Firm size and the effectiveness of training for customer service

Abstract

Training is usually believed to increase firm performance. However, larger firms are generally more likely to implement and possibly benefit from training. The current article extends this literature, testing the moderation effect of firm size on the relationship between training and customer service among 735 firms. Unique elements include the placement of training within an overall high-performance HR system, customer service as an outcome, and the South African context. The benefits of training for customer service do increase significantly with firm size, with substantial benefit only occurring in large firms. Implications arise for both policy and practice.

Keywords:

• customer service
• firm size
• high-performance human resource management
• organization size
• service orientation
• training