Quality and Service Products Overview

Quality and Service Products

• Quality is defined as the totality of features and characteristics that fulfill needs (ISO).
• Joseph Juran emphasizes "fitness for use" as the core of quality.
• Service products differ from goods with the IHIP characteristics: intangible, heterogeneous, inseparable, and perishable.
• Key quality management figures: Shewhart (SPC, UCL/LCL), Juran (80/20 rule), Crosby (zero defects), Ishikawa (fishbone diagrams), Lovelock (7Ps), Levitt (customer focus), Disney (customer as guest), Shingo (error proofing), Laval (guestology).

Dimensions of Service Quality

• Performance: Primary operating characteristics.
• Features: Secondary aspects adding value.
• Reliability: Dependable and accurate service delivery.
• Conformance: Meeting design and standards.
• Durability: Useful life before deterioration.
• Serviceability: Speed, courtesy, competence, repair ease.
• Aesthetics: Subjective perception of quality.
• Perceived Quality: Subjective assessment compared to others.

Notable People in Service and Marketing

• Quality pioneers: Shewhart, Deming, Juran, Crosby, Feigenbaum, Ishikawa, Taguchi.
• Service marketing and management figures: Donnelly, Parasuraman, Zeithaml, Berry, Bitner, Booms, Lovelock.
• Hospitality and experience leaders: Levitt, Disney, Laval.

Guestology

• Originated by Bruce Laval, The Walt Disney Company.
• Treats customers as guests, manages from guest perspective.
• Observes guest behavior to understand their needs and expectations.
• Creates an immersive experience ("the show") for guests.

Service Product Setting (Servicescape)

• Physical environment influencing guest experience.
• Enhances the "show" through themed design.
• Considers: space layout, functionality, signage, symbols, ambient conditions.

Service Delivery

• Crucial for exceeding guest expectations, meticulous detail.
• Includes front desks, receptions, etc.

Benefits of Guestology

• Increased customer satisfaction.
• Higher customer retention.
• Increased revenue.

Types of Customers

• Loyal: High sales revenue, crucial to please.
• Impulse: Responsive to recommendations, contribute to upselling.
• Discount: Affect inventory, impact cash flow.
• Need-Based: Driven by specific needs, challenging to upsell.
• Wandering: High traffic, insights-rich, low sales.
• Internal: Employees understanding the service process.

Customer Expectations

• Explicit: Clearly stated requirements (price, quality).
• Implicit: Unconscious assumptions (brand reputation).
• Interpersonal: Expectations on interactions with employees.
• Digital: Expectations on online interactions.
• Dynamic Performance: Expectations for evolving service.

Factors Affecting Customer Expectations

• Prior customer experiences.
• Word-of-mouth marketing.
• Customer feedback.

Exceeding Expectations

• Winning culture focused on exceptional service.
• Understand the customer persona.
• Consistent omnichannel experience.
• Consistent customer feedback collection.

Business Strategy

• Outlines the plan to achieve organizational objectives.
• Incorporates external (opportunities/threats) and internal (strengths/weaknesses) factors.
• Has different levels: Organizational, Corporate, Business, Functional.

Formulating Business Strategy

• Steps: Define vision, set objectives, analyze business/market, gain competitive advantage, design framework.

The Servicescape

• The physical environment where services are delivered and consumed.
• Key aspects: ambient conditions, space layout, signage, symbols, artifacts.

Servicescape Types

• Lean: Straightforward, limited interactions.
• Elaborate: Complex, multiple spaces and interactions.

Servicescape Importance

• Creates expectations, influences moods.
• Contributes to employee satisfaction.
• Supports service production and value creation.

Key Takeaways

• Quality service management is vital for tourism/hospitality.
• Understanding customer expectations is paramount for success.
• Guestology focuses on treating customers as guests.
• The servicescape significantly affects guest experience.
• Strategic planning is essential for long-term success.

This quiz covers key concepts of quality and service products, highlighting definitions and significant figures in quality management. It explores the unique characteristics of service products and the dimensions of service quality. Test your understanding of these essential topics in quality management.