Cornpilrt ies ,rien divicle up 1!ork zls a \\ ' |a-v to improve ef-f i c i e r r t r ' . bu r spec ie l i l x t i o r r t a r r i cad to l l ega t i t u co t l se -qren"ces. Dr-ainf lor,t ' is ir companv that iras efieciiveiv'.rseC sp<.'cializ:rt icn tc redllce cosf-s r:elative to its com-pc i i i-o fs' r jL\s ts f iJi. ' r 'ezrr-s. l; r i t r isi ng cris tomcr complaintssuggest the firm's str:ong position may be slipping. Afterl c l J i ng l i : c ea :c . 1 : r r r r i i l i L :3 ' ' J cs ' - s ' ) 1 r lF \ \ r \ ' \ i i , ; t t t , ' i - , ' -

ale more inter:esting r.\/ork for ernplqvss5. lbrr'11 alsoackle the problen of f ir-iding people qualif ied andrr:a"dv to perform rhe rnultiple responsibil i t ies requiredin these iobs.

Job desigirjob satisfactionPersonalitvImoticlnail l ;Lb<.:i

a \ a t r : - . - . a i n q J o b s T i r a t F a i i t o S a t i s f , i

lvotLld use a competitor tl-re next time they had a plumb-ing problem.

Lee is r,vonderins r,vhether DrainFlorv's jc.b designrnight be r;onrri ' irr-i i ir ig tr-r its problcns in rcii l ,t;;rg cr-i i-tomers. DrainFlotv hzrs ir-bout 2,000 emolovees in ftrttrbasic job categ-ories: piurnbers, piurribcr' 's rssisti irrrr, ur-der processors, and bil l ing representatives. This strt ic-tr,rre is designed to keep costs as 1ow as possible.P1i-rirrl:ei.s make veLi, higir r,vages. tvheleas pl'.rnber's as-sistants make abou[ one-quarter of rvhat a licenseclph-rmber makes. Using plumber's assistants is tl-ierelbrea very cost-effective strategy that has enzrbled DrainFlorvt<, easil,v r-rndercut the competition r'r'hen it ccrnes toprice. Order processors make everr less i,hnrr assistantsbut about the same as billing processors. All rvork i.s vervspecialized, brrt emplovees are often deperrdent on an-other job categorv io perlbrm at their rnost efl icientlevei.

Like mosr piumbing comparlies, DrzrinFlc-rrv getsbusiness moiitlv From the Yeibw Pases and the Internet.Clustorners eirher call i l to describe a plr-rrnbing prol>lem or submit an online request for plumbing serlices.receiving a relurn cail wilh irifr.ri'rirzrliu'r r,vii.hitr ?f liouls.In either case, DrainFlow's order processors Iisten to thecustcner's description of the problern tr, <letenlinewhether a plumber or a plLrnber's irs.sistl ini siroulrimake the service call. The job is then assignecl ac:cord-inglv. and a service provider goes to the location. Whenthe job has be en ccmpletecl, via celi phone a bii l ing rcp--iesentative relal's tire i'ee to the serl'ice rep, iviro pr-rserri)a biii to tire customer 1or pai'inent. tsilling= representa-tives can take customers' credit card pavrnenLs bv phoncor c-rnail an irtt'oice for' ,:nline Dalinlri;ri.

i r r , r i ; : j . : '

;;i ." 1 ,,, .. ':i".-.. ,",., tj . " ,lr ,*, -. .-, ."

: : : : . t i . . , ) i , . , , . , i , , . i . " i r . i ! : ' i : . i

i j t : : . i ; ;

Dr'.i i : lFlc'rr, is i i 1argc re-oideniial ancl commcrciai plumb-ing maintenance tirm that operales aroutrd the UnitcdStates. It has been a major piayer in residential plumb-ing fbr r-leczrdes, arrd its familiar rhyming motto, "lVhen

Yrrr-rr Drain lVon't Co, Call DrainFlow," has been plas-tered on bil lboalds since tire 1960s.

