Case: a Total Quality Business Model

Case: A Total Quality Business Model

Two young entrepreneurs, Rob and Diane, were contemplating an idea of developing a new type of take-out restaurant with limited dining facilities that would provide a wider variety of home-cooked cuisines than found in currently available businesses. In developing their business model, they realized that a TQ-focused management infrastructure would be vital to success. Here are some of the ideas they arrived at.

Customer Relationship Management

Rob and Diane realized that they must focus on the customers’ perceived quality of both the product and service. They believe they must provide unexpected value to their customers and go beyond customer expectations to create lifetime customers. As part of training, employees will focus on “moment of truths”—the many instances that a customer forms an impression of the company, either through its products or interactions with its employees. These moments include a friendly greeting to each customer on arrival, recognizing repeat customers, offering samples of different items, answering questions, serving the products, and a genuine thank-you on leaving. Another way to exceed expectations would be to accommodate any reasonable request. Employees would have the authority to do whatever it takes to satisfy the customer. When a complaint is raised, the employee should act immediately to solve to the problem, listen attentively to the customer, and apologize. No matter what, the customer should always be thanked for bringing the complaint to the staff’s attention.

To evaluate the customer’s experience, the company would require shift managers to be the first customer on each shift, starting from the parking lot to check its cleanliness. In addition, they would use technology to track service times and complaints, and “mystery shoppers” each month throughout the system. Every quarter, all regional store and shift managers would meet to discuss their experiences and seek improvements....