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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., October 3, 2007—CPP, Inc. announced the release of a new case study based on recent research by Randall Wade, Ph.D., that analyzed results from its exclusively published Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) assessment and examined the relationship between conflict handling and customer satisfaction ratings for inbound call centers. The study showed that effective conflict handling in customer interactions can directly increase customer satisfaction. Specifically, Wade found that call center representatives who used a combination of “collaborating” and “accommodating” conflict management styles scored the highest on customer satisfaction ratings.
The new case study illustrates a valuable application for the TKI and effective conflict management: training for call center representatives and others in customer-facing roles. According to study results, a strong relationship exists between the ability of an organization to effectively handle conflict and the organization’s level of customer satisfaction ratings.
“While there have been studies published in the past that examined the call center industry, Wade’s study is unique in that it analyzes the value of effective conflict management skills for call center employees, not just measurements of staffing levels, technical expertise, and efficiency,” said Dennis Diligent, V.P. Sales and Professional Services, CPP, Inc. “The study delves into the dynamics of customer-employee interactions, providing critical insight essential for organizations that are truly customer-focused and that directly affects the bottom line.”
For the study, Wade employed the TKI instrument – the world’s most widely used conflict assessment tool – which measures an individual’s tendencies in dealing with interpersonal conflict. The TKI categorizes five different conflict-handling modes and helps people identify the mode they use most often so that they can steer conflict situations into constructive directions by operating in the mode that is most appropriate for the situation. The modes include: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating.
“Representatives who effectively deal with conflict by operating within the appropriate mode for the situation will tend to receive higher customer satisfaction ratings,” said Wade. “Using a combination of the “collaborating” and “accommodating” conflict management styles proved most effective in the achievement of high customer satisfaction ratings. This can affect customer retention, word-of-mouth, and a host of other factors vital to customer service-oriented businesses.”
CPP, Inc. provides research, training, and organizational/professional development consultation to individuals and businesses, and is the exclusive publisher of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) and Strong Interest Inventory® instruments, as well as the TKI and other widely used assessments. Dr. Wade’s case study can be accessed at www.cpp.com/TKIcasestudy.
About Randall Wade
Randall Wade, Ph.D., is business technology department chair and instructor of business at Rogue Community College. He has extensive academic, applied research, and teaching experience, and he has authored numerous industry articles and undertaken more than 25 applied research surveys and studies. Prior to his work at Rogue Community College, he held positions at Emporia State University and Tarkio College. He has also been an adjunct instructor at Northwest Christian College and Southern Oregon University. Wade has also held positions with Allen County Hospital and the Gates Rubber Company. Since 1980, he has worked as a marketing research consultant to a number of manufacturing, nonprofit, educational, and service firms across the United States.
About the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is the world’s number one assessment tool for understanding how different conflict-handling modes, or styles, affect interpersonal and group dynamics; and also for learning how to select the most appropriate style for a given situation. The TKI tool has been used successfully by businesses, educators, and organizational development professionals for over 30 years.
About CPP, Inc.
Since its founding in 1956, CPP, Inc., has been a leading publisher and provider of innovative products and services for individual and organizational development. CPP has been supplying reliable training solutions to businesses of all sizes, including the Fortune 500, for more than 50 years. The company’s hundreds of distinct offerings have been used by millions of individuals in more than 100 countries, in more than 20 languages, to help people and organizations grow and develop by improving performance and increasing understanding. Among CPP’s world-renowned brands and services are CPP Professional Services; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®), Strong Interest Inventory®, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), FIRO-B®, CPI 260®, and California Psychological Inventory™ (CPI™ 434) assessments; and Davies-Black® Publishing.
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