Helping American Businesses Deliver Exemplary Customer Service & Recovering the Costs Associated with Consumer Silence

Date of Completion

5-31-2002

Document Type

Open Access Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Nina Greenwald

Abstract

This synthesis proposes that consumers, who are motivated to provide feedback to businesses, can help these businesses provide more effective customer service. First, an overview of some literature and theories pertaining to consumer behavior and its relationship to customer service is presented. Next, field research conducted by the author indicates the need to redesign a customer service program she had previously implemented in a Vermont based nursing home. The results of this research, combined with the results of two sets of interviews with successful business professionals concerning the problems with implementing good customer service, strongly suggest that customer service training alone cannot generate customer feedback. The results indicate that, under normal circumstances, the average customer will remain silent when receiving less than adequate service. The proposal that a customer can be motivated to provide feedback to businesses via an intensive public relations campaign, is currently being tested by a pilot group of SouthCoast chamber businesses. This campaign includes the use of news releases, direct mail, radio and television. Should this proposal be correct, this synthesis will be available to Chambers of Commerce throughout the Country.

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