Chapter 4 Job Analysis 125 Your Turn The Customer-Service Agent nation than is Bill Ryan often deals with difficult people. It's condition the buyer expected. Or maybe an e job analysis what he gets paid for. He's one of 30 customer- interesting product is listed but its description ubt. Some ad- service agents at Half.com, an online market- isn't clear. role that judge place owned by eBay Inc., the Internet auction And that's where Mr. Ryan and his colleagues than 25 years company. Like eBay, Half.com attempts to match come in, handling the buckets of e-mail and ll these proce- buyers and sellers in a vast flea market featuring intermittent phone calls from curious, addled, le or objective millions of products ranging from trading cards and upset users. They pass information be- idgment."36 te camcorders. But unlike eBay, there's no bid- ding. Half.com lists-items only at fixed prices. If tween buyers and sellers, answer questions, you see something you like, pay the price and and resolve the occasional dispute. Half.com it's yours. says that fewer than 1 percent of the site's The other big difference with eBay is that transactions require customer service's involve- why on earth ed information for most of the products listed on Half.com, ment. But with more than 15 million items for erences. There there's no way for buyers and sellers to in- sale well, you do the math. In fact, the customer service department will be work- teract directly. Usually there's no need to. To receives about 1,500 to 2,000 e-mails a day, pay decisions. make a purchase, buyers use their credit cards of which nearly a third are complaints about ww much detail or checking accounts to pay Half.com, which transactions. The rest are mostly questions then automatically credits the amount to the about the goods and how the site works. p set individual ice and skill of seller's card or account-minus a transaction Mr. Ryan himself on a typical day fields be- fee. Once the payment is made, the seller tween 60 and 100 e-mails and half a dozen tting this detail ships the product. inagers can lead Despite a well-oiled system, however, phone calls. The calls are the most stressful. "People panic and they want answers," Mr. ce, file lawsuits, questions arise. Things can go wrong. A pur- Ryan says. "It they are calling, they are not The response to chased item doesn't arrive, or isn't in the happy." response should126 Part Two Internal Alignment: Determining the Structure For Half.com-as well as most other e-com- messages he receives each day, he gets right responses the merce companies-customer-service agents to work. Mr. Ryan downloads his first batch of together. He like Mr. Ryan are the crucial link between the 10 e-mails for the day. He says it usually takes e-mail a salute faceless website and the consumer. And how him about an hour to get through 10 messages. suggested me they deal with the public can make or break com. The list, a business. As Half.com's vice president for 8:10 AM The first e-mail is from a woman ier for the as operations, says, "It costs too much to get a interested in buying an audio book on CD that For this messa new customer only to fumble the relationship she saw listed on the site. She wants to know pleasure to as away." Half.com wouldn't discuss salaries. But whether the CD will work on her DVD player. Mr. Ryan and his colleagues, who are split into But since she doesn't specify the exact listing, GOT JUICE two shifts covering 8 a.m. to midnight, seven Mr. Ryan is stuck. He can't search for it among all days a week, say they're satisfied with their the listings or contact the seller. The best he can 9:30 AM After wages, which include quarterly bonuses. do is suggest that she send him an item number it's time for a What he likes about the work, Mr. Ryan so he can contact the seller with her question. drinks two c says, is the kind of customer problem that picked up sing requires research and deep digging to find 8:15 AM The next e-mail comes from a user " A year as the resolution. What he sometimes doesn't who sold the Diana Krall CD "When I Look in stuff," he says like about his work are the routine questions Your Eyes," but lost the buyer's shipping infor- is just down t that generate stock responses. Here's a day in mation. The seller is concerned that a delay in room is stock Mr. Ryan's work life: her shipment will give the buyer reason to give soda, fruit, ce ies. The cafete her a negative rating on the site. After each a satellite tel THE ANSWER MAN purchase is made, the buyer gets a chance to rate the seller's performance on a scale from table, and a 8 AM Mr. Ryan strolls into the Half.com office in 1 to 5-"poor" to "excellent." Every rating morning, how Plymouth Meeting, Pa., a short drive from his sellers collect is displayed along with their user in the coffee. home. The company's single-story