Quality evaluation in health care services based on customer-provider relationships.

PubMed

Eiriz, Vasco; Figueiredo, José António

2005-01-01

To develop a framework for evaluating the quality of Portuguese health care organisations based on the relationship between customers and providers, to define key variables related to the quality of health care services based on a review of the available literature, and to establish a conceptual framework in order to test the framework and variables empirically. Systematic review of the literature. Health care services quality should not be evaluated exclusively by customers. Given the complexity, ambiguity and heterogeneity of health care services, the authors develop a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers (patients, their relatives and citizens) and providers (managers, doctors, other technical staff and non-technical staff), and considering four quality items (customer service orientation, financial performance, logistical functionality and level of staff competence). This article identifies important changes in the Portuguese health care industry, such as the ownership of health care providers. At the same time, customers are changing their attitudes towards health care, becoming much more concerned and demanding of health services. These changes are forcing Portuguese private and public health care organisations to develop more marketing-oriented services. This article recognises the importance of quality evaluation of health care services as a means of increasing customer satisfaction and organisational efficiency, and develops a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers and providers.

Quality-improvement initiatives focused on enhancing customer service in the outpatient pharmacy.

PubMed

Poulin, Tenley J; Bain, Kevin T; Balderose, Bonnie K

2015-09-01

The development and implementation of quality-improvement initiatives to enhance customer service in an outpatient pharmacy of a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center are described. Historically low customer service satisfaction rates with the outpatient pharmacy at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center prompted this quality-improvement project. A three-question survey was designed to be easily and quickly administered to veterans in the outpatient pharmacy waiting area. Using 5-point Likert scale, veterans were asked to rate (1) their overall experience with the outpatient pharmacy service and (2) their satisfaction with the customer service provided by the pharmacy department. They were also asked how they thought the pharmacy department could improve its customer service. After receiving feedback from the survey, several quality-improvement initiatives were developed. The initiatives were categorized as environmental, personnel, communicative, and technological. For each initiative, one or more tasks were developed and the initiatives were subsequently implemented over eight months. After each task was completed, veterans were surveyed to measure the impact of the change. A total of 79 veterans were surveyed before the implementation of the quality-improvement initiatives, and 49% and 68% rated their experience with the outpatient pharmacy and customer service favorably, respectively. Twenty-five veterans were surveyed after the implementation of numerous quality-improvement interventions, with 44% and 72% rating their experience with the outpatient pharmacy and customer service favorably. Customer service satisfaction with an outpatient pharmacy service at a VA medical center was enhanced through the implementation of various quality-improvement initiatives. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

[A cross-level analysis of the links between service quality and disconfirmation of expectations and customer satisfaction].

PubMed

Sánchez-Hernández, Rosa M; Martínez-Tur, Vicente; González-Morales, M Gloria; Ramos, José; Peiró, José M

2009-08-01

This article examines links between disconfirmation of expectations and functional and relational service quality perceived by employees and customer satisfaction. A total of 156 employees, who were working in 52 work units, participated in the research study. In addition, 517 customers who were assisted by these work units were surveyed. Using a cross-level approach, we used a random coefficient model to test the aforementioned relationships. A strong relationship between disconfirmation of expectations and customer satisfaction was observed. Also, the results confirmed that functional service quality maintains an additional and significant association with customer satisfaction. In contrast, there were no significant relationships between relational service quality and customer satisfaction. The article concludes with a discussion of these results.

Linking service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention.

PubMed

Woodside, A G; Frey, L L; Daly, R T

1989-12-01

Based on the service quality and script theory literature, a framework of relationships among service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention for service purchases is proposed. Specific models are developed from the general framework and the models are applied and tested for the highly complex and divergent consumer service of overnight hospital care. Service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention data were collected from recent patients of two hospitals. The findings support the specific models and general framework. Implications for theory, service marketing, and future research are discussed.

A Practical Guide for Managing Customer Service in Base Civil Engineering.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE IN BASE CIVIL ENGINEERING Step One: Evaluate Present Service Quality .. ......... .11 Step Two: Develop and Clarify a...cross sectional viewpoint. In chapter three, specific steps will be presented for managers to evaluate and improve the present level of service quality in...customer service in base civil engineering or any other organization for that matter is to evaluate the present level of service quality (1:170). Data

Technology usage, quality management system, and service quality in Thailand.

PubMed

Sivabrovornvatana, Nilubon; Siengthai, Sununta; Krairit, Donyaprueth; Paul, Himangshu

2005-01-01

This article aims to explore the relationship between technology and quality management for enhancing Thai hospital service quality. The paper presents the findings of an exploratory study that investigates service quality from the customer and service provider perception. In-depth interviews were conducted with respondents in Thai hospitals. The interviews explored service-related factors that patients and service providers perceive to be important for hospital services. The first interview group consisted of professionals as internal customers in direct contact with external customers, while the second group consisted of external customers of the same hospitals. The study's outcomes clearly suggest factors that make significant contribution to service quality. These factors can be categorized according to five SERVQUAL dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibility), although some factors required slightly different interpretation. The findings suggest that hospitals can develop an appropriate approach to their advantage, which can yield sustainable improvement in service quality as perceived by patients and professionals. Hospitals can make better quality decisions based on structured measurement and knowledge. It is recommended that managers apply this knowledge for successful implementation of activities related to service quality in their organizations.

Effect of E-Service Quality on Customer Online Repurchase Intentions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Tung-Hsuan

2012-01-01

In the early years of online retailing, having an online presence and low prices were believed to be key drivers of success. More recently, electronic service quality has become essential as an online marketing strategy. Online stores provide higher service quality to create online customer loyalty, improve customer satisfaction, and keep a…

A Quality Improvement Customer Service Process and CSS [Customer Service System]. Burlington County College Employee Development Series, Volumes I & II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burlington County Coll., Pemberton, NJ.

Prepared for use by staff in development workshops at Burlington County College (BCC), in New Jersey, this handbook offers college-wide guidelines for improving the quality of service provided to internal and external customers, and reviews key elements of BCC's Customer Service System (CSS), a computerized method of recording and following-up on…

Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: An Assessment and Future Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernon, Peter; Nitecki, Danuta A.; Altman, Ellen

1999-01-01

Reviews the literature of library and information science to examine issues related to service quality and customer satisfaction in academic libraries. Discusses assessment, the application of a business model to higher education, a multiple constituency approach, decision areas regarding service quality, resistance to service quality, and future…

Developing World-Class Customer Service at Navy Field Contracting Activities: An Assessment of the FISC San Diego Regional Contracts Department.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-06-01

service quality benchmark is determined and then applied to HSC San Diego Regional Contracts Department to assess service ability and identify areas for possible improvement. This assessment process highlights the recent emphasis on improved service quality both in the Federal Government and the private sector. The thesis defines world-class customer service and then describes various aspects of service quality including the customer’s perspective on service, how service is delivered, how to effectively communicate with the

Managing hospital quality performance in two related areas: patient care and customer service.

