Evaluation of Restaurant X's Problem Resolution Training:

Utilizing the Success Case Method

by

Casey M. Neuman

A Research Paper Submitted in Pat1ial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree

In

Training and Development

The Graduate School

University of Wisconsin-Stout

May, 2010

1

Author:

Title:

The Graduate School University of Wisconsin-Stout

Menomonie, WI

Neuman, Casey M.

Evaluation of Restaurant X's Problem Resolution Training: Utilizing

tlte Success Case Metltod

Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Training and Development

Research Adviser: Dr. Renee Surdick, EdD

Month/Year: May, 2010

Number of Pages: 56

Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition

ABSTRACT

This study utilizes Robert O. Brinkerhoffs Success Case Method to assess the impact of the

problem resolution training at a restaurant refelTed to herein as Restaurant X. The problem

2

resolution training was conducted in 2009 by the organization's management team. This study

intends to discover the impact and transfer of the problem resolution training by detailing the

contributors and barriers to effective for implementation. The report includes a brief description

of Restaurant X, literature on problem resolution and service recovery, strategies used, and the

Success Case Method. Also included is qualitative survey and interview data. A summarization

qf the findings, suggestions and further implementation of problem resolution training by the

researcher conclude this report.

The Graduate School

University of Wisconsin Stout

Menomonie, WI

Acknowledgments

3

Completion ofthis repOit would not have been possible without the help from my research

advisor, Dr. Renee Surdick. I am incredibly fOitunate to have had her assistance, patience, and

expertise throughout this process. Thank you for your sUPPOtt. Secondly, I would like to thank

the managers and employees at Restaurant X for letting me come in and conduct my research at

their store. I would also like to thank my friends who kept me motivated and supPOIted me

during the tough times of this process, you all are the best. Finally I want to extend my biggest

gratitude to my parents and my sister. Thank you for believing me and giving me strength to

complete this venture.

4

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT .................................................................................. ................................. 2

List of Tables ................................................................................................................. 8

Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 9

Statement of the Problem ....................................................................................... l 0

Purpose of the Study ...................................... ..... ................................................... l 0

Assumptions ............................................................................. .... .......................... 10

Definition of Terms ................................................................................................ 10

Secret shopper ............... ................................................................................... 10

Customer indulgent survey .............................................................................. 11

Back-of-house (BOH) ...................................................................................... 11

Limitations of the Study ......................................................................................... 11

Methodology .......................................................................................................... 12

Chapter II: Literature Review .......... ..... ................... ...... .............................................. 13

Problem Resolution and Service Recovery in Restaurants .............. .... .................. 13

Service recovery paradox and dou ble deviation ........ .... .................................. 14

Problem Resolution and Service Recovery in Hotels ............................................ 15

Strategies Used in Problem Resolution and Service Recovery ............................. 17

Welcoming problems .............................................. ..... .................................... 18

Getting it right initially .................................................................................... 19

Guest Perceptions ..................... ... ........................................................................... 20

Success Case Method ............................................................................................. 23

Success case method limitations ...................................................................... 24

5

Success case method benefits .......................................................................... 25

Chapter III: Methodology ...................... .... ..... ...... ............. ............................ .. .. .... ... ... 26

Survey .......................................................................................................... ... ....... 26

Population selection and description ............................................................... 26

Instrumentation ................................................................................................ 27

Data collection procedure and timeframe ........................................................ 27

Data analysis .................................................................................................... 27

Interview ............... .... .. ........ ......... .... .. ..... .. ..... ...... .... ..... .... .. ... .............. ...... ............ 27

Population selection and description ........................................... .. .. .. ....... .. ..... 28

Instrumentation ................................................................................................ 28

Data collection procedure and timeframe ........................................................ 28

Data analysis .................................................................................................... 29

Chapter IV: Results ...................................................................................................... 30

Survey Analysis .................................... ................................................................. 30

Problem Resolution Interview Analysis ................................................................ 32

Impacts ......................................................................................... .................... 33

Employee empowennent ....................................................... .................... 33

Increased management interaction ......................................... .... ................ 33

Customer satisfaction ................................................................................. 34

Contributors ...... ..... ....... ....... ......... .... ....................................... ....... ................. 34

Ownership .................................................................................................. 34

Support from management.. ............................................ .... ..... .................. 34

Committed employees ... ... ......................................................................... 35

6

Barriers ............................................................................................................. 35

Training retention ....................................................................................... 35

Motivation ................................. ... ...................... ....... ..................... .. .......... 35

Communication ........ ... ............................................................... ................ 3 6

Approachable managers ............. ... .. ............ ................. .. ............................ 36

Ideas ........... ... ... ..... ........................ ......................... ...... ............................. .. ..... 36

Continued management support .......... .. .................................................... 36

Open communication lines ........................................................................ 37

Continued training ......................................... .. .. .. ...................................... 3 7

Motivational incentives ............................................ .................................. 37

Success Stories ....................................................................................................... 38

High success story of JOM .................................... ... ........................................ 38

Low success story of Sally ................ ..... ............................. ............................. 39

Chapter V: Discussion ................................................................................................. 41

Statement of the Problem and Purpose of the Study .............................................. 41

Limitations ............................................ ... ........................ .... ........................ ...... .... 42

Conclusions ... ......................................................................................................... 42

Management support through problem resolution training transfer ................ 42

Use of training ....... .. ..................... ...... ................................................. ...... ....... 43

Specific applications .... ....................................................... ......................... ... .43

Participants' suggestions .................... .. ........................................................... .43

Recommendations .................................................................................................. 45

References .................................................................................................................... 4 7

7

Appendix A: Task Timeline ........... .. ........... ....... ......... ............. ..... ............ .. ........ .. .... ... 50

Appendix B: Impact Model ................. .. ............... ... .......... .. .............. ... .. ... .... .............. 51

Appendix C: Implied Consent .. .. .. .... ............................ ..... ........... ............................. .. 52

Appendix 0: Survey .... .. ............................ ... ....................... .... .. ........................... ....... 54

Appendix E: Interview Protocol .... ....... ... ........... ... ... ...... ... .. ............ ..... ... ........ ... ......... 56

8

List of Tables

Table 1: Recovery Actions and Service Recovery Strategies ....... ... ........................... ... .... 18

Table 2: Discrete Emotions and Their Response to Service Failure ...... .. ............ .. ........... 22

9

Chapter I: Introduction

Customer satisfaction is an impOliant part of operating a business. Satisfied customers

can turn into loyal customers which can ultimately result in repeat business, especially in the

restaurant industry. Tough economic level have many restaurants trying various incentives and

specials, while these incentives might work for some restaurants, they may only be a quick fix to

a larger problem (Sundaram, Jurowski, & Webster, 1997). Restaurant X in Rochester,

Minnesota has realized that incentives are not sufficient and are looking at customer satisfaction

from a different angle, the wait staff.

Restaurant X is part of a corporate chain of restaurants that features a high-end, casual­

dining atmosphere that prides itself on its flavorful menu and, until recently, highly attentive wait

staff. Secret shopper reports revealed in 2008 that the restaurants were lacking sincerity and not

connecting personally with guests. This was due to the secret shoppers being easily identified

and wait staff was able to execute the service standards the shopper was checking for.

In February of2009, the company devised a plan to reevaluate its service standards and

welcome feedback from actual paying customers on categories such as 1) resolution of problems,

2) the likelihood they would return, 3) the friendliness of staff, and 4) the customers' overall

satisfaction. The company is receiving this information from customer indulgent surveys that are

distributed daily and are printed randomly when a bill is presented to the guest.

