“The Customer is Always Right” Customer Service and Managerial Structures in Relation to Company Size on Main Road Rondebosch, Cape Town

Authors

Carlos Gausman, SIT Study AbroadFollow

Home Institution

Denison University

Publication Date

Fall 2012

Program Name

South Africa: Multiculturalism and Human Rights

Abstract

Customer service culture in Rondebosch, Cape Town will be studied in this paper. The relationship between customer service and management structures through operational models is explored. Customer Intimacy is the operational model used by the three cases studied – Pick n Pay, Lyra’s Café, and Zone Fitness. Business size and entrepreneurial influence play a role in the vested interest mangers and employees have concerning their work ethic (productivity, motivation, and efficiency) and company profit/personal income. Information was gathered through participant observation and interviews of branch managers, employees, and customers. Customer loyalty plays a larger role in maximizing profit than becoming a top industry player. Customer service can be more important than the product that is sold because of competition. None of the businesses studied hold a monopoly in their given industry (grocery stores, gyms, and café’s) which is why they must differentiate themselves through their customer service. A customer can easily navigate between multiple café’s, grocery stores, and gyms, which shows the necessity for these companies to establish customer loyalty.

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Community-Based Research | Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Organizational Behavior and Theory | Work, Economy and Organizations

Recommended Citation

Gausman, Carlos, "“The Customer is Always Right” Customer Service and Managerial Structures in Relation to Company Size on Main Road Rondebosch, Cape Town" (2012). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 1406.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/1406