Balancing learning and adaptive curves in service encounters to manage critical incidents

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study explores the interface between service receivers’ learning and service providers’ adaptive curves in service encounters after critical incidents have occurred. Learning curve refers to a service receiver being repeatedly exposed to the same or similar critical incident. Adaptive curve refers to service providers possibly needing to act more flexibly each time a service receiver is exposed to the same or similar critical incident. The objective is to describe the interface between service receivers’ teleological actions and their perceptions of service providers’ teleological actions in complaint handling when critical incidents have occurred. Teleological actions may be either ad hoc and present-based, predetermined and past-based; or goal-directed and future-based. This study is based on two phases of qualitative research. The results indicate that there is a need for service providers to balance their actions in relation to the service receivers’ actions when critical incidents occur. The study provides a foundation for enhancing complaint handling in service encounters after critical incidents have occurred.