Lee Revnaldo has been a regional manager at Drain-Flrrrl, 1i.,. about 2 vears. She used [o r'vork fbr a ne'vverc()rnpcting chain, Lightning PIumber, that hirs beertd.rar,ving more anci more cllslomers from DrainFlorv. Ai-though herjob al DrainFlor,v pavs more, Lee isn't huppl'r it i 'r. Lire ',r 'ai ' thirrgs zrrc going. She

's notice d lhe rvork en-vir-onrrrent i l . lst isn't as vitarl or energetic as the environ- Although specializaticn does cLIt costs significantlr '. l .ee' r r e ' r 1 . h e \ r \ r J t L i s l l t i l i n g . is rr,crricci aDolrt cusioner ciissadsi-action. Ae c,.-rrclir ig ,-,,,

l-e e- thinks tite problem ii that emplovces aren't nro- her survey, about 25 percent of ctistomer contactstr\,r1te( to pro\loe [nc [\pc ur LusL(Jrrrcr "cr ri..

L;Bi'- - ' ..1-.1 .,. ,,- .-;-,;;; -;11 5c::--::: ] ' ,::: l : l t ' j : tt r" ' j :-: ' i ' . t: '

l . l i l r gP i ' . rm i ;e re t r l p1o1 iees r l r - [ . e t . . l j he rece r r r1 ' vse t ] i , 5 l . ' t f \ l e \ ' s f usccb r , t } r e , ' 1 i ag r l os [ i cq r res t i o l s t1 - te r , , de rio /-tLrstorners to colle.t intb':rr:rirt i<>r-r abont perlirrrnattce, :rsked aiid bccar-rsc ihe orclcl p[ocr:ssoi-s clid not h:ivr:. r l i t i i t r t c i J t ; t L . o l i I i i i r i e . i . l c r i e a l ' s . , \ - t t i : o ' L r 3 ' i i o , 0 i , c i - C ' J t ] L . ; i : | l l l : . - ; i . . . . i : ' ' ' , ' . 1 : ] g c

ol resDr.,nrients saicl ther,' I,vere satisfied r.l, irh dteil expe- Thil l nleaits lr-i l l-v oite i i i fbtir pe ople rvlio c:rl l f) i^ainFlorr'i- icncr- ancl rvould r,rse DrzrinFlor.r ' again, -10 percent f 'elt to it ire a plurnbcr ar.e !v()rse ihan r.l iss:rtisfie cl: thelt i I t 1 i ' i ] . \ l ) e f 1 C l I c c i \ . l - t S t I ( ) L g t J ( ) c i . i t r i c i 3 0 p t i ^ c t ] i l | s a i c i t ' l i c : ' a l . ? : ] , : . . : : ] * . o n : 3 1 - S : l ' ' : . : ] 1 ] T h c r e l l : l i l i , l 1 3

C O f u I P B E H E N S I V E C A S E S

cal is t l - rzr t d ic i cnd in r i curstonlcr se{ \ '1cr- r e l lc( rLr . l tLcr-ac-sr-rlted in other problems.

The rnost f ieqr.re ut conrpiaints l,ee {bi,rnd in the cr,rs-tcll]er sLlr\ ievs rvere abotL! response tirne and cost, espe-ciailv when the rvror:ig person \^Ias sent to a job. Apluir"rbe r's assistant caurlot compiete a more technicallvconrplicated job. The appointnent has to be resched-r,rieci, arrci Lhe erLstorircr's tine 21nd the sLrfT's tiure havebecn -,r 'astect. Tlie resultinq delav often cattsed ctts-[{)nlers in t, lese :itr,tztLiutis l i , clec],i l te t ir lt l-r,:t ' c()rl i .acttvirir Dr:i i i iFler,i:-n3n.' of rltem r{ecicied fo go withI "ie- h tn i n g Piriruber:

"\'\'hr,'n I.Lt'r^ive at a ittl; I c'.rrt't tarkc t-'arc tr.[." sai'splun-iber's : issistlt i i t -)in Lz.-rson,

' ' the custuitlcr gel.j

: i i l , i ' i l r , , i l . T l :e . , - i r , r i rg-1t t ihev rvere setdng zr . l icensed

nir.rurircr'. siricc ti icv .,vere call ing tor a piutrtbcr: Tcii in5them thev hnr,t) to hilve scii l tcttrrc eisc c(lnlc otrl cluesir'tgr> ovr : r ive l l . "

On rhc r-rrltcr harrci, lhcit lt pil intirr:r t ' t:sD<;uds t 'o ajob easily handleri bv:r plr,uui-rcr's itr;r; ir;t:- i l t, the rtrlstomer

is sti i l cirarsccl at the pl'.r inber's hisher pav rate. Li-tcnsccl phrinber l"r-ri-. Belgcl al.so docs not l ike being intire position ot'giving' clistolners ba<1 nuvs. "i i ' I getcalled ()Lir to clo sr>rnething l ike snake a drain, the cus-romer isl) 't expecting a iref tv bil l . I 'm caughr berwee n a:': 'rck arrd :r hard nlace-I don't se t the rates or make theappr>irimcris, br-i i f in the orte who gets it. f irrtn tirc ci-is-ronrer." Pli imbers aLso r-esent. beinq sent to do such siut-ple rvr.>ri<.

