Maverick's Case
Maverick’s Customer Service
By
Ronnie Holmes
MGT 350
February 12th, 2013
Introduction Maverick’s Poker Room has issued a survey to its customers to determine the level of customer service the patrons think they are receiving. Understanding the customer expectations is vital to a business’s success. The location of Maverick’s is directly across the border from Canada and many patrons come from across the border. This means not only does Maverick’s deal with local customers but international customers as well. According to Mint Kang “ being able to understand and create the human connection, from understanding the customer to building a relationship to sharing that interest and passion, is now taking centre …show more content…
stage for the service industry as expectations rise - not just among local customers, but international visitors as well (2013). Keeping this information in mind the results of the survey have been determined areas have received positive scores however some questions asked lead to negative gaps in the organizations customer service. Due to the negative scores that some questions received the Mavericks staff has decided to implement a new performance management system, a mentoring system that provides instant feedback and testing that will reinforce the employee’s knowledge. Mavericks will also be introducing weekly meeting with its staff to ensure the players are receiving the best possible gaming experience.
Data Collection Instrument Used Due to the complexity of a questionnaire that allows the surveyors to remark on the service being provided Maverick’s Poker Room has opted to utilize a likert scale method to get the results of its customer service. A likert scale method was designed and used by Maverick’s Poker Room to evaluate the findings of the customer service level that is being received by patrons. The scale that was used is a 1 to 5 rate system with 1 being the low and 5 being the high. Surveyors were asked ten questions to determine the level of customer service that is being delivered to the patrons. The survey was designed with easy to answer questions. Avoid technical jargon when designing the questions to ensure accurate answers. Keeping the survey simple to understand and relevant to subject matter. In the likert scale open ended questions are avoided to not confuse the surveyor. The design of this survey is to determine clear and precise answers of weak areas in need of improvement.
Analysis of Data Collected Using table 1.1 below it is determined that are areas Maverick’s needs to consider improving upon. Surveyors were asked in Question 2 if they thought the dealers were fair among players. Question 2 received and average score of 2.4 under the acceptable score of 3.0. The management at Maverick’s may want to consider a meeting to correct the implication that some players feel they have been unfairly treated. Question 2 can also consist of player perceptions and may not initially be as accurate as the management staff was looking for. If the surveyor is a disgruntled or angry customer the perceptions of fair and bias treatment may be blurred by the emotional state of the player. Question 7 asks if the dealers are consistent. This question also earned a negative average score of 1.8; this should be a major concern for the management. The management team will need to consider a training session to make sure the entire staff is running their table exactly the same way. Another negative gap is shown in question 10. Question 10 asks if the players feel the tables are controlled properly. This question received and average score of 1.8. This is another area that could be covered in a training session to ensure no confusion about the obligations of the dealer. All other questions in the survey scored 3.0 and above ensuring that most of the customer service at Maverick’s is at an acceptable standard.
Table 1.1 Due to the negative gaps in customer service Maverick’s analyzed the average score of the on an individual basis. These results were a bit confusing to the management team. The negative gaps did not exist individually. As shown in Table 1.2 the average overall score for each individual is comparable to each other. Surveyor 1 has an average score of 3.1, Surveyor 2 has an average score of 3.1, Surveyor 3 has an average score of 3.0, Surveyor 4 has an average score of 3.0, and Surveyor 5 has an average score of 3.5. If we add all individual scores and divide them by the number of questions Maverick’s has an overall ranking of 3.14. Maverick’s has required an average customer service score of 3.0 with which the organization is meeting as a whole. However, there are individual areas that are not meeting the 3.0 goal.
Table1.2
After analyzing the results of the survey’s the areas that have scored lower may be an affect of emotional intelligence. According to an article from Teller Vision emotional intelligence is linked to the way individuals treat others. The article states “emotional intelligence can make or break someone’s work performance” (Teller Vision, 2013). Looking at the results it is determined that all of the questions that score low are in individual performance. With this information Maverick’s needs to determine what kind of training would help eliminate these issues.
Recommendations
It is the recommendation that Maverick’s Room needs improvement in some of the areas surveyed.
