Breaking the Rules for Better Service

Abstract

It is no secret that often there's room for improvement in the service sector. One reason may be that some company policies do not support employee decisions that allow for high levels of customer service. This article takes a look at people who succeeded in climbing the management ladder in the food-service industry. Some findings about personality factors that make for success in management raise questions about the possibility of improving service. The major obstacle to providing excellent service may be the strong tendency toward conformity in our organizations. Existing decision-making policies, coupled with the manner in which organizations reward conforming behavior, present an overwhelming challenge to companies hoping to attract and retain customers through exceptional service.