Currently Restaurant X is working its way from 70% overall satisfaction to 80%.

Management formed a workshop-type meeting where information is shared with the wait staff

regarding the results of the customer indulgent surveys. The surveys are still being printed and

distributed daily and are not expected to stop anytime soon. Since there is no set deadline of

when the training must be implemented, Restaurant X can devote as much or as little time to

10

problem resolution, making sure that each member of the wait staff receives the training and

continues to utilize it.

Statement of the Problem

Due to inadequate training and poor secret shopper reports, management has come to

realize that wait staff at Restaurant X in Rochester, MN are unable to resolve customer

complaints in order to satisfy the customer.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and determine what impacts (if any) a training

intervention implemented by Restaurant X has had on the service staff and how they have

utilized the trainings methods and tools.

Assumptions of the Study

The assumptions made by the researcher are that after the problem resolution training

each member of the wait staff was able to learn and transfer the training to his or her job.

Another assumption is that there are individuals within Restaurant X that successfully learned

from the problem resolution training. A final assumption made by the researcher was that during

this time of training and research some employees were terminated or quit, and that new

employees were hired on as wait staff.

Definition of Terms

Terms used throughout this report are defined in this section.

Secret shopper. A customer is usually sent in by the corporate office with a checklist of

objectives that the server must perform throughout the dining experience. The secret shopper

then sends in their rep0l1 so the corporate office can analyze the findings.

II

Customer indulgent surveys. These are surveys that randomly print when a bill is ready

to be presented to the customer. These surveys prompt the guest to access a website to fill out a

survey about their dining experience; the surveys can ask many different types of questions.

Upon completion of the survey the guest is entered in a drawing for gift celiificates to spend at

Restaurant X.

Back-of-house (BOH). Refers to the area not seen by the dining guests. This is

typically where the chefs and other cooks reside. Anything that is not appealing to the eye may

also be stored in this area to enhance the guest's dining experience.

Limitations of the Study

The limitations of this study are:

1. Even though Restaurant X is a corporate chain of restaurants, results can only be

reflective of this patiicular store.

2. Some of the wait staff used in the company's data collection and results were seasonal

and no longer employed.

3. When implementing the Success Case Method it is assumed that there are individuals

who have successfully implemented the purpose from the training. Should only

unsuccessful cases be found, the researcher can then focus on the non-successful cases;

this is not the intended outcome of the methodology.

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Methodology

The researcher used Robel1 Brinkerhoffs Success Case Method to gather data for this

paper. The success case method is a process that evaluates training that has taken place in a

business by gathering data from employees through a survey and interview process. The survey

was created by Brinkerhoff and is used for every success case method research project, where the

researcher distributes the surveys to the specified employee population. Once the surveys have

been completed the researcher analyzes the results to find the success cases and the non-success

cases. The success cases usually show improvement from the training and rate the training as

beneficial, while the non-success cases typically show no improvement after the training or do

not plan to implement what was taught during the training. Overall the success case method "is

intended to help all stakeholders learn what worked, what did not, what wOl1hwhile results have

been achieved, and most important, what can be done to get better results from future eff011s"

(Brinkerhoff, 2005, p. 90).

The researcher will follow a task timeline in order to complete the study (see Appendix A

for the researcher's task timeline).

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Chapter II: Literature Review

This chapter consists of a review of literature on problem resolution and service recovery

primarily in the restaurant industry. It will also look at other segments in the hospitality and

tourism trade including hotels and guest perceptions. Strategies used to resolve service problems

with guests will be looked at along with getting a perspective from the guest.

Problem Resolution and Service Recovery in Restaurants

Ok, Back, and Shanklin proposed that customer satisfaction is vital to guarantee a healthy

and stable business. Businesses struggle to provide the best service to customers to get them to

come back and be a repeat customer. However service failures and problems do occur. Even

though these problems and failures are expected, most of the time the problem can be found to be

highly controllable (Ok et aI., 2006). When a customer receives service at a level that is

inadequate to what was expected, service providers take action to resolve the issue as best they

can. If a problem is not cOlTected customers tend to think negatively about the establishment,

and typically will not return and find a different business which provides a similar service

without the flaws (Ok et aI., 2006; Yang, 2005).

It has been observed that the number of restaurants in industry has seen steady growth

recently but experts are also noticing "a less-than-anticipated increase in demand for dining

services" (Sundaram et aI., 1997). Among the new competition is the high demand from

customers for high quality service, forcing restaurateurs to become more customer-oriented and

focus on creating return customers. To keep these customers pleased managers and frontline

service staff must be able to recognize when there is a problem, admit to it, and resolve it.

Customers tend to be more disappointed if the restaurant fails to admit fault and compensate for

it.

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Common service failures and problems in restaurants include enor on part of the service

provider, high expectations from the guest, and when control is lost due to some other

unexpected variable (Yang, 2005). When these problems do occur, the restaurant manager or

supervisor should have his or her service providers trained on how to handle the problem in a

timely and professional manner. Since service is typically an intangible product that cannot be

returned, customers purchase it with complete faith that the service provider will produce

something with great results (Kandampully & Duddy, 2001). Many restaurants do have service

standards in place that are unique to each establishment and require their service staff to meet

each standard and many times exceed it. When these services are not met to the customers'

expectations it is then time to choose an appropriate service recovery technique to fix the

problem, and try to turn them into a loyal, returning customer (Yang, 2005).

Service recovery paradox and double deviation. Service recovery paradox has been

observed in the service industry for many years and has much suppolting evidence, but some still

refuse to accept it. The paradox occurs when a flaw in service happens and the service provider

resolves the problem. According to Black and Kelley once the problem has been resolved to the

customer's satisfaction, they have a propensity to rate the service higher after the failure than

they would have rated it initially. The paradox is often seen in situations of superior recoveries

where the service provider goes above and beyond what the customer expects, thus having them

rate it higher than they would normally (Black & Kelley, 2009).

Some, however, believe that service recovery is a myth and exercised to solve guest

problems after they have occUlTed, only to ensure their repeat business. Garlick believes this to

be true and states that even when service recovery has occurred and a problem with a guest has

been resolved, guests are considerably less pleased, doubtful to return, and unlikely to

15

recommend the property (2006). Unexpected problems do occur and service staff have to be

ready to resolve them. It is not easy to exceed guest expectations once a problem has occurred

so one must be delicate when approaching with a resolution. Garlick suggests that to ensure

guests are satisfied and their likelihood of return is high, managers should focus on being

proactive about problem resolution and eliminate potential problems before they occur (2006).

A study by Ok et al. (2006) attempted to produce evidence of the service recovery

paradox by initiating scenarios where problem resolution was expected and if guests would rate

the service higher or lower after the recovery. The test attempted to find relationships between

service recovery paradox and overall satisfaction, return intention, and intention to use word-of­

mouth. Results did not find any evidence of the service recovery paradox. However, the results

showed that service recovery produced a somewhat higher overall satisfaction toward the service

and an increased word-or-mouth intention to rate the service and the provider in a positive

manner. Research still suggests that while the service recovery paradox does exist in some

cases, customers have a tendency to weigh negative experiences more than a positive one (Ok et

al. , 2006).

Double deviation has the opposite effect of the service recovery paradox. It occurs when

there is a failure in service and the response is inappropriate to the situation or when no response

or recovery is performed , thus magnifying the negative aspect on the service (Ok et ai., 2006).