The results of the survey reflect that question 2 that asks if the customers believe that the dealers are fair to all players. Because of these results it is the decision to implement a performance management system that will ensure closer monitoring of the dealers. Implementing a system that focuses on appraisals will help indicate where the weaknesses are and which dealers are in need of training. It is the perception of the players that there are unfair acts or bias decisions made by the dealers. These perceptions may not be as accurate as the survey is stating. Perceptions are based on what the player’s perceive and may not be the actual reflection of the dealer’s job performance. It is the belief of Maverick’s management that once the performance management system is implemented the true results of the dealer’s fairness and unbiased actions will be reflected on the performance appraisal. “Performance Management is a continuous process of identifying, measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams aligning performance with the strategic goals of the company” (Aguinis, 2013 p.26). The performance system will include performance appraisals and timely feedback to the dealers whether it be positive or negative. If the appraisal reflects negative scores the dealer will then be able to do a development plan for the areas indicated. The development plan will …show more content…
ensure the dealer is working toward the goal of providing the fairest gaming experience. A performance management system will assist the management staff with the gathering of information to analyze if the dealers are being unfair or bias, or if this is just a perception of players that have had bad experiences at the gaming table. Many organizations utilize the performance management systems to ensure the quality of work employees are providing. There was also a negative result in question 7 which asks if the dealers seem to be consistent among the players.
Consistency is a major concerned for management staff. If the dealers are not being consistent at the tables there is room for the players to be inconsistent as well. It is the decision of Maverick’s to incorporate training program that will be ensure all dealers are consistent and all making the same decisions and calls at the table. All dealers will be required to take on a two week period of mentoring. A mentor will provide wisdom, technical knowledge, and assistance to the dealer throughout the two week period. Mentoring “is about relationships in organizations that enhance individuals’ development in the early, middle, and later career years. It is the thought of Maverick’s management that if they take their most seasoned consistent dealer and have them be a mentor to the other dealers the consistency of the dealers should rise to a higher level. After the two week period the management staff will sit with the mentor and the dealer to verify that the dealer does not have any questions and to provide feedback to the employee. After all dealers have been mentored the management staff has also decided to periodically test the dealers to ensure they are maintaining a consistent level of service to the
players. There was also a negative result to question 10 which asks if the customers feel dealers control the table in a manner for a player to enjoy themselves. It is the thought of the Maverick’s staff that once the implementation of a new performance management system and the new mentoring program that the results for question ten will be improved with knowledge the dealers will gain. However, Maverick’s still wants to ensure the dealers are maintaining control of their tables. The problem with controlling the tables is that often the dealers are dealing with angry customers. Because dealers work so closely with people and their money the players can sometimes become very frustrated taking aggressions out on the dealer making for a hostile work environment. According to Anne Swartzlander “it takes a lot of skill to deal with displeased people when they have a problem with the problem or service” (2004, p.234 pp.1). To ensure that the tables are being controlled at all times the management staff has decided that they will implement weekly meetings. These meetings will ensure that the dealers are aware of any changes that may be taking place that may help them control the tables in the most consistent and constant manner. During these meetings the dealers will be able to inform the management staff of any concern or issues that they may be having at the tables that would create a pleasurable gaming experience for the customers.
Conclusion
Maverick’s Poker Room conducted a survey to determine the level of customer service the patrons are receiving. After conducting the survey the results were gathered and analyzed showing negative gaps in areas of dealer fairness, consistency, and control of the tables for enjoyment of the players. Recommendations were made to implement a performance management system that will ensure the fair treatment of players. A performance system will also ensure that the perceptions of the players are accurate and not that of biased results. It is also the decision of Maverick’s management to implement new training techniques. These techniques consist of mentoring and testing to ensure consistency among the Maverick’s staff. By mentoring the more seasoned employees the dealers will remain consistent when making calls and decisions at the table. Mavericks will also be implementing weekly meeting to ensure the control of the tables are remaining constant. Maverick’s is looking to provide the best possible gaming experience to its patrons. By utilizing this information and implementing new ways to meet customer standards Mavericks is sure to be a successful establishment.
References
Aguinis, H. (2013). Performance management (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.
"Emotional intelligence" a key factor in on-the-job success. (2013). Teller Vision, (1425), 1-2. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1267124768?accountid=8473
Kang, M. (2013, Jan 01). The customer is not always right. The Business Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1265909746?accountid=8473
Mentoring at work: Developmental relationships in organizational life. Kram, Kathy E. Lanham, MD, England: University Press of America. (1988). xiii 252 pp. http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1988-97625-000
Swartzlander, A. (2004). Serving internal and external customers. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Rate our service
Each question will be on a 1-5 scale 1 being least and 5 being to most happy with service.
