Total Quality Management Survey Paper
Danay Wadlington
MGT/449
Instructor: J. Diggs
Introduction
I will be discussing three organizations that include service, non-profit, and manufacturing. The value of quality in relation to customer satisfaction within Pediatra Healthcare, which is a non-profit organization funded by Medicaid, is very important to the success of the company. Total Quality is a description of the attitude and organization of a company that aims to provide, and continue to provide, its customers with products and services that satisfy their needs. TQM requires quality in all aspects of the company's operations, with things being done right first time, and defects and waste eradicated from operations.
When doing research on manufacturing companies, I learned that many of the companies have difficulties in implementing TQM. Surveys performed by consulting firms have found that only 20-36% of manufacturing companies that have undertaken TQM have achieved either significant or even tangible improvements in quality, productivity, competitiveness or financial return. As a result many people are skeptical about TQM.
Customer-driven quality
Alfred At Your Service is a concierge company whose important aspects of TQM include customer-driven quality, top management leadership and commitment, continuous improvement, fast response, employee participation, and a TQM culture.
AAYS has a customer-first orientation. The customer, not internal activities and constraints, comes first. Customer satisfaction is seen as the company's highest priority. The company believes it will only be successful if customers are satisfied. The TQM company is sensitive to customer requirements and responds rapidly to them. In the TQM context, `being sensitive to customer requirements' goes beyond defect and error reduction, and merely meeting specifications or reducing customer complaints. The concept of requirements is expanded to take in...