Exploring Frontline Conflicts at Higher Education Institutions. A Complex Methodological Approach

This work-in-progress paper deals with human factor of the front-line (teachers and administrative staff) in higher education. Students are active participants who shape the service experience. The customers who do not behave according to standard (so-called jaycustomers), we define with the following typology: model students, agitators, violators, roleplayers, arguers and idea originators. Using complex methodology, we examine the front-line with special focus on misbehaviors. This latter is the most advanced in testing the methodology. As a preliminary conclusion we can state that it is a fundamental aim to achieve cooperation between the front-line employee and the students in jay-customer conflicts.