Quality is an integral part of any business, whether you are in a manufacturing company or a business that is essentially a service business. For example, maintenance is a service function in a manufacturing operation, as are many other functions. In education, hospitality, transportation, or a myriad of other businesses, people are in pure service businesses. In this article we will simply introduce the basics that can help you “Wow Your Customers”.

Service features

– Direct contacts with users
– Benefits users when provided on demand
– Completion time is important
– The work is not storable or transportable.
– Output is created as delivered
– The main benefit is NOT a physical product
– The activity, benefit or result is really the “product” for the user

Customer satisfaction and quality

– Psychological perceptions, how it looks, how it “feels”
– Time oriented: usually the main factor of satisfaction
– Contractual-written or implied
– Ethical concerns
– Professional or technical support functions

Factors to consider when establishing service quality requirements

– Time lines
-Integrity
– Integrity
– Predictability
– Customer Satisfaction Measurements

Essential elements of service quality systems

– Expected specifications or requirements
– Checkpoints
– Understanding and control of processes
– Identify and correct sporadic errors.
– Statistical and measurement data.
– Corrective action process
– Feedback to employees and users.
– Continuous improvement

Components of a Quality Management System (QMS)

– ISO 9001:2008 is the new model
– Performance requirements
– Performance measurement
– Corrective actions
– Gets better
– Management reviews
– Effective documentation

Benefits you can expect from your QMS

1. Reduced expenses
2. High productivity
3. enhanced image
4. Improved marketability
5. improved work environment
6. proactive attitude
7. Enhanced Benefits

Quality is an essential part of serving your customers, no matter what business you are currently in. Businesses that thrive and grow will ensure they have processes in place to ensure expectations are met. A friend told me: “Delight your customers and you will always have a lot of business.” This should be the goal of every business.