...Lars Witell; Martin Löfgren; Anders Gustafsson; Helmi Ben Rejeb; Vincent Boly; Laure Morel‐Guimaraes Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a new decision‐aided tool for selecting customer needs during the new product development process. Design/methodology/approach The study started...

... was also found to work effectively. They suggested some potential of using quality‐engineering oriented methods/tools to deal with customer perception in the early phase of Ecodesign. Research limitations/implications The results imply the needs for research on further utilizing quality‐engineering...

.... It is believed that there is a need for quality experts and a discipline of quality management. Quality excellence with a strong customer focus should be one prerequisite to attain true business excellence. There are of course legitimate reasons to address issues as organizational and global sustainability...

...Brian Jacobs; Steven Suckling Purpose A critical problem for managers in South Staffordshire Council's one‐stop‐shop customer contact centre, known as South Staffordshire Solutions, was how to assess the achievement of “customer focus” in local services. The purpose of the paper is to view how...

...Bo Edvardsson; Bo Enquist Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of change pressure exerted by the “market” on governmental services in quality improvement processes. Two research questions are investigated. How can the role of external pressure exerted by customers and users...

... in TQM implementation is the process of customer identification. In addition to customer identification, there are other issues such as leadership, cultural, and organizational issues that tend to create difficulties for TQM implementation in higher education. These issues along with the role of students...

... strengths and weaknesses lie. The case examples encompass a spectrum of approaches that work well in terms of sustained customer orientation. The CRM factor evaluation matrix and the balanced scorecard are used to draw conclusions about the cases, displayed in the form of positioning maps. Whilst all...

... to react to the demands and ever increasing pressures from its stakeholders, finds itself in a market‐oriented environment, with internal and external customers; wherein, “delighting the customer”, is the rule for survival in the long run. “Delighting the customer”, is the core message of total quality...

...John Groocock Contrasts idealised versions of quality assurance systems and quality improvement programs. Notes that only powerful customers such as defence procurement agencies can impose quality assurance systems; also points out that individual customers are weak customers whose only power...

... and service organisations, the paper shows the scale of adoption of total quality concepts and the degree to which total quality management (TQM) is associated with standards, strategic planning, teamworking, employee and customer satisfaction, use of quality tools/techniques, benchmarking and relationships...

...Les Galloway Social and political influences are increasing the importance of quality in the higher education (HE) sector as in other areas of public service. Quality is an elusive concept in most services, but it is particularly so in public service with the wide range of customers...

... that the vast majority of customers are both fair and honest, and that the few rogue customers have become so due to previous ill‐treatment at the hands of confrontationally‐minded businesses. It is accepted that occasional losses will occur, but claimed that these are more than compensated for through...

...Brian Plowman Uses a case study in the utilities sector to demonstrate how activity‐based cost management (ABCM) techniques provide a clear understanding of the leverage on the business of improving processes, and of the impact that various customer segments have on the profitability...

...Andrew G. Saunders Where material and component suppliers are regarded as partners in the activity of satisfying customers, the adversarial approach to supplier auditing is not appropriate. Describes a method of supplier auditing,based on the ISO 9000 standard but aiming to resolve problems jointly...

...Paul Dunk Asserts that part of the TQM philosophy is the acknowledgement that everyone has and is a customer. Contends that this has helped many companies improve their internal operations and, with trust and commitment, can do the same for external relationships. Considers the problems particular...

...Russell Pender Looks at some of the cultural, institutional and systems‐related aspects of building a fruitful relationship between customers and suppliers. Emphasises the importance of relationships to the survival of free‐market enterprise. Discusses a number of fundamental practices, including...

... and trust. Considers customer/supplier relationships based on four major interrelated areas: management style; communication; alternative customer/supplier; measurement, with “win‐win” between the parties concerned being the ultimate aim and concludes that, because of the interdependence of the four areas...

...James Creelman Discusses how, according to Dutton Engineering, Japan′s success is due to trust, and how companies need to trust their employees, suppliers and customers, and eliminate any “terrorists” who might try to jeopardize their success. Discusses Training and development. Emphasizes how...

...Mike Bradley Covers some of the reward strategies commonly used by management to motivate individual employees. Contends that the use of reward strategies within companies can cause individuals to become more concerned with their own immediate goals (and rewards) than with Customer service and also...

...) are momentous, thrusting it from a stable environment of professional dominance into the dynamic turbulence of the marketplace. VALUE FOR MONEY In order to satisfy customers' require­ ments and provide 'value-for-money', it is vital for an organisation to identify, measure and control the costs of quality. Any...