In the same study, Ok et al. found some evidence of double deviation when comparing pre­

failure intention to return to post-recovery intention to return (2006).

Problem Resolution and Service Recovery in Hotels

Hotels, another sector of the hospitality and tourism market, also must employ service

recovery methods to ensure guest satisfaction. The hotel industry is a highly competitive

16

marketplace; each property has specific and unique amenities to persuade potential guests to stay

with them. Guests also come with their own wants and needs when it comes to lodging and

whether traveling for business or for pleasure, the price and the property have to be worth it.

Hotels are in service constantly and demands change frequently, and with the constant flow of

business and guests, hotels are prone to higher rates of service failures than many other industries

(Gil, Hudson, & Quintana, 2006).

Loyalty has a large part to do with success in the hotel industry, once customers find a

place they trust and is gi ves them what they want, the bond created is almost permanent.

Achieving such loyalty is hard work and hoteliers must pay close attention to what their guest

want and keep them satisfied so they will become repeat guests. According to Zeithaml and

Bitner, this can be difficult to do since most service failures happen within the first few minutes

of the guests stay (as cited in Gil et aI., 2006). Once the trust and relationship has been

established, loyal guests perhaps are more comfortable and familiar with employees and receive

special attention when staying at the property. Loyal customers are apt to be more satisfied than

first time customers because of the bond that has been created (Gil et aI., 2006).

However loyal or not a guest is to a hotel, problems does arise and require attentive

service staff to fix the problem as quick as possible so as to not lose a potential guest. A

common problem observed with hotels is waiting. Many times a room is promised to a guest at a

celiain time on the day of their arrival, if their room is not ready or the room was double booked,

the guest will get impatient, and the service staff must know how to react. In many cases there

are high and low levels of expectations, a low level being an apology and/or not offering to

compensate for the mistake. A high level expectation would be a sincere apology, the service

staff checking the CUlTent status of the room, and/or compensation for a different room or

17

covering travel costs for the guest to stay at a different property (Gordon & Terrence, 1999). In

their study of low and high level expectations, Gordon and Terrence (1999) found that no matter

what the situation was, it was expected that the service provider to correct or resolve the problem

to a degree.

In August, 2003, the United States nOliheastern coast experienced one of the largest

electrical blackouts in history. Affected by this blackout were numerous hotel properties that

had to work quickly and diligently to restore order and faith in the patrons staying at their hotels.

This monumental catastrophe put hotels in a negative limelight since operating and security

systems were down liability was high for whatever happened to the guests and the property.

However after the event, many hotels were viewed positively by the recovery systems they

practiced and the compassion they put forth while fixing the issues (KwOlinik, 2006).

Strategies Used in Problem Resolution and Service Recovery

There are many strategies aimed at combating service problems in the restaurant business

such as trying to get it right the first time around, solving the problem when it is presented, post­

problem solving, etc. Within these strategies lie even more; there are three categories to resolve

service problems in restaurants, they are listed in the study by Silber, Israeli, Bustin, and Zvi (as

cited in Bitner et aI., 1990): "monetary compensation strategies, service interaction strategies,

and no action strategies" (p. 731) . In another study of service failures Warden, Huang, and Wu

(2008) identified eight specific recovery methods the restaurants applied to problem resolution:

free food, discount, coupon, management intervention, dish replacement, cOlTection, apology,

and no action. In table 1 Silber et al. (2009) combined the works of both Bitner et al. (1990) and

Warden et al. (2008) to show how they compared and related.

Table 1

Recovery Actions and Service Recovery

Strategies

Recovery actions

(Warden et ai., 2008)

Free food

Discount

Coupon

Management intervention

Replacement

Correction

18

Service recovery strategies

(Bitner et ai., 1990)

Compensation strategies

Assistance strategies

No action No action strategy

Taken from: Silber, I., Israeli, A., Bustin, A., & Ben Zvi, O. (2009). Recovery strategies for

service failures: The case of restaurants. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 18,

730-740. doi: 1 0.1 080/19368620903170273.

Empowering employees to resolve problems before management intervenes is now a

common practice and shows dedication and ownership (Moran, 2005; Yoo, Shin, & Yang, 2006).

The concept behind this is when hospitality organizations prompt their employees to make use of

personal resources they benefit themselves, customers, and the whole organization conculTently

(Kandampully & Duddy, 2001; Moran, 2005). Some commendable organizations have leaders

who treat their employees as equals who in tum treat customers with the same equality and

respect. This practice of employee empowerment likely leads to higher satisfaction, boost in

morale, and enhanced motivation which guides the way for satisfied customers (Kandampully &

Duddy, 2001; Suh, Barker, Pegg, & Kandampully, 2005).

Welcoming problems. "The foundation of excellence lies in the problem-resolution

process: listening, empathizing, apologizing, solving" (Julier, 2006, p. 1). Not only recognizing

19

a problem but also welcoming it can truly show guests that the service providers actually care

about them, and want to remediate the problem. When the four qualities listed are demonstrated,

it shows that the service providers do acknowledge that there is a problem and that they want to

fix it so the guest is satisfied. One also has to know the appropriate way to solve the issue at

hand and that it will not cause other problems. For example, offering a guest a complimentary

appetizer when their dinner is visually unaesthetic does not solve the initial problem. One might

offer to replace the dinner with the same dish or offer one that can be prepared with haste so the

guest does not have to sit unfed for a long period of time. If the problem goes unresolved and

the guest leaves it has been shown that each dissatisfied guest, on average, will tell

approximately" 11 people about his or her bad experience; 13 percent tell up to 20 people ... for

every disappointed customer who complains ... another 19 will leave the property without

making a complaint" (Julier, 2006, p. 1).

Getting it right initially. Instead of solving problems after they occur, sometimes it is

best to fix the problem before it can materialize; sOli of like fire prevention according to Yang

(2005). For example, this can be done by interpreting the body language of the customer, or

tracking customer satisfaction tlu'oughout the stay by asking simple questions like' is everything

prepared perfectly for you?' By asking these questions a service provider can get the guest to

either rave about their dinner and service or can also push the customer to explain why

something might not be up to par. This is only if the customer is willing to say what is really on

his or her mind, many times complaints go unsaid and unhappy customers leave the

establishment, and sometimes quit returning (Yang, 2005; Robelio, 2007).

If however the problem cannot be prevented from happening, then the next logical step,

according to Yang (2005) would be to 'fix it when it fails', and fix it fast. Most times when

20

extremely irritated customers lash out it is because the problem was not addressed or resolved

promptly. Having a strong service staff can also remedy some situations instead of calling on a

manager for every service problem. Giving the service staff some power to resolve their own

problems can result in faster problem resolution times and happier customers. Service providers

and managers should also be aware of problems that are occurring on a regular basis; especially

if they are happening to the same guest on more than one occasion. If problems continue the

guest does not feel welcome or encouraged to come anymore, which can also lead to loss of

potential guests as well (Yang, 2005).

Management of service organizations should try and produce risk-free services and

environments. This method of problem resolution appeals to prospective customers by showing

value of the service being performed and resulting in an outcome that pleases both the customer

and the service provider (Kandampully & Duddy, 2001). Service guarantees can also be slightly

misleading when a service is promised to be problem free but is not, some customers with take

advantage of that. However, by having empowered service employees who show commitment to

customers, they have an 0ppOltunity to go out of the way to satisfy customers following service

failure (Kandampully & Duddy, 2001).