Srisie lilr:(-il-f,l,/ i:j ()ne of lJrainFlor.v's orcier proces-s,rls. She's [r-ustrartecl tor.; wlten the r,vrr-rng person is scrrtlo:r lob bti.t. tceis she a nrl thc t;,t l ier order prrrcessor:s aredoing the best thev curt. "\! 'e hirve a survev wc're sup-posed to fbllorv rvith the calls to finci otit rvl-iat tl're prob-iern is i inci wir<-, uceds tc ial<e the ;ob," she explains. "The

clrstonters don't knor' l ' tha'" t,. 'c itave l i slanCard lornr, s.,-t

' ;Iev ti- i ir- i l< 1\,c (:all l i)-si\r.. i l i1 rheil qtlesti()ns. \ lost. of trsclort 't knorv zrnv nrorc :t irr,.nr piiutibii ig t ltarl

"he cirl ler. i l

thev clon't Llse thc teinls cl-l the suirve'"', -r,ve dt:tr't ttttcler--stand lvhat thev're ralkir-rg abolrt. A plumber r,i'or-rld, britr 'vc're not plumber-s: 11,a1 isrst take the calls."

Customer sei'r'ice issrres also involl'e the billing rep-resen[zrtives. Tirev Lrfc tl]c ones rt 'ho haYe to keep con-tacting clrstorrers about pa\iment. "It 's not mv lault t l 're\'vrorg slrv was sent," sals Elizabeth N{ontv. "I1'trvo guvswent oli:, thal's trrc trips. Tf :r plumber did the n'ork, voupav plumbcr rirtcs. Some oi dresc cutsLumcl's don't g,3t-tirat i ci icin'r Lakc i l ieir f l;:st c: '"11, i lrtd s,r I set vel]ed at."The bil l ing renresentrlt ives aiso cotnpizrirr cii.r l ' ; l-;.ci ;t;c',11r. t lte iail e1d. of t i..e pr6cess. s() thev ion'I kn'-.rrv i,r ' iraithe originai ctrl i entailed. Thc job is iairlf impersorii i . l ,:urC rl-Lr:1,: ,rit ihc lr,r;rii is recor-dii-Lg clrstolner c{,)ill-pJa in r i . Remern l l t ' r ' - - { 0 pc r r ' i ' r t r r t ' c r r s ton te t - s a rcn r \ l r -isfied, and it 's the bii l ing reprrsentatives rviro take i lrcbn-ut of their negatile reiictions on the phone.

As vou can probably tell, all emplo,vees hzrr,e Ii) eri-gage in emotional lzrbor, as described in votLl textboor(,and rnzrny lzrck the skills or-per.sonalitv traits to comple ttrire r:,-Lsloincr inrcracicn co{nporlent r>f their.iobs. The.'ar-en'f. trained t.o pr:ortide custon)er service, zrnd ilte" scttheir lvor:k mostlv in technical, or mechanical. lei 'ms.

Qrrite ;r ferv are rlclllalh'-"rnv^ious about spcakiLig cliie ctl'r i i th cl:stc,mr:rs. Thr: ofl lt e stalT (order processors andl ; i l l i r rs ; - r 'p lcrant l r t i . cs ' r r t ' l r l ize ( 'L ts l ( )mel 'sct ' r i t ' t ' i . l , l t , .cit t ircir joir. i;ut t-l ierr rlso fincl dealing in' it l i nesati., ' :feedbactri {rofil cu$l.orners anci co-ir'olkeLs ta:rin[.

