Explaining motivational factors of employees’ behavior towards customers’ satisfaction using the theory of planned behavior

Lack of customer satisfaction in public service is one of the most important problems particularly in developing countries. Despite the efforts by governments to improve public service delivery, the resulting outcomes are quite limited. This demands evidence not only on the demand side but also on the supply side of the public service delivery in that how to motivate employees to improve their performance in satisfying customers. It is believed that finishing customers' issues within required time and serving them with impartiality are few of the many factors satisfying customers. The Theory of Planned Behavior was used to explore the intentions of employees towards finishing customers' issues within required time and serving customers with impartiality, and to study associations between their intentions and any of three factors (attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control) that, according to the Theory of Planned Behavior, determine intentions. A total of 188 questionnaires were completed by employees in 12 organizations. Majority of the employees (88.8%) had a positive intention to serve customers with impartiality; 66.5% had the intention to finish customers' issues within required time. Employees had a more positive attitude and perceived behavioral control but lower subjective norm toward implementing both intentions. Attitude was positively associated (P<0.05) with the intention to serve customers with impartiality. Subjective norm was negatively associated with the intention to finish customers' issues within required time. Intervention programs aiming to increase the intention of employees toward customers' satisfaction should primarily focus on changing employees' attitude and secondarily on improving their subjective norms.