Guest Perceptions

Customer service experiences can be highly emotional so when and if service failure

occurs, the way the customer or guest interprets it must be looked at and understood. Although a

satisfied customer is ideal, it has been seen that there is no guarantee that they will return (Suh et

al.,2005). A celtain bond is needed to produce satisfied and loyal customers; loyal customers

feel more than satisfied, they feel like a palt of the organization. When the customer feels

21

engaged in the organization, Suh et al. understood they are more likely to perform duties that

encourage positive reflection on behalf of the organization (2005).

A study by Lee, Khan, and Ko (2008) compared American and Korean customers and

their perceptions of problem resolution, complaints, and intention to spread positive and/or

negative word-of-mouth in a restaurant setting. The two groups were compared due to the fast­

growing market of U.S. restaurants in Korea. People often decide where they will dine by means

of word-of-mouth from friends and family over television, radio, or printed ads. Findings

showed that when service failure occurred Americans were more likely to complain directly to

the service providers and spread negative word-of-mouth than Koreans. The reason people who

did not complain directly they is because they felt it showed too much personal emotion and

were embalTassed to acknowledge it. The Korean culture does not condone complaining about

someone or something publically, it is seen as impolite. Both groups had intentions ofretuming

to restaurants where service failure had occurred whether the problem was resolved or not (Lee

et aI., 2008).

Service failures tend to influence emotions in customers. As one may think satisfied

customers have positive emotions while dissatisfied customers have negative emotions. Mattila

and Ro (2008) found four discrete emotions that were present during and after service failure, the

four emotions were anger, disappointment, regret, and WOlTy. Table 2 shows the emotion and

the response it had on the service failure.

Table 2

Discrete Emotions and Their Response to Service Failure

Emotion

Anger

Disappointment

Regret

Worry

Adapted from (Mattila & Ro, 2008).

Response

High face-to-face complaining

Switching service providers

Negative word-of-mouth

Face-to-face complaining

Switching Service providers

Negative word-of-mouth

Face-to-face complaining

Switching service providers

Negative word-of-mouth

*No strong responses found

22

Mattila and Ro found that anger was the only emotion that influenced customers to take

action, while disappointment and regret had showed response but likelihood of acting on those

was low. Worry failed to show strong responses, however customers associated worry with

feelings ofunceliainty and high anxiety (2008). The researchers suggested that different

negative emotions lead to different actions on behalf of the customer. They also found that these

emotions were strongly affected by the explanation of the service failure; not offering any

explanation as to why the service failure happened increased the negative emotions.

During service recovery emotions and stress levels are high and service providers need to

come across as eloquent and courteous. While verbal communication skills are a large part in

explaining the service failure and apologizing for what happened, service providers also need to

be aware of the nonverbal cues they are sending to their customers. These nonverbal cues play

an important pali in shaping customers' opinions of the service provider's sincerity,

23

cOUlteousness, and interpersonal kindness. Customers expect smiles, a respectful greeting, and

head nods that signify attentive listening and approval during face-to-face communication.

Customers also pay attention to dress, appearance, and vocal characteristics which lead to a more

reliable perception. Nonverbal communication is just as impOltant and what is actually said

during face-to-face conversations between customers and service providers, and can have an

impact on whether the customer will return (Yuksel, 2008).

Leong, Kim, and Ham (2002) found repeat patronage was affected by the service

provider's response to service failure. In their research the Leong et al. looked at pmtial and

complete resolution levels through "employee service behavior, proactive service staff attitude,

and monetary incentives" (2002, p. 89). Monetary incentives had the highest impact of the three

resolution levels, but when monetary incentives and proactive service staff were combined to

resolve a service failure, complete service recovery was achieved. For complete problem

resolution the service staff must recognize the service failure, take action hastily, actively listen,

show compassion, and sincerely apologize to the customer. Results of the study showed that

only when complete resolution was can-ied out did it lead to repeat patronage, while pmtial

resolution discouraged customers from returning. Mangers and service providers must strive for

complete problem resolution when service fails to increase chances of repeat patronage (Leong

et ai., 2002).

Success Case Method

The Success Case Method (SCM) is a reasonably straightforward way to evaluate

training and can be executed rather quickly . Its intention is to produce solid proof of the effect

the training had or the lack of it. The SCM does not attempt to isolate the result of training.

Training worked because everyone involved made positive contributions, if training did not

24

happen as expected, SCM uncovers the flaws and directs feedback to those who can concentrate

on resolving those issues (Brinkerhoff, 2005). When planning and conducting a SCM study, the

researcher must follow five steps for the desired outcome. Step one is focusing and planning the

study; what will be necessary to complete the study and clarifies what the study will accomplish.

Step two is creating an impact model that defines what success should look like if the training

was working (see Appendix B for the impact model of Restaurant X). Step three is designing

and implementing a survey to seek out the best and worst cases (Brinkerhoff, 2003)

During the third step of a SCM study, a short written survey is distributed to the members

who had partaken in the training. Once the surveys are returned the researcher then creates a

scoring system to sort the responses from high to low so that the success and non-success cases

can be identified. Once the success and non-success cases have been identified they are invited

to take part in qualitative interview (Brinkerhoff, 2003).

Step four of the SCM is the interviewing and documenting of the selected cases. This

step is the most time consuming, but generates the greatest information that is needed for the

concluding write-up of the selected cases. The final step is communicating the findings and

conclusions to the organization leaders and any recommendations are made (Brinkerhoff, 2003).

Success case method limitations. The SCM is designed to find evidence after training

has occurred; it does not isolate the effect of the training or assess the results of the training

(Brinkerhoff, 1983,2005). If the aim of the research is to gather statistics that are reflective of

all the participants, a different method may wish to be used due to the opinions expressed during

the interview process. It also must be understood that one success case does not mean training

was successfully implanted throughout, likewise if a non-success case is identified it is unlikely

to assume that training was a failure.

25

Success case method benefits. Data gathered during the SCM study can provide

numerous practical and diverse functions. The SCM can identify the value of training, promote

and suppOli the benefits of training, and can aid in redesigning and modifying existing training

efforts to make them more effective (Brinkerhoff, 1983). A SCM study can also identify the

content that was utilized most by trainees and vice versa recognize what is not being used by

trainees in the workplace. Finally the SCM may uncover results from the training that were

unexpected, but valuable knowledge (Brinkerhoff, 2003).

26

Chapter III: Methodology

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and determine what impacts (if any) the problem

resolution training implemented by Restaurant X has had on the service staff and how they have

utilized the trainings methods and tools. This chapter describes the method that was used by the

researcher to acquire and analyze data for this study. Sections addressed consist of population

selection and description, instrumentation, data collection procedure and timeframe, data

analysis, and limitations.

Survey

A shOit survey derived from Robelt Brinkerhofrs instrument was used to gather

information from the servers at Restaurant X in Rochester, MN. The survey was distributed to

every server to fill out and return to the researcher. (See appendices C and D for the survey

implied consent form and the survey).

Population selection and description. The participants in this study were selected from

a specific group of wait staff from Restaurant X in Rochester, MN. The wait staff range from

palt time (working two to three days a week) to full time (working five to seven days a week).

All wait staff have completed training in problem resolution and service recovery. If however a

participant was new to the organization and had not yet completed the training, the individual's

survey was discarded. There were a total of30 members of the wait staff that met the

requirement. All 30 members of the wait staff were asked to p31ticipate in the Problem

Resolution Survey. None of the host staff, buss persons, or other back-of-house (BOH)

employees were asked to participate in the survey, unless they have also been trained as a server.

