Service provider attributes in exit service encounter personnel in supermarkets

In this paper existing research findings are drawn together to advance and test new theory which is relevant to management practitioners in the supermarket context. This research empirically investigated the characteristics of service providers in a supermarket check-out situation. The research is founded on the documented importance of the service encounter and aspects of customer relationship management, and, on the importance of the persona, the intrinsic personal characteristics, of service providers in customer relationship management. The results of this pilot study research recognise the need to identify the intrinsic personal characteristics in above average supermarket service providers. They also demonstrate that there are identifiable positive and negative characteristics involved.