Building Relationships Through Personalization: The Impact of ‘Others’ on Contact Personnel Performance

Abstract

Abstract As competition intensifies for professional service providers, renewed attention must be given to the retention of clients. While professionals typically provide a customized service, the treatment the client receives from other personnel in the office may not be perceived as personalized. Personalization of the interaction between contact personnel and client can enhance the overall experience for the client and result in increased loyalty to the professional. One often overlooked element that impacts the service encounter is the presence of ‘others’ on the performance of contact personnel. An examination of factors impacting the quality of performance by contact personnel and suggestions for fostering personalization and ultimately client loyalty are presented.