r\ cc,u1-rle rff- r'e'.r,rl :rgo a manzlgelnent c,rusiritruqcornplrnv i'vi-is lrilcd to slirve'i' DrainFlor' lvorke-r irtL-t '.Lcics. Thc r:cstdLs :ihorvecl thev rvere lcss saLr.:, i icti i- lr-Lrlvof licr'S i:r i: th c r,.;on-r.parzible .i obs. Th e fbiiolvi r-re tabi ijproi ' icles a breakdorvn of respotrdent satisliLctir.rn levcrrr: l ( ' ross I n l tm ber r l f - catcg, ' r ' ics:

DrainFlow I DrainFiowP!un'lbers Plumber Assrs'ran[s

2 . 5

Dra inF lowOfiiice JUurkei"s

AverageD l r r m l - a r

A V E r q \ j E

f){fice \A/orkers

i I am sar is f ied wi th the ' ryork i ami askeci io do.

i I am sat is f ied wi th my work ing I 3 . 8I cond i t l ons

r a . - car is . t ie . j ' n , i th mv in te rac t ions j 3 .5wi th co-worKers .

I l : - sa t iSF leO r ,n r i rn my ince iac ' t ,on : ,.n r i f ^ mr r s r l0erv isor .

4 .3

3 . 8

1 5 . ) | 3 4

The i r t f i r r rna t ion : r l ; r ; i i i a \ i . i . : ig ( , 1 , ; l iL i i i l ; t ' r . . l l i l ; t . , ' l t r -

, . ' : c o l l i ce \ \ 'o fke fs i s t : i1 . " '1 i i ' r , r , t t l ' , i , , ' . , ' t , rg ( ' i l t l ! i i t r ) r ) -s ' ,L i t ing companr ' ' s lec ( ) )ds t l i t l t l r t : r ' cor l l ) i i 1 i r ' s .

'L I r ] \ ,

. ,r fct l l ' t exactlv slu'prisine, giyen sonre ol ' t l tc L'{)rr)plai11Ls,l iainFlor,r, emplovecs l t in-e rnl-Lclt .- Tolt rrrarrrrgcn-r.cni is

rorr ied about these resuits, but [hev hlu'err 'L l teen zrble

i i) formll late a solt i t ioD. Thc tt .Lt lrLiorl l l Dl ' i r i l i l l lcr ' , i , cui-

r-LLre has been fbcr-rsed on cost c(-)ntai l tmcnt. i rnd the' ')of

i stuf l" l ike enrpl. i t 'e c saLisl i i ( :Liorr ir ; tsl ' t l tcet i a rtra-i r > i ' i s s t r e .

- i _ '

Tirc coLIlpi i i l l is irr t l r- ,1i1, '1,: , .LLr.:1 :-L:-. L'c\ c. ir i .LL:.( . . i i , i r .rk zi-, tr : l

lhe cost sai ' ing's ihai 1\ 'e1e supposcd [o bc ;rr: ]r icved b).-i l . . : d i ' . ' " 1 , ^ 1 ' ' , ' 1 - i ' ' ' r i i ' . . ' ' . . : i : ' ' ' . ; .- r ' ' " '

;;e in orcLer^.Lee is plopo.sinu r-rsing casir t 'etr ' ' .Lrcls Lo itrrp,r.,rtc pc,-

l lrrnance ;rinong enpl()vces. Shc lhinks iI ' r,rnrplovceswere pai(l b:rsed on 1v()rk {)Lrtcorn,--s. lher,'cl ' ,r 'r>rk hzrrder-to satis$' clrstolnels. Becalise it 's not eusv to rleasltrchorv satisflcd people ale with the init ial c'alf in, Lee,r,'orLlri iii<e to give lir.e orcier: Ilrocrlssors a si-rtall rer,vir"r'ciibr e\:cry 20 cails successfirl l i ' complcrtccl. F or the han,is-()n l\,ork, she'cl l ike to have each bil l irre reprcscntativc{rolle ct inlirrrnation ab()Lll custofiter satisfacLion tor eachlomplcied ca11. If n'o cor,ipllLlnli ir ic m;Lcle and thr: jol;

is harrtclled prompilv, ; i tnt,:,dertrLc r:i lsh fe\vard ivould be:{iverr tr; t}rc Dlr.rmbcr or l.r l lLmbcr's irssist:rttt-. If the ctis-Lomer iudicates real sat is facLion r ' r . i th tbc.serv ice, al;trqel cash lervart.[ rvuuic] be provided.

