Anna Rice, John Austin, & Nicole Gravina.
Increasing customer service behaviors using manager-delivered task clarification and social praise.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
42, 665-669.
This project assessed an intervention to improve employee customer
service behaviors (correct greetings and closing behaviors). A combination
of task clarification and manager-delivered social praise resulted in increased
correct greeting from 11.5% to 66% and correct closing from 8% to 70%.
The effect was maintained at a 48-week follow-up for employees who
were present during the initial study period, but not for more recently
hired employees. The results suggest that task clarification combined
with manager-delivered social praise is an effective way to improve
employee customer service behaviors.
DESCRIPTORS: customer service, organizational behavior management, social praise, task clarification