1. Do you feel the customer service is satisfactory
2. Do you feel the dealers are fair among the players
3. Do you feel the pit-bosses are knowledgeable
4. Do you like the environment
5. Do you feel the dealers are equipped with knowledge of the game
6. Do you feel the dealers know the policies and rules of the poker house
7. Are dealers consistent
8. Are pit-bosses consistent
9. Do feel the tournament structure is acceptable for players
10. Do you feel the dealers control the table in a manner for a player to enjoy themselves?
By
Ronnie Holmes
MGT 350
February 12th, 2013
Introduction Maverick’s Poker Room has issued a survey to its customers to determine the level of customer service the patrons think they are receiving. Understanding the customer expectations is vital to a business’s success. The location of Maverick’s is directly across the border from Canada and many patrons come from across the border. This means not only does Maverick’s deal with local customers but international customers as well. According to Mint Kang “ being able to understand and create the human connection, from understanding the customer to building a relationship to sharing that interest and passion, is now taking centre …show more content…
stage for the service industry as expectations rise - not just among local customers, but international visitors as well (2013). Keeping this information in mind the results of the survey have been determined areas have received positive scores however some questions asked lead to negative gaps in the organizations customer service. Due to the negative scores that some questions received the Mavericks staff has decided to implement a new performance management system, a mentoring system that provides instant feedback and testing that will reinforce the employee’s knowledge. Mavericks will also be introducing weekly meeting with its staff to ensure the players are receiving the best possible gaming experience.
Data Collection Instrument Used Due to the complexity of a questionnaire that allows the surveyors to remark on the service being provided Maverick’s Poker Room has opted to utilize a likert scale method to get the results of its customer service. A likert scale method was designed and used by Maverick’s Poker Room to evaluate the findings of the customer service level that is being received by patrons. The scale that was used is a 1 to 5 rate system with 1 being the low and 5 being the high. Surveyors were asked ten questions to determine the level of customer service that is being delivered to the patrons. The survey was designed with easy to answer questions. Avoid technical jargon when designing the questions to ensure accurate answers. Keeping the survey simple to understand and relevant to subject matter. In the likert scale open ended questions are avoided to not confuse the surveyor. The design of this survey is to determine clear and precise answers of weak areas in need of improvement.
Analysis of Data Collected Using table 1.1 below it is determined that are areas Maverick’s needs to consider improving upon. Surveyors were asked in Question 2 if they thought the dealers were fair among players. Question 2 received and average score of 2.4 under the acceptable score of 3.0. The management at Maverick’s may want to consider a meeting to correct the implication that some players feel they have been unfairly treated. Question 2 can also consist of player perceptions and may not initially be as accurate as the management staff was looking for. If the surveyor is a disgruntled or angry customer the perceptions of fair and bias treatment may be blurred by the emotional state of the player. Question 7 asks if the dealers are consistent. This question also earned a negative average score of 1.8; this should be a major concern for the management. The management team will need to consider a training session to make sure the entire staff is running their table exactly the same way. Another negative gap is shown in question 10. Question 10 asks if the players feel the tables are controlled properly. This question received and average score of 1.8. This is another area that could be covered in a training session to ensure no confusion about the obligations of the dealer. All other questions in the survey scored 3.0 and above ensuring that most of the customer service at Maverick’s is at an acceptable standard.
Table 1.1 Due to the negative gaps in customer service Maverick’s analyzed the average score of the on an individual basis. These results were a bit confusing to the management team. The negative gaps did not exist individually. As shown in Table 1.2 the average overall score for each individual is comparable to each other. Surveyor 1 has an average score of 3.1, Surveyor 2 has an average score of 3.1, Surveyor 3 has an average score of 3.0, Surveyor 4 has an average score of 3.0, and Surveyor 5 has an average score of 3.5. If we add all individual scores and divide them by the number of questions Maverick’s has an overall ranking of 3.14. Maverick’s has required an average customer service score of 3.0 with which the organization is meeting as a whole. However, there are individual areas that are not meeting the 3.0 goal.
Table1.2
After analyzing the results of the survey’s the areas that have scored lower may be an affect of emotional intelligence. According to an article from Teller Vision emotional intelligence is linked to the way individuals treat others. The article states “emotional intelligence can make or break someone’s work performance” (Teller Vision, 2013). Looking at the results it is determined that all of the questions that score low are in individual performance. With this information Maverick’s needs to determine what kind of training would help eliminate these issues.
Recommendations
It is the recommendation that Maverick’s Room needs improvement in some of the areas surveyed.