27

Instrumentation. The survey that was implemented was an adapted and modified

version of the survey that was created by Robel1 Brinkerhoff. The survey conducted was used to

identify the success and non-success cases for further in-depth study by means of an interview.

Data collection procedure and timeframe. Before administering the survey, Restaurant

X managers communicated to the wait staff that the researcher would be issuing a survey in the

coming weeks, and asked all wait staff to p311icipate. The survey was given to wait staff

individuals by the researcher after his or her shift had ended. The survey included an

introduction page that summarized the purpose of the study, along with a consent portion that the

individual had to answer "yes" for their responses to be tabulated. Instructions were then

provided on how to complete the survey, and any problems or questions were to be reported to

the researcher. The researcher also stated the anonymity would be kept and only the researcher

would see the results of the surveys.

The time frame provided by the researcher for the wait staff to complete the surveys was

two weeks. Once the surveys were completed the researcher took one week to analyze the

findings.

Data analysis. The surveys were "graded" using a 12 point scale, where 12 points was

considered a success case. From here the researcher selected candidates to participate in one-on­

one qualitative interviews. The data collected from the survey was entered into an Excel

spreadsheet for analysis.

Interview

The interview is an important part of a success case study, "these interviews focus on the

gathering of verifiable and documentable evidence so the success can be 'proven'" (Brinkerhoff,

28

2003, p. 16). An interview protocol was createdand followed when interviewing the selected

individuals (see Appendix E for the interview protocol).

Population selection and description. Based on results from the survey the researcher

asked a group of seven individuals to participate in an in-depth face-to-face interview. The

seven selected for the interview represented the top six success cases and the bottom one non­

success cases. All seven individuals were given a personal invitation asking for their willingness

to participate in the interview. The pmticipants were also promised anonymity after the

interview, and all responses recorded would be kept confidential by the researcher. Participant

names were also promised to be excluded from the final repolt. Interviews were conducted

during non-business hours to ensure privacy.

Instrumentation. The interview that was implemented was adapted and modified from

the original interview developed by Robert Brinkerhoff. The interviews administered involved

two different procedures: the first was used for those individuals that had been identified as

successful cases; the second was used for those individuals that had been identified as non­

successful cases. The overall purpose of the interviews was to identify some of the highly

successful cases in which a member of the wait staff applied and transfened the problem sol ving

training successfully into their work. From here management· at Restaurant X can recognize

what techniques and materials worked for those members of the wait staff, and use that

information to improve the transfer of training procedure for other employees.

Data collection and timeframe. A two week time slot was allotted for interviews to be

completed. This time slot took place after the surveys were analyzed, and the two weeks were

provided to ensure the researcher could meet with the selected individuals. The interviews took

place during non-business hours at the restaurant and management and other employees were

29

asked to give the researcher and interviewee privacy during the interview. The participant was

again explained the purpose of the study; gave oral/written consent to record their answers, and

use the answers anonymously in the research report. The researcher maintained a neutral

position during the interview and made every attempt to ask questions that would not be leading

to the participant's responses.

Data analysis. After the interviews were completed the researcher reviewed notes and

the interviews a second time to identify themes. The themes were then placed in the following

categories: impacts, contributors, and barriers. Information collected from two individuals was

then selected to be portrayed in two stories, one high success case and one low success case. The

individual's real names have been replaced with fictitious names to maintain the anonymity of

the participants. The stories indentify credible information as to what is working with the

problem resolution training and what can be improved upon. An ideas category was also created

when reviewing the interview data, these ideas were suggested by the interview pm1icipants.

30

Chapter IV: Results

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of problem resolution training at

Restaurant X by utilizing Robelt Brinkerhoffs success case method. Literature has been

reviewed regarding problem resolution and service failures in the hospitality and tourism

industry. The study began with the creating of an impact model. A brief survey was distributed

containing five questions to determine the pmticipants' opinions of the problem resolution

training and how they were using the techniques on the job. Surveys were analyzed and people

falling into high and low success cases were interviewed. This chapter presents the qualitative

data obtained from the surveys and interviews.

Survey Analysis

The problem resolution survey was distributed to 30 members of the wait staff at

Restaurant X. Twenty-six surveys were returned to the researcher. Four surveys were omitted

from the study because the individuals had not yet participated in the problem resolution

training. The response rate for the survey was 73.33%. Twenty-two surveys were analyzed,

seventeen were classified as success cases, three were classified as medium success cases, and

two were classified as low success cases. The survey consisted of five questions. The

pmticipants were asked to circle their response and provide examples where walTanted.

The first question asked: "Did you attend the problem resolution training?" and asked the

participants to simply circle "Yes" or "No." Four pmticipants (13%) answered "No," and those

surveys were omitted from the analyzed results.

Question two read: "I have used problem resolution techniques." Nineteen participants

(86.36%) responded "Yes, with clearly positive results." Three palticipants (13.64%) responded

"Not yet, but 1 plan to use problem resolution techniques." No pmticipants chose either of the

31

following options: "Yes, but I have not experienced any discernable results yet," or "I do not

have any plans to do this."

Comments written by participants' in response to the first question include:

• I have learned how to look at things from a different view other than my own and it helps

to fix problems easier.

• We didn't make any excuses when a guest found a foreign object in his food; apologized

and paid for his dinner.

• If I do have a problem arise at the work place I will identify and solve the problem on my

own if possible to do so before contacting management.

• Everyday work experiences.

• Many tables, being a server, provide problems for me to use different teclmiques every

day.

The third question read: "Which statement best represents your feelings about management's

commitment to problem resolution training implementation and transfer to workplace process?"

Twenty-one participants (95.45%) answered "I think management has a sincere interest and is

fully committed to helping employees apply problem resolution teclmiques." One person

selected "I think management means well, but has not fully committed to the process." No

responses were recorded for "I think management sees this process as little more than an

administrative requirement" and "I think management has no commitment at all to this process."

No patiicipants included written responses for this survey question.

The fourth question asked: "Which statement best represents your own commitment to the

problem resolution training implementation and transfer to the workplace?" Eighteen

participants (81.82%) answered "I have sincere interest and am fully committed to applying

32

problem resolution techniques." Four participants (18.18%) responded "I am mostly positive,

but have not committed fully to the process yet." No responses were recorded for "I think this

process is little more than an administrative requirement" or "I have no commitment at all to this

process." One written comment for this question was: "Customers are happy/1 make more

money."

The final question in the survey was an open ended statement welcoming participants'

additional comments on the problem resolution training. The following are some of the

pmticipants'responses:

• When I first stmted here I blew off people who were rude about their problems and

tried to handle bad situations myself instead of going to management. After being

conected, I have taken almost all situations to management - with positive results.

• Restaurant X has a good problem resolution program.

• When utilized fully, implementing a "proactive" approach [to problem resolution]

greatly improves a customer's experience with a problem.

• If you don't use problem solving techniques there will always be problems that are

never fixed, and customers with leave unhappy.

• Like questions three and four [from the survey] addressed, it is a great tool, but has

not been fully incorporated into our workplace.

Problem Resolution Interview Analysis

The researcher contacted twelve individuals consisting of ten success cases and three low

success cases to palticipate in a qualitative one-on-one interview. Eight individuals responded

and scheduled an interview, however one participant did not could not make the scheduled time

and was unable to commit to rescheduling. Therefore, seven interviews were conducted. Data

33

from the interviews was self-reported and broke down into the following categories: impacts,

contributors, barriers, and ideas for executing new problem resolution training projects and

resources needed to implement problem resolution training. Each section was also broken down

into several sub-categories. The following information portrays the qualitative data collected

during the interviewing process.