l-ee aisrr 1\rants to l,ind oeopl'": tnrh.o are ir better fit u,ithtlrc r:t.,rrrir:, iDv s l lc\\, ' guiLls. {,r-irr^ctiL ir i i irtg pi(r(-cdLire i(j-lies on Lrns[rlrclllrecl inLcnicr,i's rr,irh cacl-r io<:at.li;n's gcn-eral rnanzrser, irnc{ lit.de r:onsistcrtc.: is for-rnd in the r,r,avtJrese rnanaq'ers choose empklccs. N{ost iack fainins inclrstomer sen'ice ilnd orgirnizatir>nal behzi"'ior. [,ee rhinksit lvouicl l)e better if hii-ing mctllricls wele standardizcclac()ss a1i branchr:s iri i-rcr rcglon to irelp in:rnagcrs idert-titv rr:crr-rits rvlro r:an tl.cl.r.r;r,ilv sut:r:r'eci in the job.

l i rr- ir l ;Lsk is to prci l : I1'c a rei j t ;- i i r ,L l-ec ou ihc pct-en.-':i:rl t1l'ecri..'32ess c1 1-rel- .:ash rc','.'::r'C arcl. sll-,-lctr-lrecl-

interr\i ie\v plcrgr,.urrs. \{irke cerr'.r i6 i1 i-s irr t ire tirr:rn ot i.rpi 'otessionai biisincss clocrimcni that

"or.i 'cl lrciu:i l ir, giie

to an experie nced nranag-er at this lel 'el o1'a fir ir lv lalqecorporation. Lee is \,erv smart r,viren it conles [o manzlg-ing f-rnances and rr-innine a plumbing br-Lsiness, br-rt shewon't necessarilv knorv trbout the organizational be-har-ior- princinlcs loll 're describing. Because anr,' r-rei,\rproposals rnust be passed thror- rgh top management.vou should a lso address thc i r concerns zrbont cost con-tainment. Yori '11 need to make a strong evidence-base cii i l izLiiciai czisc Liuii ciuirrgirrg titc i i iariagcitici lt si,\"ic ivi i lhenefi.t the comprn-r'

!\ ire r-r v<-ru l l 'r i tc, tu;tkc sltrc rr,rrt toucit ori circ-ic, ' i i t-rl-inr poirrts:

1. Nthough it 's ciear ernplo1,cs5 are not especiallv sat-lsflcci - 'r i ' lh t l:ci l '-,r,c:ir., : io'.""; l- l thirl l rhs rs i- i ie:i i1)i lf 'or ccnce rn? Dce s lesearch Jl Lgte sf slrlstied .,r 'ot 'ke rsare actuail i, better Llt dreir jobs? Ate any other- bc-hirvioral outcome s associated ivith job satisf-zrction?

2, Usins'. iob charircteristics [heorv. explarin rvhv tht'present systell1 ofjob desig-n nrav be contribnting toernployee dissatisfaction. Describe s()me wzlvs \r)Llcor-rid heip empirr,vees f'eel more saris{'ieci r,r.ilh lirerrrvork bv redesigning their jobs.

3. [,ce hns a.sorner,r'hat vaque ide:r abor-rt hon, to inrplc-ment the cash rer'vards systern. Describe some of thespecific i,\'eLvs i,i)Lr -uv<-rulcl inalic thc lc'"rtarri .i!-tsicirwoi-k better', basecl on the case.

4. Explain the adr,'anuiges and disadvantirges o{' lrsirrsfinlLncial incent.ives in a prograrn of [his i]aLure.l,\; 'ha[, if any, porendnl proi]lems rrrigirt .r-rise if pco-pie :rre given nrone"' I'or :rchierting cr-lstL)nlrir s;-r-t:s-iactioLr goaisi 'v\ihat othcr Lvpes <,ri ' inceutives rniglttbe c<-.'rLsiderccl?

5. Creitte a specilic plari Lo assess rvhetiler the re'ut,:lrdsvstem is wor"king. Wh:rl. are the ciepenclent varizrblest.hat shoulcl change if thc' svstem lvor-ks? How wilivoLl go about rneasllri lrg succcs,s?

6" !\h:rt tvpes oi'hirins' rec()Inmenciations rvouid vttunlai<e to tinci people bet.ter sr.riteri f i>r t irese..ltt i ;s?\,Vhich Big Five pe rsonalitv traits rvoulcl be r-rseful lbrtl le customer se rvicc responsibil i t ic.s i.rnd cirt()t i()nait . ) r t r \ 1 _ ,