Jeff Davis

Date of Defense

2000

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. John Austin

Second Advisor

Barbara Bucklin

Abstract

This paper describes the first author's performance management project conducted in a nearby retail clothing outlet. To increase the frequency and quality of customer oriented prosocial behaviors (COPB) by employees, a functional assessment of environmental variables was conducted to assist in the design of an intervention package that applies to situational variables responsible for abated performance levels. This intervention package included task clarification, immediate performance feedback, publicly posted feedback, and social reinforcement in the form of supervisor praise. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was used to assess the effects of the intervention. The performance targets were the percentage of customer-employee interactions where the employee 1) looked at or made eye-contact with customer(s) approaching within five feet of him/her, 2) verbally greeted the customer(s) within the five-foot rule, 3) included a smile or grin in the greeting of a customer(s) corning within five feet, and 4) used a verbal greeting which evoked small-talk from customers approaching within the five-foot rule. Average performance during intervention was 24% higher than average baseline performance for eye contact, 52.6% higher for greeting, 35.6% higher for smiling, and 11.4% higher for small-talk. Results are discussed with relevance to traditional views of personality in providing quality customer service.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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