Impacts. The impacts of the problem resolution training include 1) Employee

empowerment, 2) Increase management interaction, and 3) Customer satisfaction.

Employee empowerment.

• Taking initiative to solve problems shows competency and empowerment.

• Proactive use of problem resolution; identifying and resolving problems before

guests do.

• Self-pride when solving problems.

• Employees were more motivated to resolve service failures.

• Identifying a problem and making it the primary task.

• Helping others to resolve service failures in time of need.

• Trust from management leads to more responsibility.

Increased management interaction.

• Managers are present and interact more with guests in the dining room.

• Mangers now aware of all levels of problems.

• Assist servers in solving problems.

• Ensuring guest satisfaction when following up a server lead resolution.

34

Customer satisfaction.

• Customers are overly satisfied and surprised when problems are solved and/or

identified by the service provider.

• Increased positive word-of-mouth.

• Repeat customers.

• Guests are encouraged to let service providers know if something is wrong.

• Customers submitting letters and e-mails about satisfaction.

Contributors. Contributors to the problem resolution training include 1) Ownership, 2)

Support from management, and 3) Committed employees.

Ownership.

• The organization owning the problem and not pass the fault to one specific

person.

• Servers and managers take pride in the food they serve and service they provide.

• New employees that are mentored by experienced staff that genuinely cares for

them and the success of the organization.

Support from management.

• All managers at Restaurant X fully suPPOtt the problem resolution training and

encourage employees to use it daily to keep the knowledge fresh.

• Management trusts each employee at Restaurant X to utilize the training.

• Upper management in full support of ensuring each restaurant company wide is

practicing the problem resolution training.

35

Committed employees.

• Many long time employees who use the problem resolution training on a daily

basis.

• Pass on knowledge and experiences to other employees.

• New employees willing to learn and become as educated and "successful" as

experienced employees.

Barriers. Barriers to the problem resolution training are I) Training retention, 2)

Motivation, 3) Communication, and 4) Approachable managers.

Training retention.

• Some servers could not remember entirely what was covered during the training.

• Parts of training were not applicable or beneficial to some employees (i.e. servers

being informed how to handle problem resolution techniques focused on host

staff).

• Some servers thought it was common sense and did not fully commit to utilizing

the training.

Motivation.

• Some servers do not feel it is his or her job to resolve service failures and leave it

to management.

• Involving management when needed; servers sometimes think the problem is

solved to their standards but the guest is still unsatisfied.

• Servers and customers being uncomfotiable to bring attention to a problem that

will go unresolved.

36

Communication.

• Servers communicating with one another about problem resolution involving each

other's customers.

• Listening to what the customer actually says is wrong and not assuming

something else.

• Management communicating to servers what they plan to do to resolve the

problem so the same thing does not happen twice.

Approac/Ulble managers.

• Some servers afraid to approach management with problems.

• Managers saying they are too busy to handle a small problem.

• Authority or appearance of manager may discourage customers from voicing

problems.

• Upper management absent from picture.

Ideas. Interviewees identified the following elements that would have been useful in the

problem resolution training, and that would be necessary for any future problem resolution

training: 1) Continued management suppOli, 2) Open communication lines, 3) Continued

training, and 4) Motivational incentives.

Continued management support.

• Support from management for other training.

• See more involvement from upper management.

• Managers using time management skills to help all employees and guest

experiencing a problem.

37

Open communication lines.

• Servers making sure they communicate with the guest to ensure what they ask for

is what they get.

• Servers communicating with each other about what is going on and working as a

team to resolve problems.

• Management coming full circle and explaining to the server what he or she

promised to the guest as a resolution.

Continued training.

• Keeping every employee up to date with training.

• Role playing a potential problem each day to keep employees focused and ready

when problems do occur.

• Ensuring infOimation is relevant to the specific job title and tying the training ·

together to have the organization working as one.

Motivationa/ incentives.

• Recognizing employees who are doing outstanding jobs with utilizing problem

resolution.

• Hire a secret shopper for this pmiicular store to assess how the problem resolution

training is being implemented.

• Friendly competition between stores in the region; who can have the least amount

of customer complaints on the busiest night of the week.

38

Success Stories

The following stories profile the high success story of John and the low success story of

Sally. Once again, fictitious names have been used to ensure the anonymity of the study

participants.

High success story of John. During John's interview he mentioned numerous times that

the problem resolution training has made him aware that he does not have to resolve problems all

on his own. John realized that his job description did not mention much of the actions he was

taking in order to resolve problems at Restaurant X, and is much better at involving management

now when guests are upset. When John encounters an upset or unruly guest he acknowledges

the problem and politely passes the issue so management can intervene and decide what the best

way to solve the problem is. Before the problem resolution training John would typically brush

problems off or take complaints too seriously. Now John not only involves management when

problems arise, but he is also taking a proactive approach to recognize future problems before

they get out of hand.

John has noticed results from the problem resolution training and sees that customer

satisfaction is up. By using the proactive approach to problem solving, John is now able to help

solve problems customers have but may be too timid or embarrassed to bring them to anyone's

attention. John values these results and takes pride in taking the initiative to solve the problem.

John has also received recognition from management, who were aware of his previous style of

solving problems (or lack thereof). Management now praises John for bringing these issues to

them.

During the training John thought the role playing exercises worked well, but he

personally did not care for them. John would have liked to have seen more examples of

39

problems that could help everyone in different situations. John also stated that other servers need

to be able to go to management when encountering problems and should not be afraid of

suffering consequences. In the end if the problem goes unresolved, the customer suffers the

most. John also mentioned that communication during the problem resolution process must be

worked on. He has experienced times where another server identifies a problem with one of

John's guests and will forget to inform John of it. This can result in the problem going unsolved

until John realizes it himself, or the same task being completed twice to resolve the issue.

Low success story of Sally. Sally understands the idea and warrant behind the problem

resolution training and agrees that an intervention was needed. Sally felt the training stressed

keeping management involved during all problem resolution, not matter the severity of the issue.

Sally saw that much of the problem resolution training was already being practiced at Restaurant

x. In her survey and interview, Sally mentioned that she has not yet encountered a service

problem and is unsure if she will use the problem resolution techniques suggested by the

training. She did say however that when and if a problem arises that requires techniques learned

from the problem resolution training, her first and only initiative is for the customer, and make

sure the problem is solved in an official, timely, and appropriate manner.

Sally felt training would have been beneficial to be able to resolve her own, not-so-severe

problems. She felt many times she was resolving problems herself, but was also forced to find a

manager to assist in solving the problem. She said it is not always easy finding a manager since

they do get busy and other problems do occur throughout the restaurant, not always customer

related. Sally suggested it would be beneficial if it were clearer on when to involve management

during problem resolution; if management should be involved only in celiain problems or

involve them in every problem encountered throughout the shift. Sally also mentioned that she

40

did remember the problem resolution training, but did not entirely remember everything that was

covered. Sally ended saying that problem resolution is a good idea and thinks that if the training

techniques and ideas were reinforced on a more regular basis, other servers and herself would be

more prone to utilize them.

41

Chapter V: Discussion

Chapter 1 commenced this study and consisted of an introduction to Restaurant X, the

statement of the problem, purpose of the study, any assumptions made by the researcher,

definition of terms, limitations of the study, and a brief overview of the methodology. Chapter 2

reviewed applicable literature on problem resolution and service recovery in restaurants and

hotels, strategies used in resolving service failures , guest perceptions, and the SCM. Chapter 3

outlined the SCM methodology utilized for the research project. Chapter 4 presented the data

that was analyzed from the surveys and interviews. The fifth and final chapter reiterates the

statement of the problem, purpose of the study, and limitations. Conclusions and the

researcher's recommendation are also included in this chapter.

