Job analysis approaches for customer service representative positions

Job Analysis and Design

Approaches the HR manager can take to conduct a job analysis of the Customer Service Representative position.

The completion of a competent job analysis is needed to outline the job description, the responsibilities of the position and the qualities the holder of the position is expected to have so that they are successful for in that position. Not using a job analysis makes it hard to fill vacant positions effectively (Prien, Goodstein, Goodstein & Gamble, Jr., 2009).

The various ways of carrying out a job analysis for the position of customer representative is as given below:

a) DACUM (Developing a Curriculum): This is a quick but valid technique for job analysis that is used in the determination of competencies that the team should focus on in the training curriculum for a given occupation. DACUMs are made use of in developing job profiles for all kinds of occupations as it saves both money and time. It has been validated by research and it compares very well with other methods used for job analysis. DACUM is grounded on the following premises:

Expert professionals are better at describing their work than any other person can do

Any position can be described effectively in terms of tasks and competencies that workers who are successful in that field do

The particular skills, tools, attitudes and specific knowledge that workers need to effectively do their job can be described (Halasz & Reid, 2003).

The process takes thinking deliberately in an organized way and needs about 5 to 9 workers who are experts in their field of work, a recorder and a DACUM facilitator. While some job analysis can be carried out in a single day, it is more prudent to schedule more than one day for those jobs that are complex. The members of the panel must be heavy hitters in their areas of expertise, and have excellent skills and knowledge. To achieve good outcomes, a facilitator with training in the DACUM process is needed. The first step is preparing a profile or chart that shows the duties and tasks the person seeking the position will do and the required general knowledge, skills, and tools. Following the development of the profile, it should undergo validation and expert workers as well as supervisors should review it for accuracy and completeness. Different criteria can be used in the process of validation, but a critical criterion is performance frequency and training needs (Halasz & Reid, 2003).

Advantages of the DACUM Method (Hartley, 1999):

Self-validation as verification is done by the experts in that particular area as well as the panel established.

It is proven to work for not less than 3 decades now.

It establishes a sense of ownership among the supervisors and managers as they design the training.

Disadvantages of the method (Hartley, 1999):

Listing all qualities and tasks the job requires is cumbersome.

It takes long to orient managers who are not certified to the terms used in such a process and nearly a quarter of the time is dedicated to this.

A session like the one mentioned above needs a certified DACUM facilitator. The concerned organization must therefore get certification from DACUM licensees.

b. Critical Incident Technique (CIT): A behavioral analysis is done on a phenomenon so as to identify the behavioral aspects of the job. The individuals directly in contact with the phenomenon or who feel the effects of the behavior give the needed information. Data may be obtained from workshops or interviews (Scott & Reynolds, 2010). There are four characteristics to a good incident:

Specificity

Focus on behavior that is observable

Description of the behavior's context

Highlights the consequences that accrue due to the behavior

The method involves asking experts in the job to give stories of poor or good performance so that specific undesirable or desirable behaviors and competencies can be identified. Since the focus is not on the typical but extreme undesirable or desirable behavior, the method is not typically made use of (Condrey, 2010). The basic steps made use of in this method are the generation of lists by competent workers of notable incidents, categorization of the incidents considered to be critical into various dimensions, and once the dimensions are validated, they are reported and also defined by the incidents deemed critical and then recorded (Condrey, 2010). For every incident, every participant is requested to give a description of:

Circumstances preceding that particular incident

The exact deed considered unhelpful or helpful

The reason the behavior is considered unhelpful

An approximation of the time the incident took place (Scott & Reynolds, 2010).

Advantages of CIT method (Ngo, 2010):

The data collected is in the respondent's own words and the respondent is not forced to use a certain framework.

Focus on extraordinary or unusual can yield more helpful data.

It is flexible.

Not expensive but gives rich data.

It identifies those rare occurrences that other methods might miss.

It emphasizes those features that can ensure the vulnerability of a system and so benefit the firm hugely.

Disadvantages of the CIT method are:

Emphasis is on rare events and everyday concerns might be missed.

Critical incidents are reliant on memory.

Not very reliable.

It is biased towards recent incidences as they can be recalled more easily.

c) Structured Interview Method: It is probably the technique that is most widely used in the determination of what exactly a job involves and its wide interview usage is testament to its effectiveness (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2011). This method allows the analysts to talk one on one with the current job holder and hence interrogation is permitted on both sides and so the analyst is afforded the chance of explaining the importance of obtaining the information they are looking for. The interviews can be carried out with one or several incumbents using structured set of questions that allow different answers to be given.

Advantages of the interview method:

Allows the gathering of specific data or information

Permits probing as well as clarification

Disadvantages of the interview method

Consumes a lot of time

Lacks on-the-spot validation

Inefficiency as the interviewer must give an explanation of the purpose and give background information

Might be expensive if carried out in several locations

2.

Strategies to Attract and Select Qualified Applicants

Given any market condition, there exists at least 3 strategies that are different conceptually that can be used in increasing success in the attraction of labor force. Some include: alteration of employment inducements, improvement of recruitment practices as well as the targeting of non-traditional applicants (Rynes & Barber, 1990). New employees are now looking for better arrangements in work and other benefits that are non-traditional. Workers from Gen Y value benefits and perks in a job more -- and businesses view this as a win -- win (Crossland, 2013).

The company can make use of the following two methods to attract employees (Heathfield, n, d,):

Employee recognition plans: Using the motivational approach and Herxberg's two factory theory, an organization can come up with a comprehensive employee reward system targeting referrals and goal attainment. The rewards can be monetary or point based.

Company benefits: The organization may give better transportation and canteen services, plus options like events that keep employees loyal and motivated. Employees value these even though they are often ignored.

Have the office upgraded and ergo-friendly furniture bought: Employees were needed to sit for long every time in the past. Now, studies have shown that this is unhealthy. Employees therefore need ergonomic and modern furniture in place of the clunky leather ones (Crossland, 2013).

3.

Three ways to use job analysis information to measure the performance of Customer Service Representatives

Firms can make use of information gotten from job analysis to make an assessment of the training needed and so develop those programs for training. Job analysis helps in the identification of specific tasks to be carried out. A performance appraisal will aid supervisors identify which tasks are being handled improperly. The supervisor then makes a decision on whether they can be improved by training the employees. Job analysis information can also be made use of in developing forms for performance appraisal. Such a form can, for instance, list the tasks a job requires as well as the expected outcomes. The role played by job analysis is therefore critical. Where job analysis is lacking, organizations always make use of one general form for all employees and they evaluate those characteristics that they presume to be useful in most jobs (e.g., cooperation, dependability, leadership).

The profile established during the DACUM process can be made use of as a need for evaluating the behavioral factors needed for employees like technical and communication skills.

Reporting of critical incidents can be made use of in measuring the effectiveness of employees at times of crisis.

The organization can interview employees so as to better understand the issues the employees are facing during work and so evaluate factors using the two factor theory.

Appraisals that are based on job analysis are superior to those done using generalized forms as they are better at communicating outcome expectations and because they give a better point of reference for giving HRM feedback to be used in the making of decisions (Kleiman, n, d.).