needs positively.

Empathiser: Empathy is the key quality parameter in service. Consumers feel comfortable and perceive better quality when contact employees are empathetic. Service employees should have the patience and inclination to be empathetic towards customers.

Assurer: Service employees’ words and actions should reflect assurance to customers. As services are intangible, variable and perishable, customers seek assurance in every production process. The consumer contact employees are the representatives of the service company; this is why a contact employee needs to perform the role of an assurer.

Salesman: The performance of a service employee builds a positive image for the service company. The customers of a service are likely to become consumers of other services offered by the company. Contact employees will have an opportunity to interact closely and intimately with customers. Therefore, their role in influencing and persuading the customers is vital. Service companies can use their contact employees as sales personnel.

Marketing intelligence: One of the most prominent sources of marketing intelligence is contact employees. They are the right personnel to gather data relating to day-to-day happenings.