gray build- name next to subsequent items they list. Just 9:48 AM An E ing is a former tire factory in this colonial-era one negative rating can ruin a seller's reputa- colleague in industrial town on the outskirts of Philadelphia. tion, depending on how many sales he or she tabase. He w Mr. Ryan works in a low-slung, black cubicle has made overall, submitted on toward the back of the office, his space sparsely deposit-link decorated. Mr. Ryan tracks down the details on this The atmosphere at Half.com is decidedly particular transaction in the Half.com user da- with their ch tabase. He identifies the buyer and writes an cluded in the young and casual. Jeans are the uniform. Mr. Ryan certainly fits in, though at 32 he's a e-mail to explain that the seller lost the shipping things we do says "It mak few years older than most of his cubicle mates. address and "wants to let you know they are sorry for the inconvenience." He then-e-mails the [database He started doing strictly customer service, the buyer's shipping address to the seller. answering customer e-mails. Now he also 9:50 AM The fi does what the company calls "trust and safety Mr. Ryan says he doesn't find the e-mails tedious. "There is such a variety of topics to re- downloads 10 work": investigating fraud and looking for spond to," he says. "I never get 50 of the same several days things on the site that are "funky." For in- questions in a row." But, a few e-mails later, PlayStation f stance, when Half.com receives a complaint he shrugs with disapproval. The user's question cerned becau from a buyer about a seller, it's Mr. Ryan's job could easily have been answered by going to policy is that to contact both parties and make sure there is the help section of the website: "Do I include within 30 day no fraud occurring. This day, because the site has received a high shipping in the sale price or is it added later?" lodge an off Says Mr. Ryan, "It's a general question. I seller is thus volume of e-mails, he's on regular customer ser- like the detailed research questions." Mr. Ryan deadline. Nev vice duty. After checking the few internal e-mail pastes in an answer from a database of stock sends the selChapter 4 Job Analysis 127 gets right responses the customer-service team has put can provide a shipping date and tracking num- st batch of together. He then tacks onto the end of the ber that Mr. Ryan can pass on to the restless jually takes e-mail a salutation that he draws from a list of father. messages. suggested message closers provided by Half. com. The list, the company says, makes it eas- Half.com believes that help like this-beyond the requirements of its own rules-separates a woman ier for the agents to write so many e-mails. its customer-service approach from that of on CD that For this message, Mr. Ryan chooses, "It was my other companies. When the company was its to know pleasure to assist you." starting out, says Training Supervisor Ed DVD player. GOT JUICE Miller, customer service tried to respond to exact listing, as many messages as it could, as fast as pos- it among all sible. What the company learned, however, is best he can 9:30 AM After answering a few more messages, item number it's time for a coffee break. Mr. Ryan says he that "customers don't mind if you take a little drinks two cups of coffee a day, a habit he more time to answer their specific question." question. picked up since starting at Half.com. Instead of just firing off e-mails, Half.com "A year ago I wouldn't have touched the now sees it as important to personalize each from a user stuff," he says. He heads to the kitchen, which message. Even with the personalization, Half. en I Look in lipping infor- is just down the hall from his desk. The well-lit com says it responds to most messages within at a delay in room is stocked with free cappuccino, juice, 24 hours. soda, fruit, cereal, cookies, and other munch- Communications with customers have eason to give a consistent and pleasant tone. E-mail mes- e. After each ies. The cafeteria also doubles as a lounge with a chance to a satellite television playing ESPN, a Foosball sages should conform to the "grandmother rule." Each message should "make sense to my a scale from table, and a ping-pong table. This early in the grandmother." Every rating morning, however, most people are interested with their user in the coffee. 10:10 AM Bathroom break. they list. Just eller's reputa- 9:48 AM An e-mail arrives from a Half.com 10:15 AM "All right," Mr. Ryan says eagerly, re- ales he or she colleague in charge of the stock-answer da- tabase. He writes that a response Mr. Ryan turning to his desk. He cracks his knuckles and starts typing. letails on this submitted on how users can sign up for direct f.com user da- deposit-linking their Half.com transactions A buyer who purchased a video game with their checking accounts-would be in- two months ago but never received it writes and writes an to thank Half.com for "hounding" the seller ist the shipping cluded in the database. "There are so many things we don't have responses to," Mr. Ryan to send him the item. But he wants a refund. know they are says. "It makes everyone's life easier to have Mr. Ryan verifies the buyer's version of events le then e-mails the [database]." in Half.com's records, then refunds the buyer's the seller. 