PubMed

Dwore, R B

1993-01-01

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's new emphasis on continuous quality improvement provides hospitals with an opportunity to enhance both customer service as well as patient care. Both are expected by patients and delivered by providers. Patient care is the core product; customer service augments it by adding value and providing the opportunity for a competitive advantage. This article discusses issues for administrators to consider before including customer service as a component of continuous quality improvement and then presents methods for bringing about change.

Design and Testing of an Air Force Services Mystery Shopping Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-11-01

Base level Air Force Services’ lodging and foodservice activities use limited service quality measurement tools to determine customer perceptions of... service quality . These tools, specifically management observation and customer comment cards, do not provide a complete picture of service quality . Other... service quality measurement methods such as mystery shopping are rarely used. Bases do not consider using mystery shopping programs because of the

International Variations in Measuring Customer Expectations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvert, Philip J.

2001-01-01

Discussion of customer expectations of library service quality and SERVQUAL as a measurement tool focuses on two studies: one that compared a survey of Chinese university students' expectations of service quality to New Zealand students; and one that investigated national culture as a source of attitudes to customer service. (Author/LRW)

Customer Service: Implications for Reference Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitlatch, Jo Bell

1995-01-01

The past decade has seen an increasing emphasis on customer service in business research and management. Two concepts in understanding business customer service practices are discussed: the service encounter and total quality management. Highlights include customer service research and practices in business; implications for library reference…

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The Walt Disney Company has never lost sight of its founder's edict: “Give the public everything you can give them.” From this simple statement, everyone at Disney strives to exceed customer expectations every day. For more than 80 years this singular pursuit of excellence in delivering consistent quality service has earned the Disney organization a world-renowned reputation and ongoing business success. Uncover some of the secrets behind the Disney service culture and processes. In this session, you will examine the time-tested model for delivering world-class Guest service and discover how attention to detail creates a consistent, successful environment for both employees and customers. You can then use these ideas to transform and improve your own organization's delivery of quality service. You will learn how to: Develop an organizational culture that supports consistent delivery of quality service.Evaluate the Disney approach and tailor it to your business.Design quality service standards and processes to raise the level of customer satisfaction.Create metrics to gauge the needs, perceptions and expectations of your customers.Enable employees, settings and processes to convey your quality service commitment.Implement a strategic plan for monitoring the delivery of seamless customer experiences.

Gaining customer knowledge: obtaining and using customer judgments for hospitalwide quality improvement.

PubMed

Nelson, E C; Caldwell, C; Quinn, D; Rose, R

1991-03-01

Customer knowledge is an essential feature of hospitalwide quality improvement. All systems and processes have customers. The aim is to use customer knowledge and voice of the customer measurement to plan, design, improve, and monitor these systems and processes continuously. In this way, the hospital stands the best chance of meeting customers' needs and, hopefully, delivering services that are so outstanding that customers will be surprised and delighted. There are many methods, both soft and hard, that can be used to increase customer knowledge. One useful strategy is to use a family of quality measures that reflect the voice of the customer. These measures can generate practical and powerful customer knowledge information that is essential to performing strategic planning, deploying quality policy, designing new services, finding targets for improvements, and monitoring those continuous improvements based on customers' judgments.

A framework for improving access and customer service times in health care: application and analysis at the UCLA Medical Center.

PubMed

Duda, Catherine; Rajaram, Kumar; Barz, Christiane; Rosenthal, J Thomas

2013-01-01

There has been an increasing emphasis on health care efficiency and costs and on improving quality in health care settings such as hospitals or clinics. However, there has not been sufficient work on methods of improving access and customer service times in health care settings. The study develops a framework for improving access and customer service time for health care settings. In the framework, the operational concept of the bottleneck is synthesized with queuing theory to improve access and reduce customer service times without reduction in clinical quality. The framework is applied at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center to determine the drivers for access and customer service times and then provides guidelines on how to improve these drivers. Validation using simulation techniques shows significant potential for reducing customer service times and increasing access at this institution. Finally, the study provides several practice implications that could be used to improve access and customer service times without reduction in clinical quality across a range of health care settings from large hospitals to small community clinics.

CSI Index Of Customer's Satisfaction Applied In The Area Of Public Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poliaková, Adela

2015-06-01

In Western countries, the new visions are applied in quality control for an integrated public transport system. Public transport puts the customer at the centre of our decision making in achieving customer satisfaction with provided service. Sustainable surveys are kept among customers. A lot of companies are collecting huge databases containing over 30,000 voices of customers, which demonstrates the current satisfaction levels across the public transport service. Customer satisfaction with a provided service is a difficult task. In this service, the quality criteria are not clearly defined, and it is therefore difficult to define customer satisfaction. The paper introduces a possibility of CSI index application in conditions of the Slovak Republic transport area.

Analysis of NPS Contracting Service Quality

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

customer expectations is what they “hear from other customers ” or word of mouth communications (Zeithaml et al., 1990). The second factor... satisfaction and customer satisfaction (Hallowell et al., 1996). If a service quality gap exists between the provider and the customer , that gap could...identify a problem with provider job satisfaction , customer satisfaction , or both. In turn, by identifying potential problems in these areas, it could

Customer service: the key to market differentiation.

PubMed

Stahl, D A

1997-06-01

Fierce competition in the subacute care environment makes customer service orientation essential. Four steps help to achieve quality customer service are: (1) institute core values; (2) identify your customers; (3) understand human resources; and (4) establish an efficient system.

Service quality and perceived customer value in community pharmacies.

PubMed

Guhl, Dennis; Blankart, Katharina E; Stargardt, Tom

2018-01-01

A patient's perception of the service provided by a health care provider is essential for the successful delivery of health care. This study examines the value created by community pharmacies-defined as perceived customer value-in the prescription drug market through varying elements of service quality. We develop a path model that describes the relationship between service elements and perceived customer value. We then analyze the effect of perceived customer value on customer satisfaction and loyalty. We use data obtained from 289 standardized interviews on respondents' prescription fill in the last six months in Germany. The service elements personal interaction (path coefficient: 0.31), physical aspect (0.12), store policy (0.24), and availability (0.1) have a positive significant effect on perceived customer value. Consultation and reliability have no significant influence. We further find a strong positive interdependency between perceived customer value, customer satisfaction (0.75), and customer loyalty (0.71). Thus, pharmacies may enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty if they consider the customer perspective and focus on the relevant service elements. To enhance benefit, personal interaction appears to be most important to address appropriately.

Unit-level voluntary turnover rates and customer service quality: implications of group cohesiveness, newcomer concentration, and size.

PubMed

Hausknecht, John P; Trevor, Charlie O; Howard, Michael J

2009-07-01

Despite substantial growth in the service industry and emerging work on turnover consequences, little research examines how unit-level turnover rates affect essential customer-related outcomes. The authors propose an operational disruption framework to explain why voluntary turnover impairs customers' service quality perceptions. On the basis of a sample of 75 work units and data from 5,631 employee surveys, 59,602 customer surveys, and organizational records, results indicate that unit-level voluntary turnover rates are negatively related to service quality perceptions. The authors also examine potential boundary conditions related to the disruption framework. Of 3 moderators studied (group cohesiveness, group size, and newcomer concentration), results show that turnover's negative effects on service quality are more pronounced in larger units and in those with a greater concentration of newcomers.