Statement of the Problem and the Purpose of the Study

Restaurant X implemented a problem resolution training program for service staff.

Results from secret shopper reports concluded that while the service staff was able to perform all

the duties and tasks to receive a perfect score; they still lacked connecting personally with the

guest which ultimately led to service failure. This led to the formation of the problem statement:

Due to inadequate training and poor secret shopper reports, management has come to realize that

wait staff at Restaurant X in Rochester, MN are unable to resolve customer complaints in order

to satisfy the customer. The rationale of this study was to evaluate and determine what impacts

(if any) a training intervention implemented by Restaurant X has had on the service staff and

how they have utilized the trainings methods and tools.

42

Limitations

One limitation of this study is that even though Restaurant X is a corporate chain of

restaurants, results can only be reflective of this paIiicular store. Another limitation the

researcher factored in was that some employees who paliicipated in the study were seasonal and

no longer employed, had been terminated or resigned. Conversely, some employees were newer

to the organization and had net yet completed the problem resolution training. Finally, this study

incorporated self-repolied data which can be challenging because paliicipants, during the survey

and interviews, may have the tendency to say what they believe the researcher or management

want to hear.

Conclusions

This study found that barriers to problem resolution training include 1) training retention,

2) motivation, 3) communication, and 4) approachable managers. Contributors to problem

resolution training impacts and training transfer include 1) ownership, 2) support from

management, and 3) committed employees. In conclusion it is safe to say that the preceding

contributors are the factors that bridge the gap in problem resolution for the high success cases at

Restaurant X, but are not facilitating training transfer for the low success cases.

Management support through problem resolution training transfer. This study

found that there was a gap in management suppOli and having approachable managers.

Management suppoli was identified as a contributor to some employees while others listed it as a

barrier to problem resolution training. Most individuals felt that management suppOlied the

problem resolution training and were open-minded to discuss the training. Other employees felt

they might feel repercussions if voicing an opinion or bringing a problem or service failure to the

attention of management.

43

Use of training. A regular theme that was present throughout the survey and interview

process was that use and transfer of problem resolution training techniques empowered

employees. This empowerment resulted in employees taking a proactive approach to resolving

service issues and high customer satisfaction and self-satisfaction. This is also proven by Suh et

a1. (2005) and Kandampully and Duddy (2001) who said that empowered employees tend to

have a higher sense of self-satisfaction and promotes a committed workplace with employees

who show ownership.

Specific applications. To further empower employees, management post positive

reviews and compliment letters and e-mails. These reports sometimes include the name of the

server and/or manager who helped with a specific problem resolution the customer experienced,

resulting in praise from management and other employees. Recognition from management

shows employees that they want a successful organization and care for their employees.

One other specific application that helped in training transfer that was evident in the

surveys and interviews was the use of role playing. During the problem resolution training

specific scenarios were created and the employees were asked to act out the situations as if they

were responding to an actual customer. A majority of the employees found these useful for real

life situations, and would like other common and not so common situations role played.

Participants' suggestions. Most employees at Restaurant X have embraced and

accepted the problem resolution training. Some employees are still having issues implementing

it, and some have not had to use the techniques provided by the training. Tlu·ough surveys and

interviews participants were able to express any suggestions to improve future problem

resolution training. The following comments were taken from those surveys and interviews:

44

• Problem resolution training needs to be reinforced for those who need it; keep the idea

fresh and in everyone's mind.

• Teach how to solve more problems without involving management.

• Distinguish problem severity; when management does and does not have to be involved

during problem resolution.

• Include more examples when using role playing training techniques.

• When using role playing situations provide examples relevant to the employee (i.e. wait

staff using wait staff scenarios)

• Have management be more approachable by welcoming problems so the guest does not

suffer.

• Communication during problem resolution.

• Have management communicate back to service staff when and how the problem was

resolved; no miscommunication.

• Implement problem resolution training in a large group meeting instead of smaller

meetings.

• Hire a secret shopper to "create" a problem during a shift so the server and management

team can work together to solve the problem.

• Provide infollnation on how to handle/solve problems without out monetary

compensation.

A number of the previous comments made by employees ask for clarification of when a

manager needs to be and does not need to be involved in problem resolution. The employees

also ask for fllliher training to resolve issues that could be corrected immediately by the service

staff instead of having to locate a manager. Time is precious when it comes to resolving

45

problems; the sooner the better, when management is not readily available the guest and the

organization suffer losses.

Communication was also a common suggestion whether it was employee to employee,

management to employee, or service provide to customer. Communication lines need to be

improved upon to ensure problems are being solved, and the COl1'ect manner to solve them is in .

place. Communication can also be implemented to keep problem resolution training fresh and

cunent in the organization environment. Some servers suggested that a point from the problem

resolution training be incorporated into a daily or weekly communication board or newsletter.

Recommendations

The following recommendations take the literature reviewed, the impact model, and the

qualitative data from the surveys and interviews into consideration.

• Continue support from upper management but include more involvement in all training.

• Managers should lead by example and support training efforts and improve upon existing

time management skills; assist all employees and guests who are experiencing service

failure and any other problems.

• Tlu'ee-way communication needs to be improved between employee, manager, and

customer; making sure the organization is accountable for resolving and problems and

ensuring the guests ' satisfaction.

• Continually including and modifying problem resolution training techniques via

communication board, news letter, or other communication medium.

• Provide motivational incentives to those who demonstrate problem resolution techniques

in the organization.

46

• Persistently stress the importance of customer satisfaction and the implementation of

problem resolution training.

• Frequently discuss the positive outcomes associate with problem resolution training and

why it is impOltant for servers to utilize and the organization overall.

After following the provided recommendations, Restaurant X will see valuable results. It

will empower current and new employees to utilize the problem resolution techniques. The

recommendations will also bridge the gap preventing some employees from trans felTing the

training to employ in the organization environment. FUlthermore, these recommendations will

enhance future problem resolution training programs and have a greater impact on training

transfer.

47

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Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 9(1), 57-77.

doi: 1 0.1 0801152800808021 08267.

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Appendix A: Task Timeline

Start Date Finish Date Task N/A March-4 Turn in survey and interview instrument to IRB N/A March-4 Finish Task timeline March -4 March-18 Complete Chapters I & III, ; Final March - 4 April-1 Complete Chapter II; Final March - 18 March - 25 Implement survey instrument in Rochester March - 25 March - 31 Data analysis - Survey; Indentify interview candidates April- 1 April-7 Conduct qualitative interviews April- 8 April- 12 Transcribe interview data for Chapter IV April- 8 April-IS Develop themes April- 15 May-7 Theme/code qualitative interview data April- 15 May - 11 Complete chapter IV; Final May-7 May - 13 ComQlete chapter V, abstract, table of contents; Final May-7 May -13 Complete appendix May - 12 May-14 Complete paper. May -19 May -19 Submit paper to graduate school.

