Redesigning a job using the QFD approach: the case of the customer service in a call centre
Redesigning a job using the QFD approach: the case of the customer service in a call centre
Índice
Purpose: The paper aims to illustrate how Quality Function Deployment (QFD) can assist the identification of the service features that best respond to the customer demands of a Call Centre. In addition, it discusses the central role of job design in this regard.
Design/Methodology: The research uses the case study of a big Portuguese telecommunications company. Data were initially collected by means of a questionnaire survey applied to both customers and frontline employees. Later, when the House of Quality (HoQ) was built, a panel of experts was involved at different stages, from assigning priorities to customer requirements to evaluating alternative solutions.
Findings: Twenty-seven requirements and thirty-two service features were considered. Job design was found to be associated with the vast majority of the demands. Skills variety, autonomy and feedback are of particular importance and need to be enhanced.
Research implications: The study shows that, despite cost reduction concerns, organisations must invest in enriching the job performed by frontline employees in Call Centres so that customer demands are met. The technological component of the job must be combined with functional contents.
Originality/value: Although the use of the QFD methodology is not new, it is normally targeted towards the development of a new product, service or process. The idea of applying it to the redesign of a job, an under researched topic, is original. Moreover, taking both customers and employees as “clients” of the job design is also uncommon.
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Job design; QFD; House of Quality; Call Centre
