Influence: quality expectations Flashcards
What are quality expectations?
Quality expectations can be defined as ‘the totality of features and characteristics of products (goods) and services that bear its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs’.
Quality can be defined as- ‘how well designed, made and functional goods are, and the overall degree of competence with which services are organised and delivered.’
Quality and expectations cannot be separated. People have an inherent belief in what the quality standards should be for and their personal level of satisfaction with their experience of the product will indicate whether the quality has met with expectations or not.
Within the operations management function, quality informs all operations processes. The expectations that people have of businesses determine the way that products are designed, created and delivered to customers. Quality expectations in operations management may be summarised into several key things that customers look for in products, including:
Quality expectations for goods?
Quality of design - How well the concept has been developed, nature of of the materials used, innovation evident in the design
Fitness for purpose - how well the product does what it is designed to do, how easy it is
Durability - how reliable and long lasting the product is, repair and maintenance, warranty, service calls
Quality expectations within services?
Professionalism of the service provider, perceived through- the cleanliness and layout of the physical facilities, the courtesy of staff and the care take in dialogue and interactions
reliability of the service-provider - how efficient the service is performed, overall levels of competence
Level of customisation - how well the particular needs of the customer are fulfilled by the service provider through the application of expertise and experience
What is the case study?
Car makers have embraced automation and replaced humans with robots for years. But Toyota is deliberately taking a step backward and replacing automated machines in some factories in Japan and creating heavily manual production lines staffed with humans, according to Bloomberg.Japan has by far the most industrial robots of any country.
Toyota’s latest strategy has two main aspects. First, it wants to make sure that workers truly understand the work they’re doing instead of feeding parts into machines and being helpless when one breaks down. Second, it wants to figure out ways to make processes higher quality and more efficient in the long run. The company worries that automation means it has too many average workers and not enough craftsmen and masters. (Full article → Toyota becoming more efficient)
Toyota Motor Corp has in fact been slashing its production all year – having posted more than 20 production bulletins and subsequent amendments since January. A combination of COVID in its supply chain and ongoing semiconductor supply snags are the main reasons.
Toyota Australia dealers affected by ongoing chronic stock shortages are telling some customers to prepare for multi-year wait times on core models including LandCruiser, RAV4 and Camry. (Full article → Toyota Australia Wait Times)