9:50 AM The first 10 e-mails are done. Mr. Ryan money and charges the seller's account for the nd the e-mails downloads 10 more. One is from a father who amount of the sale. Mr. Ryan sends e-mails of topics to re- 50 of the same several days earlier ordered the latest Sony to both parties informing them of his action. w e-mails later, PlayStation for his son's birthday and is con- Half.com's rules say that when an official com- cerned because it hasn't arrived yet. Half.com's plaint has been lodged the other party has user's question five days in which to respond. In this case, the ed by going to policy is that if a buyer hasn't received an item seller didn't respond, so the buyer won the dis- e: "Do I include within 30 days of the purchase, he or she can t added later?" lodge an official complaint. The PlayStation pute by default. eral question. I seller is thus a long way from the delivery 10:25 AM Snack time. Mr. Ryan breaks into a itions." Mr. Ryan deadline. Nevertheless, as a courtesy, Mr. Ryan high-energy Balance bar-a little nourishment atabase of stock sends the seller an e-mail asking whether he to get him ready for what comes next.128 Part Two Internal Alignment: Determining the Structure WRECKING CREW way, if a user is interested, he or she can put the seller, tel 10:30 AM Time to knock down some walls. it on a wish list and the site will automatically Lively human-resources worker Alicia DiCiacco e-mail him or her when a copy has been posted its way short invites Mr. Ryan and his colleagues to pick for sale. 2:21 PM He do up sledgehammers and knock through a wall Mr. Ryan searches for the book meticu at the end of the office. Half.com's staff has lously, checking by title, author and publish- doubled in the past year, and the company er's ISBN number. Once he's sure the book isn't HOME STRET is expanding into adjacent space in the old listed, he e-mails Matt Walsh, who is in charge 2:30 PM The c tire factory. Everyone in the office takes turns of fixing catalog errors. Mr. Ryan then e-mails to an observ whacking at the wall. Some of the younger the user and instructs him to check back at the all day doesr males dish out screams of "I'm not going to site soon. tough to wo take it any more!" and "Where's the Pink bother me," Floyd?!"-a reference to the 1970s rock album 1:21 PM First phone call of the day. Because and that real "The Wall" by Pink Floyd. Half.com prefers to conduct customer service Mr. Ryan eats up the office energy. "It's ex- on e-mail, to keep its costs down, it doesn't 3 PM Bathroo citing to work here," he says. "We're growing. display its phone number on its website. Still, We had the second launch of the site. [Half. persistent users get the number through direc- 3:15 PM With com expanded its product line in April]. We're tory assistance or other sources. ting time, M doing construction. It's good to come to work This caller, an agitated buyer of the video last batch of when the company is doing well." "Valley Girl," a 1983 comedy starring Nicolas user unsure Cage, says she received a damaged tape. She wants to list 11:15 AM Finished with another batch of 10 has lodged an official complaint against the Wrath" but e-mails, he downloads 10 more, including two seller on the website, but the seller hasn't re- the site; a b separate queries from customers who can't sponded. Mr. Ryan tells her that the five days second-day redeem special introductory coupons Half.com the seller has to respond aren't up yet. He ready placed offers to new users. assures her that if the seller doesn't respond within the allotted time, he will refund her 3:30 PM A cal 11:47 AM Mr. Ryan gets an e-mail from a seller money and charge the seller's account. Until streak of dis responding to a message from Half.com. A then, there's nothing Mr. Ryan can do except quality of a potential buyer has asked Half.com whether comfort the caller with apologies and expla snuff. The b the seller's 75-cent copy of Carolyn Davidson's nations. "Secrets," a Harlequin romance "The Midwife" is a paper- In the event that the seller disputes the back or hardcover. Half.com forwarded the buyer's claim about the tape, Half.com is still Bat question to the seller, who now is writing back likely to grant a refund, especially on such to say it's a paperback. an inexpensive item. Half.com makes it clear, Mr. Ryan sends two e-mails: one to the buyer, however, that its customer-service