Abstract
Orientation: Since service quality is an important differentiator in the banking industry, it is essential to select suitable customer service centre staff, particularly those who are responsible for handling queries from clients who hold significant lifetime value in this industry.Research purpose: The aim of the study was to identify personality traits, as measured by the Occupational Personality Questionnaire 32r (item response theory scored version), including the more parsimonious Big Five personality traits, that may act as job performance predictors for customer service centre (CSC) agents in the banking industry.Motivation for the study: This study provides an exploratory investigation of whether specific personality traits differ amongst CSC agents in the banking industry, based on their job performance. No published research in this field could be identified.Research design, approach and method: Purposive sampling was used to collect data from the entire CSC agent base of a particular banking group (N = 89). Responses were analysed by means of quantitative techniques.Main findings and practical/managerial implications: Results indicate that parsimonious traits of personality, expressed as the Big Five personality traits, predict job performance. The importance of carefully selecting suitable job performance criteria for a specific environment, however, emerged as a critical issue in performance prediction.Contribution: The study focuses attention on the importance of CSC agents’ performance as frontline staff in the banking industry and identifying valid criteria for selecting the most suitable agents. Providing a one-contact point of service such as a CSC is a fairly new approach in the South African banking industry and this study provides an initial investigation of personality traits that may serve as job performance predictors in this environment.
Highlights
Key focus of the studyThe valuation of customers is gaining importance in the retail banking industry (Haenlein, Kaplan & Beeser, 2007)
No relevant published research on the relationship between customer service centre (CSC) agents’ personality and their job performance within the South African banking industry could be found, pointing to a need for the current study. It serves as an exploratory investigation of whether specific personality traits differ amongst CSC agents in the banking industry, based on their job performance
The results of the preliminary, most appropriate factor analysis are compared to literature and the technical report of the SHL Occupational Personality Questionnaire 32r (OPQ32r) (SHL, 2013)
Summary
Key focus of the studyThe valuation of customers is gaining importance in the retail banking industry (Haenlein, Kaplan & Beeser, 2007). No relevant published research on the relationship between CSC agents’ personality and their job performance within the South African banking industry could be found, pointing to a need for the current study. Service quality is a critical factor for survival in the banking industry since it enhances customer satisfaction, improves customer retention and establishes a favourable overall image for financial institutions It further significantly improves financial performance in terms of interest margins, return on assets, profit per employee and capital adequacy (Ladhari, 2009). Ladhari (2009) advises that bank managers should recognise the crucial role that frontline employees play in establishing and maintaining a competitive position for their institutions. Each team provides technical information, solutions and support on a number of products, such as Internet banking, to their particular client segment
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