Quality and customer satisfaction: A case study in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barcellos, Paulo Fernando Pinto

The dissertation deals with the case of CEEE-Companhia Estadual de Energia Eletrica, an electric power utility located in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. Customer satisfaction with the services provided by CEEE is investigated within three groups of consumers: residential, commercial, and industrial. The purpose of the dissertation is to find answers to the following research questions: (1) What is service quality in public utilities, and particularly in an electric power company? (2) What service quality dimensions do customers want to be provided and favor the most? (3) How does the market measure service quality? (4) What should be done by companies, and particularly by an electric utility monopoly, to increase the performance of the rendered service? (5) How does this impact customer satisfaction, retention, and intention to recommend? and (6) How do we start a company-wide quality program provided that the resources are scarce and therefore priorities should be set forth? To investigate the posed questions, the study begins with an exploratory survey of CEEE's Board. The survey is followed by qualitative research of the three customer groups. After qualitative analysis of the data is concluded, questionnaires for the quantitative research, as well as hypothetical models, are developed. Dillman's "Total Design Method" is used to design the questionnaires. The basic ACSI (American Customer Satisfaction Model) is used to approach customer satisfaction. Data are processed by PLS (Partial Least Squares) which follows the procedure developed at the National Quality Research Center of the University of Michigan Business School. In summary, commercial customers are the most dissatisfied with the services provided by CEEE, while residential customers are the most satisfied. To improve quality, priority should be placed on commercial customers and include efforts to improve productivity gains throughout the company. Also, CEEE's image should be improved through a better communication process with the market and an intensive and extensive training of personnel. A special marketing campaign could help build a better image by explaining CEEE's goals to improve quality. Finally, a bottom line of satisfaction scores (as quality indicators) should be set for the entire company.

Data envelopment analysis in service quality evaluation: an empirical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najafi, Seyedvahid; Saati, Saber; Tavana, Madjid

2015-09-01

Service quality is often conceptualized as the comparison between service expectations and the actual performance perceptions. It enhances customer satisfaction, decreases customer defection, and promotes customer loyalty. Substantial literature has examined the concept of service quality, its dimensions, and measurement methods. We introduce the perceived service quality index (PSQI) as a single measure for evaluating the multiple-item service quality construct based on the SERVQUAL model. A slack-based measure (SBM) of efficiency with constant inputs is used to calculate the PSQI. In addition, a non-linear programming model based on the SBM is proposed to delineate an improvement guideline and improve service quality. An empirical study is conducted to assess the applicability of the method proposed in this study. A large number of studies have used DEA as a benchmarking tool to measure service quality. These models do not propose a coherent performance evaluation construct and consequently fail to deliver improvement guidelines for improving service quality. The DEA models proposed in this study are designed to evaluate and improve service quality within a comprehensive framework and without any dependency on external data.

Quality of customer service: perceptions from guests in all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica

Treesearch

Joel L. Frater

2007-01-01

With data collected from guests in all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, West Indies, the purposes of this study were to: (1) delineate unique dimensions of customer service perceptions among guests and (2) report the finding of a study that measured guests' perceptions of the quality of customer service in all-inclusive resorts. The study asked the following research...

The art of customer service.

PubMed

Williams, Jeni

2007-10-01

Strategies for improving the consumer service skills of finance staff include: Hire employees who have a customer service background. Work with your human resources department to provide customer service training. Monitor new hires extensively. Offer front-end employees scripted language for situations they may face on the job. Measure the quality of customer service provided. Provide incentives for performance.

Information Technology Manager's Perspective on Experiences with Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: A Phenomenology Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Sherry A.

2016-01-01

The general problem was that, in the competitive telecommunications industry, information technology service providers have to develop ways to improve on customer satisfaction and service quality during service disruptions to meet service level agreements. A descriptive phenomenological study was used to explore the lived experiences and…

Measuring Service Quality in the Information Services Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddox-Swan, Ruth

1998-01-01

The purpose of this research was to identify the service factors that influence judgments of customer satisfaction in the academic library/media center. The study, conducted at Florida State University examined the relative importance of these determinants of service quality and compared these results to earlier studies conducted with customers of…

Customer orientation among employees in public administration: a transnational, longitudinal study.

PubMed

Korunka, Christian; Scharitzer, Dieter; Carayon, Pascale; Hoonakker, Peter; Sonnek, Angelika; Sainfort, Francois

2007-05-01

The relation between ergonomic principles and quality management initiatives, both, in the private and public sector, has received increasing attention in the recent years. Customer orientation among employees is not only an important quality principle, but also an essential prerequisite for customer satisfaction, especially in service organizations. In this context, the objective of introducing new public management (NPM) in public-service organizations is to increase customer orientation among employees who are at the forefront of service providing. In this study, we developed a short scale to measure perceived customer orientation. In two separate longitudinal studies carried out in Austria and the US, we analyzed changes in customer orientation resulting from the introduction of NPM. In both organizations, we observed a significant increase in customer orientation. Perceived customer orientation was related to job characteristics, organizational characteristics and employee quality of working life. Creating positive influences on these characteristics within the framework of an organizational change process has positive effects on employee customer orientation.

Using quality function deployment to capture the voice of the customer and translate it into the voice of the provider.

PubMed

Chaplin, E; Bailey, M; Crosby, R; Gorman, D; Holland, X; Hippe, C; Hoff, T; Nawrocki, D; Pichette, S; Thota, N

1999-06-01

Health care has a number of historical barriers to capturing the voice of the customer and to incorporating customer wants into health care services, whether the customer is a patient, an insurer, or a community. Quality function deployment (QFD) is a set of tools and practices that can help overcome these barriers to form a process for the planning and design or redesign of products and services. The goal of the project was to increase referral volume and to improve a rehabilitation hospital's capacity to provide comprehensive medical and/or legal evaluations for people with complex and catastrophic injuries or illnesses. HIGH-LEVEL VIEW OF QFD AS A PROCESS: The steps in QFD are as follows: capture of the voice of the customer, quality deployment, functions deployment, failure mode deployment, new process deployment, and task deployment. The output of each step becomes the input to a matrix tool or table of the next step of the process. In 3 1/2 months a nine-person project team at Continental Rehabilitation Hospital (San Diego) used QFD tools to capture the voice of the customer, use these data as the basis for a questionnaire on important qualities of service from the customer's perspective, obtain competitive data on how the organization was perceived to be meeting the demanded qualities, identify measurable dimensions and targets of these qualities, and incorporate the functions and tasks into the delivery of service which are necessary to meet the demanded qualities. The future of providing health care services will belong to organizations that can adapt to a rapidly changing environment and to demands for new products and services that are produced and delivered in new ways.

