POLITENESS STRATEGIES USED BY CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF AT MANDIRI BANK.

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POLITENESS STRATEGIES USED BY CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF AT MANDIRI BANK

A Thesis

Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Magister Humaniora

By

REZEKY ANA ASHAL Registration Number : 8126112026

ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN MEDAN

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POLITENESS STRATEGIES USED BY CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF AT MANDIRI BANK

A Thesis

Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Magister Humaniora

By

REZEKY ANA ASHAL Registration Number : 8126112026

ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN MEDAN

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ABSTRAK

REZEKY ANA ASHAL, NIM : 8126112026. Politeness Strategies Used by Customer Service Staff at Mandiri Bank. Program Studi Linguistik Terapan Bahasa Inggris, Program Pascasarjana, Universitas Negeri Medan 2014.

Kesantunan adalah aspek utama dari kepuasan nasabah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apa dan bagaimana strategi kesantunan yang digunakan customer service staff dan mengapa mereka menggunakannya ketika berinteraksi dengan nasabah dengan menggunakan teori dari Brown dan Levinson. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif dengan metode deskripsi. Subjek dari penelitian ini adalah petugas customer service di Bank Mandiri cabang Lapangan Merdeka di kota Medan. Data dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan tape recorder untuk menemukan penggunaan strategi kesantunan oleh mereka. Berdasarkan analisis data, ditemukan bahwa ada strategi Positive Politeness, Negative Politeness, Bald on Record dan Off the record walaupun tidak semua sub-strategi ditemukan. Positive politeness strategi adalah strategi yang paling banyak ditemukan dan off the record adalah strategi yang paling sedikit.

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ABSTRACT

REZEKY ANA ASHAL, NIM : 8126112026. Politeness Strategies Used by Customer Service Staff at Mandiri Bank. Postgraduate School of the State University of Medan 2014.

Politeness is an essential aspect of customer satisfaction. This study aims to find out what and how to use politeness strategies by customer service staff and why they use it when interact with the customers by using Brown and Levinson theory. This research is a qualitative study. The data source of this study were three customer service staff of Mandiri Bank Lapangan Merdeka branch in Medan city. The data were gathered by using tape recorder in order to find the usage of politeness strategies by them. Based on data analysis, it is found that there are Positive Politeness, Negative Politeness, Bald on Record and Off the record strategies though not all the sub-strategies were found. The Positive Politeness strategy is the most strategy used by the customer service staff and the off record strategy is the least one on this research. This implies the finding from this study suggest that an organization should invest into teaching their front-line staff on specific core values of the organization and highlight behavior requirements for competent intercultural polite behavior.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Alhamdulillah, all praises be to Allah SWT, the Lord of the Universe who has given me His

beneficent so that I am able to finish this thesis. Peace and Salam are always blessed and poured down upon our beloved prophet Muhammad SAW as the last prophet that has shown us the right ways, we will always be in the shelter of Allah until hereafter life. Amiieen. This thesis would not have been completed without some supports from many people.

Firstly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my advisers Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd and Prof. Dr. Sumarsih, M.Pd, thanks for the guidance, correction, great attention and patience, which finally enabled me to finish my thesis successfully.

Secondly, the writer would like to thank Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning again as the Head of English Applied Linguistics Study Program and his secretary, Dr. Sri Minda Murni, M.S, and all the lecturers that have given me encouragement and a lot of experience and knowledge.

Thirdly, the writer thanks to Prof. Dr. Lince Sihombing, M.Pd, Dr. Rahmad Husein, M.Ed and Dr. Didik Santoso, M.Pd as the examiners for the valuable and precious suggestions in completing this thesis.

Fourthly, the writer thanks to the Head of Mandiri Lapangan Merdeka Branch in Medan, Sir Achmad Jefri Ardianto and my partners at that branch, such as Mak Eni, Kak Yuli, Kak Siska and others who always support me to finish this thesis. Also, the writer thanks to Sir Zulfan Basir Siregar, Bang Tunus, Kak Zika, Kak Santi and friends in my current office that also support me in completing this thesis.

Last, the writer would like to express deep thankful to her beloved parents, H. Akrim Ashal Lubis, S.E, M.A. and Hj. Siti Rapiah Pane, S.Pd., my brothers, AKP. Adam Sofyan Ashal, Farid Fathony Ashal, Lc, M.A. and Amien Shaleh Ashal, and my sisters, Arini Ashal S.E, M.Si, Putri Bunga Batahan Ashal and Tamara Munjihatutazkiyah Ashal who have always supported and prayed the best for me.

