Factors that determine the success of the moment of customer- employee encounter: Example of a five star hotel

The moment of customer-employee encounter: It connotes to the reciprocative interaction that emerges as a result of the encounter of customer and employee in the field of service and inputs and outputs, arising from this. The primary starting point in this research, which was carried out with the purpose of analysing this moment in all its parts, is the determination of the behaviours, which assess the success or failure of the moment of customer-employee encounter. The determination of these behaviours shall be useful in constituting the in-service trainings and developing marketing strategies and public relations studies for managements. This moment was approached in a more extensive way in the literature section of the study and employee satisfaction and customer devotion were assessed as inputs and outputs of this moment. The answer for the research questions, which were constituted within the frame of the research model, that was developed in this extent, was searched by the semi-formalized interview technique, which is applied to the employees of a hotel management, who are constantly in contact with the customers, and by the focus group discussion technique. The opinions of the hotel customers about the behaviours, which are effective on the determined success of the moment of the customer-employee encounter, were received and the effects of these behaviours on their satisfaction and hotel devotion were tried to be revealed by the survey technique. The acquired data were analysed and checked in the context of its effect on the customer devotion; opinions of the hotel customers and hotel workers were compared. The reason why these behaviours, which are considered to determine the success of the moment of the customer-employee encounter, are made by the employee s is another issue, being studied within this research.According to the prioritisation, which was carried out by the employees, while the first two priorities for the positive employee behaviours, which determine the success of the moment of the customer-employee encounter, that is determined by the research, are; ?being kind and cheery? and ?making the customer feel special?, the first two priorities for the negative employee behaviours are; ?frowning and not smiling? and ?refusing to answer the questions by not responding to the demand?. Considering the answers by the employee s, related to the reasons of these behaviours, it is seen that while the first two priorities for the positive behaviours are ?education? and ?authorization?, the first two priorities for the negative behaviours are ?working conditions? and ?inadequacy of the wage? and ?obscurity of the role?. Comparing the opinions of the customers and employees related to the behaviours which are considered to have a positive effect on the customer satisfaction, while it is observed that they have similar opinions about the factors in the first two priorities, it is revealed that they have different opinions about the behaviours, which are considered to have a negative effect.