The Study on the Preferences of Customer Personal Values with Chinese Culture Background in Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yi; Zhao, Hong; Yang, Yue

Customer personal values are the important factors which affect customer behaviors, and they guide and decide the customer's attitudes and behaviors on the products or the services. The paper thinks there are only several important customer personal values to guide customer's decisions, and these values will have -strong cultural differences. This study focuses on discussing the preferences of customer personal values with Chinese culture background when customers consume service and analyzes on the customer preferences of customer personal values with the deep interview method. After interviewing 16 responders with the semi-structured questionnaires, the study finds out some interesting results: (1) Some customers have recognized the existent of customer personal values, even though customer perceived values still have the strong influences on customer behaviors. (2) As they pursue to high quality lives, customers enjoy the lives in easy and pleasure way and care about the safe of the family. Quick response, simple and professional services contribute to enhance the experiences of easy and pleasure lives. (3) Non-rational consumers need the respect from the staff and the companies seriously. In comparison, the rational customers care less about the respect. (4) The sociable requirements have become a common consuming psychology of the customers. More and more customers try to gain the friends by consuming some services. (5) The preferences of customer personal values have a close relationship with the Chinese culture, such as collective values, family conception and "face" culture. The results benefit for service companies improving service brands and service quality.

Hospital customer service in a changing healthcare world: does it matter?

PubMed

Howard, J

1999-01-01

The healthcare industry is undergoing a rapid transformation to meet the ever-increasing needs and demands of the patient population. Employers and health plans such as HMOs are demanding better service and higher quality care, and hospitals are trying to tackle reimbursement cutbacks, streamline services, and serve a diverse population. Hospitals have begun to realize that to overcome these obstacles and meet the needs of the health care plans and consumers, they must focus on the demands of the customer. Customer service initiatives increase patient satisfaction and loyalty and overall hospital quality, and many hospitals have found that consumer demands can be met through initiating and maintaining a customer service program. This article describes how the administrator can create, implement, and manage customer service initiatives within the hospital.

78 FR 51808 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) Customer Service Survey AGENCY: Federal Aviation... on customer service standards which have been developed and distributed to industry customers. DATES... determine the quality of services provided by AST to its industry and government customers, and to address...

An Electronic Service Quality Reference Model for Designing E-Commerce Websites Which Maximizes Customer Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaheen, Amer N.

2011-01-01

This research investigated Electronic Service Quality (E-SQ) features that contribute to customer satisfaction in an online environment. The aim was to develop an approach which improves E-CRM processes and enhances online customer satisfaction. The research design adopted mixed methods involving qualitative and quantitative methods to…

Quality and price--impact on patient satisfaction.

PubMed

Pantouvakis, Angelos; Bouranta, Nancy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to synthesize existing quality-measurement models and applies them to healthcare by combining a Nordic service-quality with an American service performance model. Results are based on a questionnaire survey of 1,298 respondents. Service quality dimensions were derived and related to satisfaction by employing a multinomial logistic model, which allows prediction and service improvement. Qualitative and empirical evidence indicates that customer satisfaction and service quality are multi-dimensional constructs, whose quality components, together with convenience and cost, influence the customer's overall satisfaction. The proposed model identifies important quality and satisfaction issues. It also enables transitions between different responses in different studies to be compared.

Laying the cornerstone: an employee-driven customer service program.

PubMed

Davis, Stephen M; Chinnis, Ann S; Dunmire, J Erin

2006-01-01

In the 21st-century healthcare environment, customer service remains critical to the fiscal viability of healthcare organizations. Continued competition for patients and diminishing reimbursements have necessitated the establishment of customer service programs to attract patients and retain outstanding employees. These programs should increase quality experiences for both internal customers (employees) and external customers (patients). This article describes a unique employee-driven customer service initiative titled Serving Together Achieving Results. Obstacles to implementing a customer service program in a multifaceted academic setting are highlighted, and the use of a novel tool, Q technique, to prioritize employee feedback is discussed.

Stakeholder Expectations of Service Quality in a University Web Portal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tate, Mary; Evermann, Joerg; Hope, Beverley; Barnes, Stuart

Online service quality is a much-studied concept. There is considerable evidence that user expectations and perceptions of self-service and online service quality differ in different business domains. In addition, the nature of online services is continually changing and universities have been at the forefront of this change, with university websites increasingly acting as a portal for a wide range of online transactions for a wide range of stakeholders. In this qualitative study, we conduct focus groups with a range of stakeholders in a university web portal. Our study offers a number of insights into the changing nature of the relationship between organisations and customers. New technologies are influencing customer expectations. Customers increasingly expect organisations to have integrated information systems, and to utilise new technologies such as SMS and web portals. Organisations can be slow to adopt a customer-centric viewpoint, and persist in providing interfaces that are inconsistent or require inside knowledge of organisational structures and processes. This has a negative effect on customer perceptions.

Work Organization, Technology, and Performance in Customer Service and Sales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batt, Rosemary

1999-01-01

Performance data on 223 customer-service and sales representatives showed that participation in self-managed teams correlated with significant improvement in service quality and 9.3% sales increase. New technology helped teams increase sales 17.4%. Total-quality management did not affect performance. Results show that group collaboration fosters…

Emotion Analysis of Telephone Complaints from Customer Based on Affective Computing.

PubMed

Gong, Shuangping; Dai, Yonghui; Ji, Jun; Wang, Jinzhao; Sun, Hai

2015-01-01

Customer complaint has been the important feedback for modern enterprises to improve their product and service quality as well as the customer's loyalty. As one of the commonly used manners in customer complaint, telephone communication carries rich emotional information of speeches, which provides valuable resources for perceiving the customer's satisfaction and studying the complaint handling skills. This paper studies the characteristics of telephone complaint speeches and proposes an analysis method based on affective computing technology, which can recognize the dynamic changes of customer emotions from the conversations between the service staff and the customer. The recognition process includes speaker recognition, emotional feature parameter extraction, and dynamic emotion recognition. Experimental results show that this method is effective and can reach high recognition rates of happy and angry states. It has been successfully applied to the operation quality and service administration in telecom and Internet service company.

Emotion Analysis of Telephone Complaints from Customer Based on Affective Computing

PubMed Central

Gong, Shuangping; Ji, Jun; Wang, Jinzhao; Sun, Hai

2015-01-01

Customer complaint has been the important feedback for modern enterprises to improve their product and service quality as well as the customer's loyalty. As one of the commonly used manners in customer complaint, telephone communication carries rich emotional information of speeches, which provides valuable resources for perceiving the customer's satisfaction and studying the complaint handling skills. This paper studies the characteristics of telephone complaint speeches and proposes an analysis method based on affective computing technology, which can recognize the dynamic changes of customer emotions from the conversations between the service staff and the customer. The recognition process includes speaker recognition, emotional feature parameter extraction, and dynamic emotion recognition. Experimental results show that this method is effective and can reach high recognition rates of happy and angry states. It has been successfully applied to the operation quality and service administration in telecom and Internet service company. PMID:26633967

A new customer service partnership for hospitals and physicians.

