QUALITY SERVICE MANAGEMENT
We hear complaints from people about having to wait in long queues at
several organizations while availing the services. We hear of delays,
lack of proper information, and the indifference of service providers.
We hear of inconveniences to the service users both mentally and physically.
We hear people complaining about the inconvenient timings for availing
services. We hear people availing services having to run around from person
to person to get signatures, or a seal etc. I think all this is an indication
of the lack of quality service consciousness among the larger Bhutanese
populace. 
Do
we really look at things from the other side of the fence? Do we think
of the impact our actions will have on the behavior and perception of
others? We do so in terms of our day-to-day living. We generally want
to behave in a manner that will not offend anybody. We are conscious about
how we behave because we want to project the best image. That probably
differentiates us human from other lesser beings. But the question is
do we apply it in our daily work in the organizations especially that
provide services. If we did then there would be less complaints and inconveniences.
Realizing the importance of providing quality service an attempt has been to describe quality service and what organizations can do to improve delivery of services. The article however, does not go deep into the techniques of the actual use of the various quality improvement tools, which would be beyond the scope of this article.
Service and the Importance of Quality Service
As opposed to manufacturing, services are situations in which the customer, or something belonging to the customer, is treated in some way. The state of physical outputs will differ from that of inputs by virtue of the treatment. The change is state utility.Service organizations can be defined as those that deliver their products personally to the customer. People or something belonging to the people are part of the service process e.g. restaurant, barber, shop, shoe repair shop, academic institutions, banks, hotels, hospitals, schools and other institutions providing academic services. In manufacturing organizations the customer is remote, whereas in service organizations producer (service provider) and the customer (consumer) meet face to face. There is a high degree of interaction between the customer and the organization delivering the service. The meeting point is where the product changes hands. This meeting point is known as the interface. Since in service the customers experience organization services personally it is imperative that these organizations deliver quality service. It takes years to build a good reputation but only seconds to lose one. It is time now for service organizations to raise their service aspirations significantly. The managers need to do away with mediocre service and set sights on consistently excellent service. The goal will be within reach if managers understand and provide the necessary leadership, remember that the sole judge of the service quality is the customer, and have the necessary system in place.
Types of Services
- Organizational Based: This is the form of most services where the customer either visits or makes direct contact with service or business organizations or the customer is brought to the service organization. The production and consumption of the service takes place in the environment determined by the service organization.
- Field Based: Here the service is produced in the environment of the customer.
- Internal Services: These are a special category of services, which exist within a larger organization. The customers are then other parts of the parent organization.
The Concept of Interface in Service Organizations
Interfaces are of two types. The production interface and the delivery interface. The production interface is where the goods are manufactured and the delivery interface is where the interaction with the customer takes place. So in a restaurant the kitchen is the production interface where customers seldom or do not enter. The reception, bar and dining room comprise the delivery interface where the customers interact with the representatives of the organization.
The proportions of the interfaces will vary between the manufacturing and service delivery organizations. In manufacturing the production interface will be large as the task of manufacturing organization are to manufacture and not deliver goods directly to the customers. In service organization it will be just the opposite with the delivery interface being large as these organizations are concerned with delivery of the services to the customers directly.
Front Office and the Back Room
Many service organizations involve operations that are separated from the main customer-organization interaction. This is the case with the traditional manufacturing organizations where the production people who rarely, if ever, come in contact with the customer. The customer contact and interaction is with the marketing and sales people. Looked at another way, the goods are made in the “back room” (i.e. factory, workshop, kitchen, course design etc) and delivered through the “front office” i.e. sales office, restaurants, classrooms etc).
It is important that there is co-ordination between the front office and the back room. The part played by the personnel in the front office is vital in that it has an effect on the customers’ perception of the service. Nevertheless, the part played by the back room personnel is also important. It would be very difficult for the front office personnel to perform if the backroom personnel do not provide adequate tangible and intangible support. A service system blueprint is given below.
The line of interaction demarcates actions performed by the consumer and the contact personnel. The actions of contact personnel are classified by line of visibility, which separates on stage and backstage actions. On stage refers to the public performance of the service contact people which sets up aspects of the service environment prior to the consumer’s arrival. These are behind the scene activities or back stage activities. Lines of internal interaction separate support functions from the backstage functions. Finally the line of implementation separates the planning and organizing functions from the “doing functions.” This type of blue printing is necessary for conveying the whole service “big picture” to all employees. It would also help in building awareness on how an individual job contributes to the delivery of the overall service.
What matters most to customers?
Although customer expectations are unique to the individual, they basically concern the technical and functional aspects of the service. The technical aspects concern the manufacturing part and the functional aspect represents the actual delivery of service. Behaviour has an impact on the perception of quality. The behaviours that affect the perception of service quality are believed to be:
- Reliability – staff maintain standards day in day out, deliver
promises and generally get things right the first time.
- Responsiveness – timeliness, taking pleasure in providing service and
showing willingness to please.
- Competence – staff possess the skills and knowledge necessary
to perform the service.
- Access – staff is easy to contact and are approachable.
- Courtesy – staff exhibit consideration and respect towards
the customer and his property.
- Communication - educating and informing customers in plain
language and listening to them.
- Understanding – staff make efforts to understand customers’
needs and concerns; care is taken to provide special needs and requirements;
recognition of individuals and personalized attention.
- Tangibles – facilities and equipment appear well designed and
maintained; personal appearance of staff.
How do you establish Quality Service?
Successful organizations have the ability to consistently excel at translating customer requirements into actual product or service specifications. This translation does not happen by chance. Organizations need to consistently strive to excel at meeting customer requirements. The organizations all over the world, especially business organizations have adopted a detailed methodology called Quality Function Deployment (QFD) in order to translate the customer requirements into actual product or service specifications to delight the customers. QFD has been defined as the integrated, structured, modular process of listening to the voice of the customer, translating their expectations into product or service quality specifications, resource and technical attributes. Whatever tools or detailed methodology an organization may use, the ultimate aim of any quality improvement tool would be to meet the customer requirements be it production of goods or delivery of services.