Participants

Managing Partner

Managers

Training Coordinator

Servers

Hosts

Service Supervisors

Marketing Managers

JV Partners

Appendix B: Impact Model

Problem Resolution Training Impact Model Restaurant X

Key Knowledge and Critical Applications Skills

Gain knowledge of Set individual commitment how to properly to ensure customer handle guest satisfaction and promote complaints through " loyal" customers role-plays

Set team percentage goal for Educate staff on the percentage of guests visual, verbal and non- who felt their problems verbal cues in order to were resolved appropriately recognize potential problems and being Ability to "own" problems proactive in solving and build confidence that those issues management will help

COlTect those issues without Resolution training for fear of discipline from problems that occur management more frequently within the restaurant Staff thoroughly

understands the meaning of Reiterate core repOlis that score problem principles learned in resolution feedback and previous training grading from our customers sesSIOns to determine our success

rate Inform staff of current resolution scores and the relevancy of those scores to our restaurant specifically

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Key Results

Build Sales through:

a) Increasing customer loyalty

b) Promoting positive traffic counts in the restaurant

c) Increase overall customer satisfaction

Empower decision-making abilities of servers and hosts who have the most access to the customer

Increase management interaction with guests

Promote approachable environment for hourly to management with anticipated or existing Issues

Appendix C: Implied Consent

Consent to Participate in UW -Stout Approved Research

I This research has been approved by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of I II Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46.

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Title: Evaluation of Restaurant X's Problem Resolution Training: Utilizing the Success Case Method

Investigator: Casey Neuman 507 -421-6044; neumanc@my.uwstout.edu

Description:

Research Sponsor: Dr. Renee Surdick surdickr@uwstout.edu

The purpose of this study is to assess the problem resolution training you received. The evaluation goal is to provide management with information on both the impacts of the problem resolution training and critical factors that facilitate its successful implementation and transferability to the work place.

Risks: Participation poses minimal risk to pmiiciapants. Participants in this research may become aware that they have not successfully implemented the problem resolution training into their work. For those chosen to be interviewed, upon their consent, it may become known to management that they have not successfully implemented the problem resolution training.

Benefits: By participating in this research the participants will gain insight into their progress of transferring the problem resolution training to their work. This will allow participants to make adjustments if necessary or to continue with their course of action if the transfer has taken place according to their wishes. Also, if chosen for and interview, the pa11icipants will assist management in establishing hard data to determine the impacts, quality, transferability, and futre development plans for the problem resolution training.

Time Commitment: Pa11icipation in the following survey should take approximately 10- 15 minutes. However, upon completing the survey you may be asked to pa11icipate in a one-on-one, face-to-face interview with the researcher at a later date. This interview would take approximately 30 - 40 minutes.

Confidentiality: To insure confidentiality during the survey process the researcher will distribute and collect all surveys. The researcher will also be the only person who has access to the completed surveys. No names or personal identifiers will be used throughout the study or the paper to expose any participants of the study. Upon completion of the research, the researcher will destroy all hard

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and digital copies of the survey, therefore eliminating the possibility of future researchers connecting an employee with specific answers.

Right to Withdraw: Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may choose not to pmticipate without any adverse consequences to you. Should you choose to participate and later wish to withdraw from the study, you may discontinue your pmticipation at this time without incuning adverse consequences.

IRB Approval: This study has been reviewed and approved by The University of Wisconsin-Stout's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB has detelmined that this study meets the ethical obligations required by federal law and University policies. If you have questions or concerns regarding this study please contact the Investigator or Advisor. If you have any questions, concerns, or repolts regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the IRB Administrator.

Investigator: Casey Neuman 507-421-6044; neumanc@my.uwstout.edu

Advisor: Dr. Renee Surdick surdickr@uwstout.edu

Statement of Consent:

IRB Administrator: Sue Foxwell, Director, Research Services 152 Vocational Rehabilitation Bldg. University of Wisconsin - Stout Menomonie, WI 54751 715-232-2477 foxwells@uwstout.edu

By completing the following survey you agree to participate in the project entitled, "Evaluation of Restaurant X's Problem Resolution Training: Utilizing the Success Case Method"

Appendix D: Survey

Problem Resolution Training Survey

I This research has been approved by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of l Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46.

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Thank you for completing this survey. The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of the problem resolution training, and to identify critical factors that facilitate its successful implementation and transfer to the workplace. After you have submitted the survey, you may be asked to patiicipate in a one-on-one, face-to-face interview with the researcher. The interview is structured to receive more insight on the implementation and transfer of the problem resolution training.

Please include your name and contact information at the top of the survey; your name is needed to set up the one-on-one interview. Be assured that the responses you provide on the survey will remain confidential and will not be connected to your name. Once you completed the survey please return your survey to the researcher. Thank you in advance for your patiicipation.

• Name: ----------------------------------

In the case that you are selected for an interview, what is your preferred method of contact? • Phone: ____________________________________ ___

• E-mail: --------------------------------------

Instructions: Read the questions carefully and answer the questions to the best of your knowledge. If you need more space to respond, please use the back of the survey.

1. Did you attend the problem resolution training? (Please circle your answer)

YES NO

2. I have used problem resolution techniques. (Please circle your answer and follow the instructions)

a. Yes, with clearly positive results. (Please provide an example)

b. Yes, but I have not experienced any discernable results yet. (Please provide an example)

c. Not yet, but I expect to use problem resolution techniques. (Please specify)

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d. I do not have any plans to do this. (Please explain why)

3. Which statement best represents your feelings about management's commitment to

problem resolution training implementation and transfer to workplace process?

(Please circle your answer)

a. I think management has a sincere interest and is fully committed to helping

employees apply problem resolution techniques.

b. I think management means well, but has not fully committed to the process.

c. I think management sees this process as little more than an administrative

requirement.

d. I think management has no commitment at all to this process.

4. Which statement best represents your own commitment to the problem resolution

training implementation and transfer to the workplace? (Please circle your answer)

a. I have sincere interest and am fully committed to applying problem resolution

techniques.

b. I am mostly positive, but have not committed fully to the process yet.

c. I think this process is little more that an administrative requirement.

d. I have no commitment at all to this process.

5. Please use the space below for any additional comments about the problem

resolution training.

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Appendix E: Interview Protocol

Interview Protocol

I This research has been approved by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of I Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46. J

First, I would like to thank you for your time for this interview. The purpose of this interview is to assess the impact of problem resolution training and identify critical factors that facilitate its successful implementation and transfer to the workplace. Some questions may be asked to better understand your job to see how the problem resolution training is related to it.

Next, I would like to remind you that this interview is completely voluntary and that no identifying material will be used in any report or presentation. The indentifying information gathered on the survey was solely for the purpose of contacting you to ask for your participation in this interview. The first few questions that will be asked are for the researcher to better understand you and your role at restaurant X, again no identifying information will be used.

This interview will take approximately 30-40 minutes. Do you have any questions for me before we begin?

Questions for all cases: • What is your job title? • What are the specific duties of your job? • What leadership role do you have at restaurant X? • What do you think you leamed from the problem resolution training that you are

using in your work? • Has anything changed in the work envirorunent because of using this knowledge?

Success Case Questions • What problem resolution tools and methods have you used in your work? • Could you please provide some examples of the application of these tools and

methods? • What results were achieved by using these tools and methods? (e.g. customer

satisfaction, personal achievement, recognition from management. .. ) • What do you feel is the value of these results? • What helped you use problem resolution tools and methods? • If you were to implement another problem resolution training project, what help

and resources would you need? Non-success Case Questions

• What do you think you leamed from the problem resolution training that you would like to use in your work?

• What are the baniers that hinder your ability to implement and transfer the problem resolution training?

• What would you recommend for successful problem resolution training and application to the workplace?

• Is there anything else you would like to say about the problem resolution training program?

Thank you again for palticipating in this study. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.