team keeps Summary answering his question, and one to the seller, a close watch on users' complaints, looking thanking him for the information. out for fraudulent refund requests. If Half. com suspects foul play, it doesn't grant re- 12:10 PM Lunch. Mr. Ryan eats his turkey wrap funds so easily. in the company cafeteria with some colleagues and heads back to his desk by 1 p.m. 2:02 PM A seller of the video "I Know What You Did Last Summer" got the package returned, 1:06 PM E-mail from a user who can't find the marked address unknown. Mr. Ryan looks up new Stephen King novel on Half.com. The site the buyer's information in the user database is supposed to list all new books from major and e-mails him, asking for an updated ad- publishers, even if no one is selling them. That dress to forward to the seller. He then e-mailsChapter 4 Job Analysis 129 she can put utomatically the seller, telling him the address should be on buyer is upset, but Mr. Ryan remains calm, call- its way shortly. ing on skills he learned in a one-day seminar been posted 2:21 PM He downloads 10 more e-mails. called "Dealing With Difficult People." In the jok meticu class, which he took before coming to Half.com, and publish- he learned to paraphrase what the customer is he book isn't HOME STRETCH saying to make sure he understands the com- is in charge 2:30 PM The day is starting to get long, at least plaint. Mr. Ryan also takes care to speak clearly then e-mails to an observer. But Mr. Ryan says sitting still with a strong sense of empathy. At one point k back at the all day doesn't cramp his style. "Sometimes it's he says, "I understand your frustration." When tough to work at a desk, but it doesn't really he explains that the buyer will have to wait bother me," he says. "I work out after work, some time for a final resolution of the matter, day. Because and that really loosens things up." he makes sure to preface it with a heartfelt "I'm tomer service sorry to let you know . . . An observer listening un, it doesn't 3 PM Bathroom break. to Mr. Ryan gets the sense that he is not acting. website. Still, "If you don't understand what they are say- through direc- 3:15 PM With the clock ticking toward quit- ing, then you have a problem," he says. Though ting time, Mr. Ryan hunkers down to finish his he can't satisfy this customer then and there, of the video he promises to talk to his supervisor and to call last batch of e-mails. It's more of the same: a her back tomorrow with more information. arring Nicolas user unsure how Half.com works; a seller who ged tape. She wants to list a 1976 edition of "The Grapes of at against the Wrath" but can't figure out where to put it on 4 PM The day is done. Mr. Ryan finishes his eller hasn't re- the site; a buyer who wants a book shipped last e-mail, closes up his desk and shoves on t the five days second-day air, even though the order was al- home. A new shift of workers picks up where n't up yet. He ready placed. Mr. Ryan left off, toiling from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. When they finish, the customer-service staff in besn't respond vill refund her 3:30 PM A call from a buyer interrupts Mr. Ryan's eBay's facility in Salt Lake City will take over. account. Until streak of dispensing e-mails. The buyer felt the Tomorrow, Mr. Ryan will be back on duty at 8 a.m., downloading his first 10 e-mails. can do except quality of a book she bought was not up to gies and expla snuff. The book, a $2 copy of Danielle Steel's "Secrets," apparently had a torn cover. The Source: Alex Frangos, The Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2001. er disputes the Half.com is still ecially on such 1 makes it clear, vice team keeps plaints, looking Summary Encouraging employee behaviors that help achieve an organization's objectives and equests. If Half. fostering a sense of fairness among employees are two hallmarks of a useful internal oesn't grant re- pay structure. One of the first strategic pay decisions is how much to align a pay struc- ture internally compared to aligning it to external market forces. Do not be misled. The issue is not achieving internal alignment versus alignment with external market forces. I Know What You Rather, the strategic decision focuses on sustaining the optimal balance of internally ackage returned, aligned and externally responsive pay structures that helps the organization achieve its Ar. Ryan looks up mission. Both are required. This part of the book focuses on one of the first decisions he user database managers face in designing pay systems: how much to emphasize pay structures that an updated ad- are internally aligned with the work performed, the organization's structure, and its r. He then e-mails strategies. Whatever the choice, the decision needs to support (and be supported by) the organization's overall human resource strategy