PubMed

Sanford, Kathleen D

2011-12-01

To promote better customer service, clinical and finance leaders should work as partners to: Make customer service as important a goal as clinical quality. Educate staff on better communication with patients and families. Perform a root-cause analysis to identify problem trends.

Service quality and corporate social responsibility, influence on post-purchase intentions of sheltered employment institutions.

PubMed

Chen, Chao-Chien; Lin, Shih-Yen; Cheng, Chia-Hsin; Tsai, Chia-Ching

2012-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of service quality and corporate social responsibility (CSR) on customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction toward post-purchase intentions from sheltered employment institutions. Work experience plays an important role in career development for those people with intellectual disabilities. When they are not yet capable of obtaining a job in the open market, they must receive job training and daily care in sheltered employment institutions. If the sheltered employment institutions cannot operate properly, they will greatly affect intellectual disabilities. From the study of "Children Are Us Bakeries and Restaurants" sheltered employment institutions are one kind of food service business that has been found to request and improve service quality and execution of CSR. These are two main factors which can enhance brand value and create a good reputation for sheltered employment institutions. The questionnaire results indicate that perceived service quality has a positive relationship with customer satisfaction and the reliability dimension is the most important factor for customers to assess service quality. Meanwhile, correlation analysis shows that customer satisfaction regarding service quality influences post-purchase intentions, indicating that friendly and helpful employees can please customers and enhance their satisfaction level and also induce positive post-purchase intentions of consumers. Regarding the CSR of "Children Are Us Bakeries and Restaurants" sheltered employment institutions, the analysis reveals a statistical significance: the greater customer satisfaction of CSR, the higher the post-purchase intention. In addition, in the work, paired-sample t test analysis reveals there is a significant difference (p<.05) in service quality and CSR in terms of "perceived" and "expected" responses. In summary, since those with intellectual disabilities usually are enthusiastic at work and do their best to provide good service and execute CSR well, the value of sheltered employment institutions establishments should be recognized by all should receive continued support and there should be a willingness to hire these intellectually disabled citizens. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Taking the pulse of Internet pharmacies.

PubMed

Yang, Z; Peterson, R T; Huang, L

2001-01-01

Like most businesses, online pharmacy companies will only be successful if they make sure customers are satisfied with the service they receive. But what attributes of service quality lead to satisfaction and dissatisfaction? This study identified 19 Internet pharmacy service quality dimensions in three categories: (1) product cost and availability, (2) customer service, and (3) the online information system. Our analysis uncovered attributes that tend to determine consumer satisfaction and points out ways to improve overall service quality in the Internet pharmacy arena.

78 FR 73871 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Federal Emergency...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-09

...; Federal Emergency Management Agency Housing Inspection Services Customer Satisfaction Survey AGENCY... comments concerning the housing inspection services customer satisfaction survey. DATES: Comments must be... customers to determine the kind and quality of services requested and their level of satisfaction with...

[Analysis of public quality reports for home care and long-term care with respect to their usefulness for the customer].

PubMed

Sünderkamp, Susanne; Weiß, Christian; Rothgang, Heinz

2014-10-01

Public quality reports, based on new legislative regulations of 2008, were supposed to offer potential customers the possibility to make a well-informed choice of a care provider. This empirical study on marks for long-term care is based on the public quality reports of the Medical Service of the Health Insurance Companies (MDK), of 11 884 home care services and 10 310 nursing homes, which corresponds to a comprehensive survey of almost all care providers in Germany. Descriptive statistical methods and discussion of the results concerning the customer benefit. The analysis of transparency reports reveals a limited value for customers, which is particularly caused by very good quality results with low scattering. In addition, a high amount of missing data - especially in the area of home care providers - leads to a growing influence of service criteria on the final grade. Though deficits in nursing might be compensated by good marks in service criteria, it rarely occurs. At present, a more detailed look at risk criteria hardly improves the customer benefit. The marks for nursing need to be improved to increase their informative value for the customer.

The impact of complaint management and service quality on organizational image: A case study at the Malaysian public university library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Pei Kian; Mohd Suradi, Nur Riza; Saludin, Mohamad Nasir

2013-04-01

Service failure frequently occurs. This affects customer expectations which lead to complaint. However, not all dissatisfied customers actually complain. Without customer feedback, it would be impossible for a company to know whether they needed a change for improvement. Thus, complaint management brings a learning experience to organization in order to provide better service. Therefore, it is important to identify customer dissatisfaction through a systematic complaint handling or management. The study proposes a model of systematic complaint management which applied to academic library as a tool of service recovery. As such, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the critical success factors of complaint management towards service quality, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and the impact to organizational image at academic library. Three academic libraries have been identified and selected for this project, the Library of Tun Sri Lanang, UKM, UTeM and UNIMAS. Using the justice theory, this study investigates the perception of customers on complaint management in terms of outcomes they receive, procedures used by organization and interpersonal treatment. In this study, there are five factors of complaint management identified, which includes speed of recovery, management system, empowerment, culture and psychology and tangible compensation. A questionnaire was designed and used as the data gathering instrument. A total of 600 respondents participated in this study. Ten hypotheses were used to test the relationships between complaint management, service quality, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and organizational image. To measure the construct relationships, Structural Equation Model (SEM) approach was used. The results show that management system (b = 0.210; p < 0.05) exerts the highest positive impact on service quality. It followed by psychology and culture (b = 0.188; p < 0.05), empowerment (b = 0.179; p < 0.05) and tangible compensation (b = 0.175; p < 0.05). However, the empirical results suggest that speed of recovery (b = -0.009; p > 0.05) do not influence service quality. The second part of this study uses confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to analyze and confirm the conceptual model proposed in this research. The result shows that all the values obtained in this study fits the data reasonably well.

78 FR 48441 - Office of Urban Indian Health Programs Proposed Single Source Grant With Native American...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-08

... outreach and case management, the program has expanded offering to include on-site dental service and... Care: Customer service is the key to quality care. Treating patients well is the first step to improving quality and access. This area also incorporates Best Practices in customer service. Identify...

The role of complaint management in the service recovery process.

PubMed

Bendall-Lyon, D; Powers, T L

2001-05-01

Patient satisfaction and retention can be influenced by the development of an effective service recovery program that can identify complaints and remedy failure points in the service system. Patient complaints provide organizations with an opportunity to resolve unsatisfactory situations and to track complaint data for quality improvement purposes. Service recovery is an important and effective customer retention tool. One way an organization can ensure repeat business is by developing a strong customer service program that includes service recovery as an essential component. The concept of service recovery involves the service provider taking responsive action to "recover" lost or dissatisfied customers and convert them into satisfied customers. Service recovery has proven to be cost-effective in other service industries. The complaint management process involves six steps that organizations can use to influence effective service recovery: (1) encourage complaints as a quality improvement tool; (2) establish a team of representatives to handle complaints; (3) resolve customer problems quickly and effectively; (4) develop a complaint database; (5) commit to identifying failure points in the service system; and (6) track trends and use information to improve service processes. Customer retention is enhanced when an organization can reclaim disgruntled patients through the development of effective service recovery programs. Health care organizations can become more customer oriented by taking advantage of the information provided by patient complaints, increasing patient satisfaction and retention in the process.