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Medan, January 2015

The writer,

Rezeky Ana Ashal

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iv

CHAPTER III : METHODOLOGY………..42

3.1 Research Setting ………42

3.2 Subjects ………...43

3.3 Instruments of Collecting the Data ………....43

3.4 Technique of Collecting the Data ………...43

3.5 Technique of Analyzing the Data ………..44

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v

CHAPTER IV : DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ..…....47

4.1 Data Analysis ………...…….47

4.1.1 The Used of Politeness Strategies in Banking Service ……….…….48

4.1.1.1 Positive Politeness ……….. ..48

4.1.1.2 Negative Politeness ……….…...55

4.1.1.3 On Record Strategy ………..…...56

4.1.1.4 Off Record Strategy ………..58

4.2 Research Findings ………...60

4.3 Discussions ……… ..62

CHAPTER V : CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ………71

5.1 Conclusions ……… ..71

5.2 Suggestions ………...72

5.3 Implication ………72

REFERENCE ………...…....74

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vi

LIST OF FIGURE

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Page

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LIST OF TABLES

[image:13.595.85.527.116.587.2]

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1Background of the Study

Language is an important tool of communication in human life to interact with other. The existence of language makes us easy to communicate in society. No society without language and no language without society. The usage of language as a tool of communication has several rules that should be obeyed by the speaker and listener. Every speaker and listener is responsible to the rules deviation of linguistics in communication. Thus, speaker and listener should cooperative in order to make good communication.

Everyone has certain intention in communication. The communication is expected to be understood by people who are involved in the process of communication. Communication process cannot always run smoothly because some participants in communication do not understand the message received. Therefore, the important of rules in language communication is needed to make the good communication process so that the purpose of communication can be reached.

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Due to these different expectations, misunderstandings are very likely to occur. Robertson (2003) points out that the front-line environment in any business is unique and in most cases distinctively different to the management and administrative divisions. Robertson proposes that there are a number of key characteristics that can help in understanding the front-line work place. Thus, he notes that front-line staff has very defined job roles and are in extensive interaction with the customers or the public.

Furthermore, there is a very hierarchical management structure and any communication follows this chain. Generally, the front-line environment has rather junior positions and mostly non-professional staff, even though the personnel often receive structured training when they are first employed. All these aspects put front-line employees into an interesting position in the banking environment and make them a group worthwhile to be researched. Even though the setting of the proposed research is in the banking industry, the findings could be relevant for any kind of front-line staff that deals with international customers. The study focuses on communication techniques that front-line staff uses as well as the effect of national and corporate culture on communication contexts in relation to the employment of polite behavior, or as it is more commonly referred to in the hospitality industry, courtesy.

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communication is done tactly, easily to accepted, generously, humbly, suitably and sympathetically.

Being polite is crucial to successful communication with other people and impoliteness negatively influences the way a person is perceived, bringing judgments of being “rude”, “uncooperative” or “offhand” (Watts, 2002, p. 2). The

importance of being polite is caused by the content of conversation, since often what needs to be communicated is unpleasant and threatening to the hearer. Moreover, linguistic politeness is not only employed to mitigate face threatening acts, but the term is also often used for conventionalized forms of linguistic behavior, words like “please”, that occur even if no FTA is present.

Although antagonistic positions are one of the characteristics of the customers, the customer service still has to employ politeness to some extent, whether to mitigate a face threat that his question introduces or to soften the argumentativeness of his language in order not to be perceived as “rude” by the

customers. To investigate the politeness strategies of Banking service communication, Brown and Levinson´s Politeness Theory is applied in this thesis, as it is the most influential and comprehensive model of politeness. Special attention is given to the choice between positive and negative strategies. Although they are used to attend to positive or negative face respectively, one speech act can threaten both faces at the same time (Huang, 2007) and thus the speaker must choose to which face he should primarily attend.

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customers. This act made the service rank of the branch being decreased because the customers did not feel comfortable with the customer service, like the conversation below:

Customer Service (CS): Ada yang bisa dibantu Pak? (What can I do for you Sir?) Customer (C) : Gak bisa dipakai ATM ku

(My ATM card is broken) CS : Saya cek Pak

(May I check Sir?)

C : Ini

(Here you are)

CS : Bapak salah masukkan PIN (You entered wrong PIN)

C : Masak sih? PIN saya 4578, gak mungkin salah! (Really? My PIN IS 4578, It could not be wrong!) CS : Bener Pak, Bapak salah

(No, you are wrong)

C : Ah gak mungkin! Aku ingat kok PINku! Jadi kekmana ni? (Impossible! I remember my PIN! So how about my ATM card?)

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(I was not wrong! Why I must be charged!)

CS : Jadi gimana Pak? Kartu Bapak gak bisa dipakai kalau gak diganti

(So, how about your ATM card Sir? It cannot be used if the PIN is not changed)

C : Terserahlah! Kekmana lagi! Aku ingat PIN ku kok salah!

(It’s up to you! What can I say! I remember my PIN, it

Should not be wrong!)