The results of the survey reflect that question 2 that asks if the customers believe that the dealers are fair to all players. Because of these results it is the decision to implement a performance management system that will ensure closer monitoring of the dealers. Implementing a system that focuses on appraisals will help indicate where the weaknesses are and which dealers are in need of training. It is the perception of the players that there are unfair acts or bias decisions made by the dealers. These perceptions may not be as accurate as the survey is stating. Perceptions are based on what the player’s perceive and may not be the actual reflection of the dealer’s job performance. It is the belief of Maverick’s management that once the performance management system is implemented the true results of the dealer’s fairness and unbiased actions will be reflected on the performance appraisal. “Performance Management is a continuous process of identifying, measuring, and developing the performance of individuals and teams aligning performance with the strategic goals of the company” (Aguinis, 2013 p.26). The performance system will include performance appraisals and timely feedback to the dealers whether it be positive or negative. If the appraisal reflects negative scores the dealer will then be able to do a development plan for the areas indicated. The development plan will …show more content…
ensure the dealer is working toward the goal of providing the fairest gaming experience. A performance management system will assist the management staff with the gathering of information to analyze if the dealers are being unfair or bias, or if this is just a perception of players that have had bad experiences at the gaming table. Many organizations utilize the performance management systems to ensure the quality of work employees are providing. There was also a negative result in question 7 which asks if the dealers seem to be consistent among the players.
Consistency is a major concerned for management staff. If the dealers are not being consistent at the tables there is room for the players to be inconsistent as well. It is the decision of Maverick’s to incorporate training program that will be ensure all dealers are consistent and all making the same decisions and calls at the table. All dealers will be required to take on a two week period of mentoring. A mentor will provide wisdom, technical knowledge, and assistance to the dealer throughout the two week period. Mentoring “is about relationships in organizations that enhance individuals’ development in the early, middle, and later career years. It is the thought of Maverick’s management that if they take their most seasoned consistent dealer and have them be a mentor to the other dealers the consistency of the dealers should rise to a higher level. After the two week period the management staff will sit with the mentor and the dealer to verify that the dealer does not have any questions and to provide feedback to the employee. After all dealers have been mentored the management staff has also decided to periodically test the dealers to ensure they are maintaining a consistent level of service to the
players. There was also a negative result to question 10 which asks if the customers feel dealers control the table in a manner for a player to enjoy themselves. It is the thought of the Maverick’s staff that once the implementation of a new performance management system and the new mentoring program that the results for question ten will be improved with knowledge the dealers will gain. However, Maverick’s still wants to ensure the dealers are maintaining control of their tables. The problem with controlling the tables is that often the dealers are dealing with angry customers. Because dealers work so closely with people and their money the players can sometimes become very frustrated taking aggressions out on the dealer making for a hostile work environment. According to Anne Swartzlander “it takes a lot of skill to deal with displeased people when they have a problem with the problem or service” (2004, p.234 pp.1). To ensure that the tables are being controlled at all times the management staff has decided that they will implement weekly meetings. These meetings will ensure that the dealers are aware of any changes that may be taking place that may help them control the tables in the most consistent and constant manner. During these meetings the dealers will be able to inform the management staff of any concern or issues that they may be having at the tables that would create a pleasurable gaming experience for the customers.
Conclusion
Maverick’s Poker Room conducted a survey to determine the level of customer service the patrons are receiving. After conducting the survey the results were gathered and analyzed showing negative gaps in areas of dealer fairness, consistency, and control of the tables for enjoyment of the players. Recommendations were made to implement a performance management system that will ensure the fair treatment of players. A performance system will also ensure that the perceptions of the players are accurate and not that of biased results. It is also the decision of Maverick’s management to implement new training techniques. These techniques consist of mentoring and testing to ensure consistency among the Maverick’s staff. By mentoring the more seasoned employees the dealers will remain consistent when making calls and decisions at the table. Mavericks will also be implementing weekly meeting to ensure the control of the tables are remaining constant. Maverick’s is looking to provide the best possible gaming experience to its patrons. By utilizing this information and implementing new ways to meet customer standards Mavericks is sure to be a successful establishment.
References
Aguinis, H. (2013). Performance management (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.
"Emotional intelligence" a key factor in on-the-job success. (2013). Teller Vision, (1425), 1-2. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1267124768?accountid=8473
Kang, M. (2013, Jan 01). The customer is not always right. The Business Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1265909746?accountid=8473
Mentoring at work: Developmental relationships in organizational life. Kram, Kathy E. Lanham, MD, England: University Press of America. (1988). xiii 252 pp. http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1988-97625-000
Swartzlander, A. (2004). Serving internal and external customers. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Rate our service
Each question will be on a 1-5 scale 1 being least and 5 being to most happy with service.
1. Do you feel the customer service is satisfactory
2. Do you feel the dealers are fair among the players
3. Do you feel the pit-bosses are knowledgeable
4. Do you like the environment
5. Do you feel the dealers are equipped with knowledge of the game
6. Do you feel the dealers know the policies and rules of the poker house
7. Are dealers consistent
8. Are pit-bosses consistent
9. Do feel the tournament structure is acceptable for players
10. Do you feel the dealers control the table in a manner for a player to enjoy themselves?