Customer Service in Ontario's Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keith, John

2005-01-01

No doubt there are detractors who cringe at the prospect of connecting the term customer service with an institution of higher education. Some may consider the term demeaning. However, given the college funding crisis and current economic climate, a quality customer service strategy is a prudent adjunct to any marketing activity undertaken. It is…

Cross-Cultural Perspectives of Service Quality and Risk in Air Transportation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunningham, Lawrence F.; Young, Clifford E.; Lee, Moonkyu

2002-01-01

This study compares US and Korean customers in terms of their perceptions of airline service quality based on SERVPERF and industry-based measures, as well as their perceptions of risks involved in the airline choice. SERVPERF is a set of multi-dimensional measures of customer evaluations of service quality. The results indicate that: (1) US passengers are generally more satisfied with their airline service than Korean customers on most of the SERVPERF dimensions; (2) Koreans are generally more satisfied with the bumping procedures whereas US participants feel more satisfied with the airline's baggage handling, operations/safety, and connections; and (3) US participants perceive higher levels of performance and financial risks whereas Koreans feel greater social risk in choosing an airline. This study also examines the SERVPERF, industry-based measure, and perceived risk in predicting customer satisfaction with, and intention to repatronize the airline. The results suggest that US customers consider service reliability, in-flight comfort, and connections as the key factors determining satisfaction with airline service whereas Korean passengers generally regard reliability, assurance, and risk factors as predictors of satisfaction. The determining factors of customer intention to repatronize the airline are reliability and empathy for US, and reliability and overall risk for Korean customers. The study demonstrates the applicability of SERVPERF as a cross-cultural tool and indicates the importance of perceived risk in cross-cultural studies.

Economic Analysis of Waterfront Area Services at Naval Station, Long Beach

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-01

the Gradall for waterfront area services, would result in improved responsiveness and timely service. Customer satisfaction and overall customer ...overall cost. Hence, both quality and efficiency will improve leading to greater customer satisfaction . 58 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION RECOMMENDATION 1...prompting the need for improved efficiency. To ensure adequate future support can be provided to its customers , Naval Station Long Beach (Navsta) is

Customer service and overall satisfaction with angling experiences

Treesearch

Thomas D. Wickham; Alan R. Graefe; Robert C. Burns

2003-01-01

This study explores the relationship between individual customer service items and satisfaction with facilities, services, information, recreation experience and overall quality of fishing for a diverse group of anglers at lakes in the New England region. Recent attention to customers and their experiences and attitudes has increased the interest of, both managers and...

Rethinking Customer Service Training: A Curricular Solution to a Familiar Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epps, Sharon K.; Kidd, Judith; Negro, Toni; Sayles, Sheridan L.

2016-01-01

High-quality customer service is an important aim of the library experience. Its importance is evidenced by attention given to the topic in scholarly literature and academic conference proceedings. This article describes the challenging process of creating and delivering a blended customer service training curriculum to all library staff working…

75 FR 20427 - Agency Information Collection (Insurance Surveys) Activities Under OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-19

... to determine the kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing service. Customer satisfaction surveys are used to gauge customer perceptions of VA services as well as customer expectations and desires. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to...

Applying revised gap analysis model in measuring hotel service quality.

PubMed

Lee, Yu-Cheng; Wang, Yu-Che; Chien, Chih-Hung; Wu, Chia-Huei; Lu, Shu-Chiung; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Dong, Weiwei

2016-01-01

With the number of tourists coming to Taiwan growing by 10-20 % since 2010, the number has increased due to an increasing number of foreign tourists, particularly after deregulation allowed admitting tourist groups, followed later on by foreign individual tourists, from mainland China. The purpose of this study is to propose a revised gap model to evaluate and improve service quality in Taiwanese hotel industry. Thus, service quality could be clearly measured through gap analysis, which was more effective for offering direction in developing and improving service quality. The HOLSERV instrument was used to identify and analyze service gaps from the perceptions of internal and external customers. The sample for this study included three main categories of respondents: tourists, employees, and managers. The results show that five gaps influenced tourists' evaluations of service quality. In particular, the study revealed that Gap 1 (management perceptions vs. customer expectations) and Gap 9 (service provider perceptions of management perceptions vs. service delivery) were more critical than the others in affecting perceived service quality, making service delivery the main area of improvement. This study contributes toward an evaluation of the service quality of the Taiwanese hotel industry from the perspectives of customers, service providers, and managers, which is considerably valuable for hotel managers. It was the aim of this study to explore all of these together in order to better understand the possible gaps in the hotel industry in Taiwan.

A customer satisfaction model for a utility service industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamil, Jastini Mohd; Nawawi, Mohd Kamal Mohd; Ramli, Razamin

2016-08-01

This paper explores the effect of Image, Customer Expectation, Perceived Quality and Perceived Value on Customer Satisfaction, and to investigate the effect of Image and Customer Satisfaction on Customer Loyalty of mobile phone provider in Malaysia. The result of this research is based on data gathered online from international students in one of the public university in Malaysia. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) has been used to analyze the data that have been collected from the international students' perceptions. The results found that Image and Perceived Quality have significant impact on Customer Satisfaction. Image and Customer Satisfaction ware also found to have significantly related to Customer Loyalty. However, no significant impact has been found between Customer Expectation with Customer Satisfaction, Perceived Value with Customer Satisfaction, and Customer Expectation with Perceived Value. We hope that the findings may assist the mobile phone provider in production and promotion of their services.

Measuring Customer Satisfaction: Practices of Leading Military and Commercial Service Organizations

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

back. The consumers message was clear: "the quality of goods and services would no longer be taken for granted" (2:6). This change in customer ...behavior and quality awareress became known as consumerism , and it spawned consumer interest groups that strongly influence nearly all manufacturing and...on their next purchase opportunity (31: 35). This suggests that the classical thinking on customer satisfaction and consumer loyalty is incomplete and

A research model of health-care competition and customer satisfaction.

PubMed

Asoh, Derek A; Rivers, Patrick A

2007-11-01

In all industries, competition among businesses has long been encouraged as a mechanism to increase value for customers. In other words, competition ensures the provision of better products and services to satisfy the needs of customers. Various perspectives of competition, the nature of service quality, health-care system costs and customer satisfaction in health care are examined. A model of the relationship among these variables is developed. The model depicts customer satisfaction as an outcome measure directly dependent on competition. Quality of care and health-care system costs, while also directly dependent on competition, are considered as determinants of customer satisfaction as well. The model is discussed in the light of propositions for empirical research.

United States Southern Command * Home

Science.gov Websites

know how we are doing through Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) Passports & Visas Mission ] Customer Service Hours Monday - Friday 08:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m and 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 pm. Passport and Visa endorsement or warranty of their respective services. We are committed to quality customer service. Let us

How the Kano model contributes to Kansei engineering in services.