1. Identifying the Customers
The identification of customers is very important. It is necessary that we identify the customers who provide life to the organization. For organizations providing services it is important to realize that without the customers the organization would not exist. The customers, whatever kind they may be are very important. Customers need not be confined to the external customers. Customers can also exist within the organization. The internal customer would also be a service provider to the external customers.
It must be remembered that effective organizations understand their customers and effective management understand the “nuts and bolts” of running their organization. Commitment to quality service by the top management is essential. The upper management needs to be serious about making quality service a top priority.
2. Defining Service
To become an excellent service provider it is necessary to define service specifically. Most organizations do not know this basic step. To be successful at providing quality service it is necessary to at least meet and maybe exceed customer expectations. It is necessary to define the service from the customer’s point of view, not from the point of view of the manager, the administrative officer or the director. The customer will need to be kept in the forefront while defining services. It is important that we involve the customers in the process of defining services. Organizations need to define and redefine its roles and responsibilities. In doing so, the organization will need to look at the service it is delivering. It must define clearly the service and customers and identify the part of the organization that is in most contact with the customers. It would be important to find out the customers’ expectations of the organization and the service that the customers feel is the most important function of the organization. Most organizations do not know this basic step.3. Analysis of the current Delivery Process
Is it enough to define the service and customers requirements? Since the aim in quality service is to meet the requirements of the customers, an analysis of the delivery system and the process gaps will need to be determined. It would enable the organization to find ways in the delivery process to meet the customer requirements.The question of HOW to deliver or meet the requirements of the customers needs to be answered. What sort of service processes are required and how should they be performed should be identified.
4. Identify the Performance gaps and determine process
The performance gaps need to be identified to see which processes can be done away with or what processes could be improved. It is here that the best possible process is identified for implementation.5. Assessment of Impact
After the implementation of the new process, an assessment has to be carried out. This assessment helps the organization to look at ways to further improve on the new process in place. It enables organization to continuously improve and always meet the customer requirements. Quality of service is measured by the difference between the expectations ofpicture********
the customer on the one hand and the customers perceived level of service delivered on the other. The gap between the two points represents the size of the service problem. Feed back from customers is necessary for maintaining or improving the quality of service being delivered. Written or oral reports are a popular way of evaluating performance standards. Management could also evaluate performance standards by walking around and listening.
Corrective action should be taken when there is a deviation between what was expected and what is actually delivered.
Deviations or service problems could occur because of four reasons.
- Service standards may be too high to be achieved in which case the standards need to be changed.
- The personnel may not be in a position to deliver the required service because they were not trained properly. If the front-line service providers are not properly trained or qualified to do the job then service performance standards cannot be met.
- It could be the neglect of the service provider. It is possible to retrain
and motivate service providers.
- Lastly it could occur because the service provider was notified too late
about the services needed by the customer.
Importance of Service Teams
“We’re not working as a family and as a group. We may all come together
but it has not happened”
– A bank branch customer service representative.
“Our cashier sits there and smokes cigarettes and drinks coffee.
She doesn’t help with any of our work. She says it is not in her job
description.” – A customer service representative.
An element that is most important in kindling and sustaining service mindedness is the presence of “service teammates.” An interactive community of co-workers who collaborate, overcome and achieve together is a powerful antidote to service burnout. To let the boss down is bad but to let down the team is often worse. Team participation can unleash one of the most potent of motivators – the respect and support of peers. It must be remembered that no individual in an organization exists for himself or herself. We all depend on each other in trying to deliver the required service to the customer. The end service the customer receives is the result of many-behind the scenes activities or internal services. Service team building cannot be left to chance. Some degree of structuring, assigning and facilitating is required to nurture the teamwork within organizational units (intra unit teams) and between organizational units (inter unit teams).
Quality Service in the Public Sector
The words customer, supplier, product conjures up a business picture. Therefore, does it mean that quality services or products are limited only to business establishments? Or should the concept of quality service be applied to public organizations as well? People in public organizations may not see the need for quality service as the customers will always be there whether they like the service or not. But the point here is that no matter what, be it a public organization or a private firm both exist to serve customers. A private business would be for business profits and in the case of a public organization it would be for public service. In both cases we serve customers to make a living. But why deliver quality services especially in public organizations.
Bhutan has attached great importance to peoples' participation, which has been central to Bhutan's development philosophy. The decentralization policy was initiated to empower people in decision-making process. This was with the belief that it is more responsive, efficient, effective and sustainable approach to meet the needs and aspirations of the people.
Further, in response to the devolution of executive authority by His Majesty the King in 1998 and keeping in tune with the Royal advice that government initiatives should be aimed at benefiting the people, a restructuring exercise of the government was carried out in 1999. If Bhutan is to meet the needs and aspirations of the people and attain GNH the policy objectives will have to be matched with a similar shift among public organizations to be more customer friendly.
If organizations are oriented towards meeting customers’ needs and aspirations it would bring about accountability, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in organizations. Organizations need to have quality at the heart of its system, shown outwardly through the way it functions and in the behavior and attitude of people working there. Such organizations would be models for emulation. And anyone associated with such an organization would also be associated with marks of quality.
References:- Operations Management in Service Industries and the Public Sector – Colin G. Armistead.
- The TQM Movement – Helga Drummond
- How To Give Quality Service to Your Customer – D.Keith Denton.
- Managing services, marketing, Operations, and human Resources (second Edition) – Christopher H Lovelock, Copyright, 1992 by Prentice Hall