CS : Ok Pak

(Ok, Sir)

The choice of politeness strategy in a Banking service communication depends also on the type of customer. One of the social variables that determine the weightiness of an FTA is social distance. This relationship works also in the opposite direction and by choosing certain politeness strategy, the customer service can manipulate the perceived social distance. From the conversation above, the customer service did not use the politeness strategies in delivering the

cause of customer’s problem, so it made the customer keep curious and confuse

about his ATM card problem. If the customer service can apply the suitable

strategies, the customer will be comfort and decrease his emotion. That’s why the

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CS : Pagi Bu, ada yang bisa dibantu?

(Morning Mam, what can I do for you?) C : Saya mau cetak rekening koran

(I want to print my account statement) CS : Periode kapan bu?

(What period Mam?)

C : Bulan September tahun 2012 mbak, ada yang mau saya lihat (September 2012 miss, I want to see the transactions)

CS : Oh, kalau transaksi yang lama kali gak bisa disini bu, dicabang sebelah, kesana aja ibu

(Oh, we cannot provide elder account statement here, it can be gotten at next branch, you can go there)

C : Aduh! Cape kali kesana lagi! Disini ajalah, kelen mintakanlah, malas aku ngantri lagi!

(Ouch! I’m tired to go there! I want it can be done here, you ask to

them, I’m lazy to queue again!)

CS : Cabang sebelah ini loh bu, kalau disini nanti jadi lama bu

(The next branch Mam, if you ask here it takes a long time Mam) C : Tolonglah gak apa-apa lama

(Help me please, nevermind if it takes a long time

CS : Ok Mam, ini akan kami teruskan, nanti kalau sudah ada balasan, kami kabari ibu

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We will inform you) C : Ok, makasih ya

(Ok, thanks ya) CS : Sama-sama bu (You’re welcome)

As the current economic growth, the banking sector plays an important role in advancing the economy of a country because almost all financial sectors always need Banking service. Mandiri bank as one of BUMN engaged in the national banking system always trying to prioritize customer satisfaction. Customer service is an employee who on duty and deal directly with customers to provide optimal services. They are responsible for serving all customers’ needs

satisfactorily, especially in terms of receiving complaints or concerns from customers, as well as trying to find a way out to solve customers, problems. Whereas the customer is a person or company that has a deposit account or loan and the financial transactions at a bank. This is the main reason that a customer service must be ethic in speaking especially to the customers.

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customer service in giving best solutions to their customers which affect this Bank service excellent.

1.2 Problems of the Study

Based on the background presented before, the problems of study are formulated as follows:

1.) What politeness strategies are used by Customer Service Staffs?

2.) How are the politeness strategies used by Customer Service Staffs to communicate with their customers?

3.) Why do the Customer Service Staffs use Politeness Strategies the way they do?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

In accordance with the problem of study, the objectives of the study are as follows:

1.) To find out the politeness strategies used by Customer Service Staffs to communicate with their customers.

2.) To find out how the politeness strategies used by Customer Service Staffs to communicate with their customers.

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1.4 Scope of the Study

In order to be focus, the writer makes the scope of the study. The writer focuses on politeness strategy used by Customer Service in communications between Customer Service and customer. The writer uses the combination of politeness strategy of Brown and Levinson, and Leech’s politeness maxims to

analyze the politeness strategy.

1.5 Significances of the Study

The writer hopes this study will be significant theoretically and practically. The theoretical significances are:

1.) To show the readers the types of politeness strategies used in conversation 2.) To show that people usually use the politeness strategy in their daily

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

5.1 Conclusion

After analyzing the data, the conclusions were stated as follow:

1. There were seven politeness that were found, they are, greeting, self-introduction, question, command, request, declaration and offer.

2. The customer service staff used positive politeness strategy such as Strategy 1- Notice, attend to H, Strategy 2- Exaggerate (interest, approval, sympathy with hearer), strategy 3 - intensify interest to hearer, Strategy 5 - seek agreement, Strategy 8 - joke, Strategy 11 - be optimistic and Strategy 15 - give gifts to hearer (goods, sympathy, understanding, cooperation). Strategy 1 is the most often one that had been used by customer service staff in interacting to customer. The staff also used negative strategy, they are Strategy 1 – be conventionally indirect and Strategy 6 – Joke. These findings based on Brown and Levinson politeness strategies theory.

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4. Based on data, the seven findings, greeting, self-introduction, question, command, request, declaration and offer are also parts of Brown and Levinson politeness strategies.

5. The customer service staff used politeness strategies because politeness

promotes the mutual understanding and harmonious relationship between customer service and customer. It also contributes to the effective interaction and friendly, lively atmosphere in banking service.

5.2 Suggestion

In connection with the conclusions made, some suggestions are presented as follows:

1. The customer service staff suggested considering the importance of politeness strategies involving the use of terms of address related to local cultural values in their interaction with customers. The importance of conveying messages correctly using the proper terms of address has a direct influence on the success of solving problems or selling new products.

2. It is suggested to the next front-line staff to have good communication skill in order to give excellent service to the customers related to politeness in communication.

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5.3 Implication

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POLITENESS STRATEGIES USED BY CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF AT MANDIRI BANK.