PubMed

Hartono, Markus; Chuan, Tan Kay

2011-11-01

Recent studies show that products and services hold great appeal if they are attractively designed to elicit emotional feelings from customers. Kansei engineering (KE) has good potential to provide a competitive advantage to those able to read and translate customer affect and emotion in actual product and services. This study introduces an integrative framework of the Kano model and KE, applied to services. The Kano model was used and inserted into KE to exhibit the relationship between service attribute performance and customer emotional response. Essentially, the Kano model categorises service attribute quality into three major groups (must-be [M], one-dimensional [O] and attractive [A]). The findings of a case study that involved 100 tourists who stayed in luxury 4- and 5-star hotels are presented. As a practical matter, this research provides insight on which service attributes deserve more attention with regard to their significant impact on customer emotional needs. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Apart from cognitive evaluation, emotions and hedonism play a big role in service encounters. Through a focus on delighting qualities of service attributes, this research enables service providers and managers to establish the extent to which they prioritise their improvement efforts and to always satisfy their customer emotions beyond expectation.

Heterogenous customer satisfaction index for evaluating university food service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, Nazrina; Zain, Zakiyah; Syarifi, Nadia Asyikin Mohammad; Klivon, Julia; Ap, Nurasiah Che; Zaki, Mahirah

2017-11-01

This paper aims to measure the performance of university food service based on students' perception. Two cafeterias were chosen for comparison: one located at student residential hall (Café 1) and another at the university administration centre (Café 2). By considering the components of importance and satisfaction, the Heterogeneous Customer Satisfaction Index-HCSI was computed to measure the performance of quality items in both cafeterias. Stratified sampling method was used to select 278 students and the DINESERVE instrument was used to assess customer perception on service quality. The findings show that the customer rate these two cafeterias as quite satisfied only, with the HCSI for Café 1 slightly higher than that for Café 2.

Customer Loyalty in Virtual Environments: An Empirical Study in e-Bank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Yu; Lee, Gin-Yuan; Ho, Yung-Ching

2009-08-01

The advent of e-commerce has increased the importance of consumer financing operations. Internet banking helps banks to develop relationship marketing, thus improve customer loyalty. This study proposes a research framework to examine the relationships among e-service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust and e-loyalty in e-bank in Taiwan. Data are collected through a survey using a structured questionnaire. The 442 valid respondents who have experience with e-bank are analyzed by partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The managerial implication is e-bank must focus on e-service quality to increase customer satisfaction and trust for obtaining the e-loyalty.

Can there be mutual support between hospital marketing and continuous quality improvement?

PubMed

Weiland, D E

1992-01-01

Marketing the results of continuous quality improvement in hospitals builds a growing bank of loyal customers in an increasingly competitive and quality-oriented environment: If healthcare institutions want to survive and flourish, they must develop a lasting relationship with their customers. The long-term goal of CQI is to provide quality products and services. If marketing managers can sell these improved services, hospitals will build a solid client foundation.

CUSTOMER/SUPPLIER ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

EPA Science Inventory

Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) are the basic components of a QA program, which is a fundamental quality management tool. he quality of outputs and services strongly depends on the caliber of the communications between the "customer" and the "supplier." lear under...

A research on service quality decision-making of Chinese communications industry based on quantum game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Cuihua; Xing, Peng

2015-08-01

In recent years, Chinese service industry is developing rapidly. Compared with developed countries, service quality should be the bottleneck for Chinese service industry. On the background of three major telecommunications service providers in China, the functions of customer perceived utilities are established. With the goal of consumer's perceived utility maximization, the classic Nash equilibrium solution and quantum equilibrium solution are obtained. Then a numerical example is studied and the changing trend of service quality and customer perceived utility is further analyzed by the influence of the entanglement operator. Finally, it is proved that quantum game solution is better than Nash equilibrium solution.

Identifying Shortcomings in the Measurement of Service Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogarty, Gerard; Catts, R.; Forlin, C.

2000-01-01

Studied the use of SERVPEFR the performance component of the Service Quality Scale (SERVQUAL) in 2 studies involving 113 and 212 customers of businesses in Australia and investigated a revised (extended) version of SERVPEFR with 122 customers. Results suggest that SERVPEFR items are too easy to rate highly, and that the revisions did not overcome…

Service Quality and Corporate Social Responsibility, Influence on Post-Purchase Intentions of Sheltered Employment Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chao-Chien; Lin, Shih-Yen; Cheng, Chia-Hsin; Tsai, Chia-Ching

2012-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of service quality and corporate social responsibility (CSR) on customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction toward post-purchase intentions from sheltered employment institutions. Work experience plays an important role in career development for those people with intellectual…

75 FR 59732 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, OMB No...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-28

...; Federal Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance Customer Satisfaction Surveys AGENCY: Federal... Agency Individual Assistance Customer Satisfaction Surveys. Type of Information Collection: Revision of a... quality of services customers want and their level of satisfaction with existing services. FEMA Managers...

77 FR 60506 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-03

... through Friday, except Federal holidays. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Customer Satisfaction Surveys. Background: Executive Order 12862, ``Setting Customer Service Standards'' requires that federal agencies provide the highest quality service to our customers by identifying them and determining what they think...

A customer's definition of quality.

PubMed

Miller, T O

1992-01-01

What's the best way to get "close to the customer"? One company has developed a customer feedback system to drive product design, sales, service, and support functions in order to ensure better customer responsiveness.

Improving Customer Satisfaction in an R and D Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, Anita; Liou, Y. H. Andrew

1998-01-01

Satisfying customer needs is critical to the sustained competitive advantage of service suppliers. It is therefore important to understand the types of customer needs which, if fulfilled or exceeded, add value and contribute to overall customer satisfaction. This study identifies the needs of various research and development (R&D) customers who contract for engineering and design support services. The Quality Function Deployment (QFD) process was used to organize and translate each customer need into performance measures that, if implemented, can improve customer satisfaction. This study also provides specific performance measures that will more accurately guide the efforts of the engineering supplier. These organizations can either implement the QFD methodology presented herein or extract a few performance measures that are specific to the quality dimensions in need of improvement. Listening to 'what' customers talk about is a good first start.

Estimating the cost of improving service quality in water supply: A shadow price approach for England and wales.

PubMed

Molinos-Senante, María; Maziotis, Alexandros; Sala-Garrido, Ramón

2016-01-01

Service quality to customers is an aspect that cannot be ignored in the performance assessment of water companies. Nowadays water regulators introduce awards or penalties to incentivize companies to improve service quality to customers when setting prices. In this study, the directional distance function is employed to estimate the shadow prices of variables indicating the lack of service quality to customers in the water industry i.e., written complaints, unplanned interruptions and properties below the reference level. To calculate the shadow price of each undesirable output for each water company, it is needed to ascribe a reference price for the desirable output which is the volume of water delivered. An empirical application is carried out for water companies in England and Wales. Hence, the shadow price of each undesirable output is expressed both as a percentage of the price of the desirable output and in pence per cubic meter of water delivered The estimated results indicate that on average, each additional written complaint that needs to be dealt with by the water company includes a service quality cost of 0.399p/m(3). As expected, when looking at the other service quality variables which involve network repair or replacement, these values are considerably higher. On average, the water company must spend an extra 0.622p/m(3) to prevent one unplanned interruption and 0.702p/m(3) to avoid one water pressure below the reference level. The findings of this study are of great importance for regulated companies and regulators as it has been illustrated that improvements in the service quality in terms of customer service could be challenging and therefore ongoing investments will be required to address these issues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

75 FR 3539 - Agency Information Collection (NCA Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker)) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-21

... Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker)) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: National Cemetery... Clearance for NCA, and IG Customer Satisfaction Surveys. OMB Control Number: 2900-0571. Type of Review... kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing service. VA will...

