Quality Beyond Six Sigma
Providing a practical implementation of the issues of Six Sigma, Lean Enterprise and Total Quality, this stimulating guide aligns the 'hard' sigma message with the softer sustainable 'strategic issues'.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Quality Beyond Six Sigma
Provider's Perspective
From the perspective of a services provider, what is provided has to be what can be afforded, and it must be at least up to the same standard as the competition. The determination of what to provide is based on economic considerations rather than altruism. Customers are needed for income, but in the long term the organization cannot afford to run at a loss. Many an organization has failed to survive although it has provided customers with excellent service.
Having offered a service that attracts customers - the specification is near to what they want, and at an acceptable time and price - we then need to look at ways of improving the service. The best protection against new competitors entering the market is to be so good that they are discouraged from entering.
Added Value
Generally, some added service can be provided at very little cost. Using our bus service as an example; assuming that specification, cost and timing meet the customer's basic needs (the bus is going to the right place at the right time and the price is right), additional quality service attributes that would probably be appreciated by the passengers might include punctuality, cleanliness, a friendly, well-presented driver, and consistency of service. Achieving a punctual service is achieved by good planning and should not cost the company any extra; keeping the bus clean might add marginally to the cost (cleaning materials and wages); issuing the driver with a smart uniform will obviously be a...
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