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Author: 黃順明
Wong Soon Ming
Thesis Title: 客服中心當地以及非當地客戶服務代表的服務質量
Study on Clients’ Perceived Service Quality between Local and Non-Local Customer Care Representative in Call Centers
Advisor: 邱皓政
Chiou, Haw-Jeng
Degree: 碩士
Master
Department: 管理研究所
Graduate Institute of Management
Thesis Publication Year: 2014
Academic Year: 102
Language: 英文
Number of pages: 87
Keywords (in Chinese): 客服中心外包境外外包服務質量客戶期望
Keywords (in English): Call Center, Outsourcing, Offshoring, Perceived Service Quality, Customer Expectations
Thesis Type: Academic thesis/ dissertation
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  • Providing a good quality Customer Care has become vital for companies in order to succeed on the market and differ from competitors. Running call center is example of the service which companies offer to customers. However, in many cases companies distinguish running call centers as extra expenditure and as such in some cases outsource/offshore those to lower labor rate countries. As a result, Customer Care is regularly provided by non-local speakers.

    The aim of this thesis was to determine whether customers perceive service in a different manner hearing that employee is not a local speaker. Additionally, study examined which non-local speech characteristics are important for the service quality perception. Besides that, study looked for differences in the service quality perception between respondents under 30 years (so called Generation Y) and older respondents.

    Theoretical framework focused on three core areas – call center specifics, the service quality perception and the role of language in call centers in particular. Literature review helped to summarize factors characterizing non-local speech (accent, vocabulary, rhythm of speech, cognitive language frame and syntax) and determine suitable measure item scale for empirical part.

    The empirical study consisted of the pilot study and consequent survey study. Pilot study was based on customers´ and Customer Care representatives´ interviews. All Customer Care representatives had experience with conducting calls in their non-local language(s). Based on the pilot study, hypotheses were formed and consequently tested by survey realized in two countries, Taiwan and Philippines. Questionnaires with imaginary scenarios were used to gain data.

    A series of analyses on evaluating the measures as well as the testing of the hypotheses will be processed following the procedure of data collection.

    Providing a good quality Customer Care has become vital for companies in order to succeed on the market and differ from competitors. Running call center is example of the service which companies offer to customers. However, in many cases companies distinguish running call centers as extra expenditure and as such in some cases outsource/offshore those to lower labor rate countries. As a result, Customer Care is regularly provided by non-local speakers.

    The aim of this thesis was to determine whether customers perceive service in a different manner hearing that employee is not a local speaker. Additionally, study examined which non-local speech characteristics are important for the service quality perception. Besides that, study looked for differences in the service quality perception between respondents under 30 years (so called Generation Y) and older respondents.

    Theoretical framework focused on three core areas – call center specifics, the service quality perception and the role of language in call centers in particular. Literature review helped to summarize factors characterizing non-local speech (accent, vocabulary, rhythm of speech, cognitive language frame and syntax) and determine suitable measure item scale for empirical part.

    The empirical study consisted of the pilot study and consequent survey study. Pilot study was based on customers´ and Customer Care representatives´ interviews. All Customer Care representatives had experience with conducting calls in their non-local language(s). Based on the pilot study, hypotheses were formed and consequently tested by survey realized in two countries, Taiwan and Philippines. Questionnaires with imaginary scenarios were used to gain data.

    A series of analyses on evaluating the measures as well as the testing of the hypotheses will be processed following the procedure of data collection.

    Abstract......2 Table of Contents......4 Chapter 1 Introduction.....6 1.1. Background and Motivation.....6 1.2. Research Purpose.....8 Chapter 2 Literature Review.....9 2.1. Outsourcing.....9 2.2. Offshoring.....10 2.3. Service Quality Perceptions in Call Center.....10 2.3.1. Service Quality Perception Framework.....11 2.3.1.1. Customer Expectations.....11 2.3.1.2. Total Perceived Service Quality.....13 2.3.2. Factors Causing the Service Quality Perception.....15 2.3.2.1. Company Image.....15 2.3.2.2. Country Image.....16 2.3.2.3. Cultural Differences.....17 2.3.2.4. Age Dissimilarity.....19 2.3.2.5. Other Factors.....20 2.3.3. Service Quality Perception Measurement.....21 2.3.3.1. Service Quality (SERVQUAL).....22 2.3.3.2. Service Recovery (RECOVSTAT).....23 2.3.4. The Role of Language in Call Center Context.....24 2.3.4.1. Language in Service Encounters.....24 2.3.4.2. Language as Expression of Belonging to the Nation.....25 2.3.4.3. Second Language Acquisition.....26 2.3.4.4. Common Differences Between Language Spoken by Local and Non-Local Speaker.....27 2.3.4.5. Language Factors Influencing Service Quality Perception.....32 2.3.5. Summary.....33 2.4. Hypotheses.....35 Chapter 3 Methods.....36 3.1. Selection of Research Method.....36 3.2. Research Design.....37 3.2.1. Pilot Study.....37 3.2.2. Survey Study.....42 Chapter 4 Results.....50 4.1. Results of Pilot Study.....50 4.2. Results of Survey Study.....53 Chapter 5 Discussions.....67 5.1. Local and Non-Local Speaker Perception.....67 5.2. Cross-National Comparison.....71 5.3. Conclusion.....74 5.4. Theoretical Implications.....75 5.5. Managerial Implications.....76 5.6. Limitations.....78 5.7. Further Research Suggestions.....78 References.....80 Appendix.....84

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