Maritime Bank Case - Margaret Costanzo and David Reeves

Problem Definition:

Margaret Costanzo and David Reeves are the Vice President and Customer Service Director at Maritime bank. The challenge they are faced with is who to hire for the newly vacant head customer service representative (CSR) position at the Scotia Square branch. Maritime bank has recently undergone major structural changes, and this has caused the roles and responsibilities for the positions at the bank to drastically change. Margaret and David are considering three candidates for promotion to the head CSR position. Before the changes at Maritime Bank, Costanzo and Reeves would have simply chosen Karen Mitchell to be the new head CSR. However, they now wonder if she would be the best person for the position because of the recent change in expectations for the role. The managers are also considering two new candidates, Jean Warshawski and Curtis Ricther. These employees have great experience in the field, and also perform well in their current jobs. Before they make there decision, Costanzo and Reeves have to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates, as well as see who will preform the best in the new role.

Situation Analysis:

Changes in sales force structure

The board of directors at the Maritime Bank had appointed a new chief executive officer (CEO), and he was instructed to develop a stronger consumer orientation at the retail level. He began doing so by assigning a new management team, and increased the Maritime Bank’s investment in electronic delivery systems. To increase the investment and remain competitive in the market for electronic delivery systems, he created a new banking technology team.

Steps taken to develop a stronger customer orientation:

1. The bank tripled the amount of automated teller machines (ATMs) inside local branches, and replaced older machines with color touch screens. These new machines also had the capability to process more transactions in a variety of languages. The ATMs were made available in high traffic locations such as malls and airports, allowing 24/7 access to the customers.

2. While the bank was installing new ATMs they began a branch renovation program. This program was intended to improve the physical appearance of the branches. In future the bank planned to close some of its smaller branches, as customers began to use electronic banking from more remote locations.

3. The bank introduced automated telephone banking. The service was available 24/7, and customers could check their account balances or transfer funds by using the keypad on their phone. In addition, a central customer service office was offered to customers with any problems regarding the new banking system. The office was available to customers by phone during weekdays and on Saturdays.

4. The technology team of Maritime Bank redesigned the website, making it more user-friendly. Customers could access their account, receive information about the banks operations and their services, and could also view the frequently asked questions page to solve any issue they may have.

5. The bank began offering new credit cards that included radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips. These chips would increase the speed of transactions, compared to the traditional swipe method used previously.

Customer Service Representative (CSR)

The role of the bank teller had been to a customer service representative (CSR). In this change the customer service representative was to provide the customers with the highest quality services, ensure that they are satisfying customer needs through efficient operation, and focus on maintaining good relations with the clients. These expectations are different from the previous role because prior to the change the bank teller was supposed to provide basic customer service, help customers with their banking transactions, and promote the bank’s services. CSRs were now focused of customer satisfaction.

Head Customer Service Representative (CSR)

The role of the head CSR was to supervise all of the other CSRs. They could make this possible through work allocation and organization, problem solving, and by participating in the promotion/hiring/termination process. They were also responsible for monitoring the CSR’s money, processing customer deposits and withdrawals, and to operate the teller window when necessary. Moreover, the Head CSR was required to develop and maintain good customer relations, and assist all branch associates when needed.

Customer Assistance Representative (CAR)

The role of the customer assistance representative (CAR) was to provide potential and current customers with efficient