Anna Kristina Hultgren and Deborah Cameron
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195306897
- eISBN:
- 9780199867943
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195306897.003.0015
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Sociolinguistics / Anthropological Linguistics
This chapter, written by Ann Kristina Hultgren and Deborah Cameron, is concerned with questions in telephone interactions between customers and service personnel (“agents”) in a Scottish call center ...
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This chapter, written by Ann Kristina Hultgren and Deborah Cameron, is concerned with questions in telephone interactions between customers and service personnel (“agents”) in a Scottish call center that is part of a large insurance company; the data involve inbound calls initiated by the customers. The company imposes standards on the agents relating to both efficiency and customer care, applying the same closely controlled strategies to both. The inherent tension between the two sets of objectives puts agents in the position of constantly trying to determine what balance will be acceptable to their superiors. The chapter considers how these conditions affect the use of questions between agents and customers. The authors conclude that power in this interaction belongs to neither of the participants but is located rather in the call center system. [129 words]Less
This chapter, written by Ann Kristina Hultgren and Deborah Cameron, is concerned with questions in telephone interactions between customers and service personnel (“agents”) in a Scottish call center that is part of a large insurance company; the data involve inbound calls initiated by the customers. The company imposes standards on the agents relating to both efficiency and customer care, applying the same closely controlled strategies to both. The inherent tension between the two sets of objectives puts agents in the position of constantly trying to determine what balance will be acceptable to their superiors. The chapter considers how these conditions affect the use of questions between agents and customers. The authors conclude that power in this interaction belongs to neither of the participants but is located rather in the call center system. [129 words]
Terry Gourvish
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199250059
- eISBN:
- 9780191719516
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199250059.003.0013
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Business History
This chapter summarizes the main steps in the privatization of railways after 1994 and evaluates the performance of public sector management over twenty years of significant change. It is shown that ...
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This chapter summarizes the main steps in the privatization of railways after 1994 and evaluates the performance of public sector management over twenty years of significant change. It is shown that between 1974 and 1994, British Rail evolved from a rather unwieldy, monolithic structure into one that provided improved services, marketing, and customer care. British Rail's managers also worked to produce their own organizational solution for the industry.Less
This chapter summarizes the main steps in the privatization of railways after 1994 and evaluates the performance of public sector management over twenty years of significant change. It is shown that between 1974 and 1994, British Rail evolved from a rather unwieldy, monolithic structure into one that provided improved services, marketing, and customer care. British Rail's managers also worked to produce their own organizational solution for the industry.
M.V. Nadkarni
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199450534
- eISBN:
- 9780199083022
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199450534.003.0010
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
This chapter discusses the importance of ethics in business and outlines a number of ways in which corporations can maintain high standards of ethics. More specifically, it explains how genuinely ...
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This chapter discusses the importance of ethics in business and outlines a number of ways in which corporations can maintain high standards of ethics. More specifically, it explains how genuinely caring for the interests of all stakeholders, from customers and employees to suppliers, creditor banks, the state, the community at large, and the environment, can improve the moral reputation of a business enterprise, which in turn boosts its credibility with those stakeholders. The chapter relates business ethics to such important issues as customer care, advertising, employee welfare (including the security of employment), environmental protection (for example, abating air pollution or reducing the rate of depletion of natural resources), finance, and conflict of interest.Less
This chapter discusses the importance of ethics in business and outlines a number of ways in which corporations can maintain high standards of ethics. More specifically, it explains how genuinely caring for the interests of all stakeholders, from customers and employees to suppliers, creditor banks, the state, the community at large, and the environment, can improve the moral reputation of a business enterprise, which in turn boosts its credibility with those stakeholders. The chapter relates business ethics to such important issues as customer care, advertising, employee welfare (including the security of employment), environmental protection (for example, abating air pollution or reducing the rate of depletion of natural resources), finance, and conflict of interest.
