Model for Customers’ Subjective Evaluation of Frontline Employees in Payment Service Providers (PSPs)

The operational departments of organizations are always one of the main pillars of their policies and strategies, which can greatly affect the organization's stakeholders. Operational departments consist of street-level bureaucrats in public organizations and frontline employees (FLEs) in public organizations. FLEs account for the operational level of any organization that is in direct contact with customers. FLEs are usually responsible for introducing new service innovations to customers. These employees are fully engaged in strategic plans that aim to draw boundaries between the company and customers. They may also operate as a stimulant or an impediment to the customer's eventual awareness and acceptance of the innovative services offered by the company. Therefore, customers’ evaluation of FLEs can somewhat determine organizational performance. This study aimed to propose a model for customers’ subjective evaluation of FLEs in a PSP. Since the authors sought to discover something new, this was a qualitative study based on thematic analysis. Results showed that customer expectations shape FLEs’ expectations and behavior through a feedback loop, which in turn influences how the organization and its employees behave. Ultimately, customer expectations are adjusted in response to these behaviors.