A Service Quality Lens in Examining the Dual-Customer Strategy of State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies in the United States
摘要
In this chapter, we deploy a service quality lens on the dual-customer strategy pursued by state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies and discuss the challenges in increasing disability employment faced by state VR agencies. This dual focus arises because VR programs are funded to serve individuals with disabilities, yet their employment outcomes are closely linked to businesses. VR agencies support individuals with career counseling, medical and psychological support, job training, and other personalized assistance services to help them transition into a traditional job environment. In providing these support services, VR agencies also collaborate actively with businesses to understand their needs and expectations regarding creating employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Specifically, VR agencies engage in providing training, education, and consulting to businesses to help pursue internal disability employment initiatives, in addition to providing access to talent. This chapter uses the service quality lens in marketing to assess the performance of services and suggests that there is a visibility gap that exists for state VR agencies in accomplishing their goals of making individuals with disabilities successful in work settings within businesses. In articulating the visibility gap, it also suggests strategies for improving business engagement with VR, and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.