Organisation Behavior

Summary

Telephone customer service representatives have a tough time these days. With automated telephone systems that create a labyrinth for customers, results for a long hold time and make it difficult for them to speak. Many companies require customer service employees to display positive emotions at all times to maintain satisfied customers. In the world of customer service, particularly when interactions take over place over the phone, emotions can run high, and effects can be damaging. Companies should empower employees to decide when it is appropriate to put the customer second. Otherwise, employees are forced to deal with abusive customers, the effects which can be detrimental to both the individual and the company.

Case Incident 2

Question 1)

From an emotional labor perspective, how does dealing with abusive customer lead to stress and burnout?

Answer

All employees needs physical, mental and emotional labor, which is an expression displayed based on organizationally desired emotion during interpersonal transactions at work. Especially customer service or service jobs which required employees to consistency display positive emotions as they have to display their emotions to their customer through conversation with their voice only. Below are some situations faced by customer service that will lead to stress and burnout.

In the case of Calabrese, who is a customer service representative, had one of her worst experience of being ranting and raving by a customer over extra charges on her credit card and being called an ‘Idiot’. She also stated that “she would frequently take her negative emotions home”. This, leads to stress and ended up having conflicts with her roommate.

Another example is from a customer service representative from New Jersey Company. Due to her Spanish accent, she got racial remark constantly from a customer and in the end she quit her job. Similarly, Emma Parson who also quit her job because she “was frustrated by...