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Safeway Company has policies that require employees to smile at and make eye contacts with customers. Most of the customers would view this kind of facial gestures as a friendly way of doing business, but some customers might misunderstand them as a flirt. Twelve employees had filed complaints about this Superior Service policy and found it unethical for the company to have undercover shoppers to spot if there is any violator. This led to Union to get involved and suggest the company to modify the policy.
However, the headquarters disagreed that the policy was the cause of the misunderstanding. And they think it is necessary to train their employees to be friendly and having the right attitude to serve their customers. Critical Thinking: 1. How, specifically, does this case illustrate the process of attribution? The case illustrates this company enforcing this Superior Service policy to their employees, and might somehow attribute the cause of misconception from the customers. Employees were asked to smile and keep eye contact to their customers, but these friendly gestures were considered by some of the customers as flirt.
The internal cause would be the smile and eye contact, and the external cause would be the customers responses or perception. The correspondent inferences could be the smile and extensive cares of customers might lead to assumption to some customers as flirt. 2. What do you suppose is being done to help train people to be more friendly toward customers? In other words, what do you imagine goes on in Safeway's Smile School? I would imagine students sitting in groups and exchanging ideas on how to serve the customers better. Instructor would also have employees to perform role-playing, having one side act as customers and the other side doing their job as clerks.
Different scenario would be provided and employees will be asked to solve each case in a polite manner. Instructors would correct their mistakes and provide feedback to each individual. In addition, employees would always be reminded to smile and keep eye contact to their customers. 3. What do you think of sending undercover shoppers into stores to spot violators of the customer service policy? In your opinion, is this ethical? In my opinion, sending undercover shoppers into stores to spot violators of the customer service is ethical.
It was because; companies should do whatever it takes to develop good relationships with their customers. Since valuing customers satisfaction on their service is the main concern of Safeway, enforcing the policy on their employees to meet customer needs is critical. 4. Describe what you believe might be the progressive disciplinary steps outlined in the warning letter sent to unfriendly Safeway clerks. I think managers should carry out progressive disciplinary steps if spotted employees who had been violated the Superior Service policy. First, managers should try to communicate with the employees and see the reason why they dont follow the policy. If there is a misunderstanding of the routine, then it is necessary for the manager to coach the employee through the correct procedure.
Then they should give an oral warning to the staff and warn them if the same problem persists, certain disfavor actions will be taken against them. The next offense should be result in suspension without pay. And if the employee still remain the same attitude, dismissing he / she would be the only way to settle the problem. 5. Do you believe the unions complaints about the Superior Service policy are warranted?
What, if anything, should be done to change this policy? I believe the complaints from the union are warranted. Protecting unionized workers should be their main focus, so pressuring the company to meet an agreement between employees and the company is part of their job. The policy should compromise both employees and companys perception to serve customers in a better way. Instructing employees to be friendly to customers is important, but maintaining eye contact and smile at the customers all the time might lead to misconception. The policy should just focus on being polite and helpful to customers as number one priority.
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Research essay sample on Eye Contact Customer Service