A vigorous approach to customer service.

PubMed

Pollock, E K

1993-01-01

PPG Industries, Inc. is the world's largest supplier of automotive original coatings. Its business-to-business customers require individualized service based on specific requirements. The company has solidified these relationships by establishing satellite supply facilities, applying the quality process to problem solving, and providing a variety of outlets for customer feedback.

The three keys to quality customer service: opening the doors to exceptional performance.

PubMed

Myers, Pennie; Nance, Don W

2002-01-01

Excellence in customer service requires three things. The first is a commitment to a set of principles. These principles reflect beliefs and assumptions that people are valuable and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. This commitment is expressed to customers by an adherence to six customer-friendly processes and by personnel who possess a high level of skill in the behaviors that make up customer service. When these three requirements are met, laboratorians not only maintain a competitive edge but also fulfill their mission as health-care professionals.

Don`t just satisfy `em, delight `em!

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lacertosa, R.

1996-01-01

Providing customer service and quality in fuel oil marketing are discussed. The fuel oil industry depends on customer satisfaction. However, merely satisfying the customer is not enough. Research done on customer service indicates that satisfaction is a neutral feeling. The goal should be to get customers to the next level, which is to be delighted or ecstatic about the service. The place to begin is to provide all service personnel with the training and support they need and then get out of the way. It should always be kept in mind that the person that keeps the company in businessmore » is the valued customer who too often gets lost in the shuffle.« less

Measuring functional service quality using SERVQUAL in a high-dependence health service relationship.

PubMed

Clark, W Randy; Clark, Leigh Anne

2007-01-01

Although there is a growing concern about health care quality, little research has focused on how to measure quality in long-term care settings. In this article, we make the following observations: (1) most users of the SERVQUAL instrument reassess customers' expectations each time they measure quality perceptions; (2) long-term care relationships are likely to be ongoing, dependent relationships; (3) because of this dependence, customers in the long-term care setting are likely to reduce their expectations when faced with poor service quality; (4) by using this "settled" expectations level, service providers may make biased conclusions of quality improvements. We recommend various methods for overcoming or minimizing this "settling" effect and propose modifications to the SERVQUAL gap 5 measure to assess quality in a long-term care setting.

The quality improvement strategy.

PubMed

Burns, L R; Beach, L R

1994-01-01

To prepare for managed competition, many hospitals now focus on service quality as a means to improve their competitive position. To aid in decisions about where best to direct limited resources, managers need physician feedback about how the hospital's services compare with its competitors' services (competitive advantage) and about the degree to which the hospital's services fall short of, meet, or exceed physicians' expectations (customer satisfaction). This article describes a strategy for acquiring information about competitive advantage and customer satisfaction and for using the information to identify optimal service improvement opportunities. It then presents a step-by-step application of the Quality Improvement Strategy (QIS) for a large urban hospital.

76 FR 22113 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Office of Infrastructure Protection; Infrastructure...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-20

... outcome indicators.'' Also, the Act defines customer service measure as ``an assessment of service... effectiveness and public accountability by promoting a new focus on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction; and (4) Help Federal managers improve service delivery, by requiring that they plan for meeting...

Can nurse innovation improve customer perception of service quality and experience?

PubMed

Weng, Rhay-Hung; Chen, Wan-Ping; Huang, Ching-Yuan; Hung, Chiu-Hsia; Hsu, Ching-Tai

2016-07-01

This study aimed to clarify how nurse innovation is related to customer perception of medical service quality and experience. Recently, many hospitals have put much emphasis upon the development of nurse innovation. A cross-sectional study was employed. This study adopted questionnaire survey method with nurses and customers of the inpatient wards from three Taiwanese hospitals as the research subjects. After pairing, there were 294 valid questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analysis was utilised to test the possible impact of nurse innovation on medical service quality and experience. In terms of the dimensions of nurse innovation, 'innovation behaviour' ranked the highest (3·24), followed by knowledge creation and innovation diffusion; in terms of the degree of the medical service quality, 'reliability' ranked the highest (4·35). As for the degree of the medical service experience, 'feel experience' ranked the highest (4·44). All dimensions of nurse innovation have no significant effects on medical service quality and experience. Of these three dimensions of nurse innovation, the level of innovation behaviour was perceived by the nurses as the highest. The study found that nurse innovation has no significant effects on customer perception of service quality and experience. Hospitals shall provide sufficient resources and budget for fostering innovation development and encourage their nurses to develop nursing innovation for patents. The education and training courses on 'patient-centred' shall be enhanced among hospital nurses. Healthcare managers shall also explore the difficulties about innovation diffusion and find the solutions for nurses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Service Quality in Higher Education Using an Enhanced SERVQUAL Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Kay C.; Kek, Sei W.

2004-01-01

Customer service and quality are driving forces in the business community. As higher educational institutions tussle for competitive advantage and high service quality, the evaluation of educational service quality is essential to provide motivation for and to give feedback on the effectiveness of educational plans and implementation. This…

Quality Management and Building Government Information Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Maggie

1998-01-01

Discusses serving library-patron needs in terms of customer service and quality control. Highlights include tools for measuring the quality of service (e.g., the SERVQUAL survey), advisory boards or focus groups, library "service statements," changing patron needs, new information formats, and justifying depository library services. (JAK)

Website Service Quality in Ireland: An Empirical Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, Regina

Despite the fact that service quality is a critical determinant of website success, studies show that consumers frequently view the service quality delivered through websites as unsatisfactory. This paper outlines a study that investigated the dimensions of website service excellence valued by Irish customers of a small-to-medium enterprise specialising in gifts. The E-S-QUAL measurement instrument was applied to the customers who purchase products online from this retailer, in order to determine their purchasing patterns and the dimensions of e-service quality that they value. The results of this study indicate the effectiveness of the instrument in determining gaps in e-service quality. The findings will be of benefit both to practitioners and researchers seeking to improve their understanding of the factors that contribute towards the creation and maintenance of consumer satisfaction in Irish online transactions.

Measuring Service Quality in a Tertiary Institution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soutar, Geoffrey; McNeil, Margaret

1996-01-01

Measures service quality from the viewpoint of customers (students at an Australian university), using the SERVQUAL model. Obtains evaluations of academic and administrative aspects of the educational service. Makes significant negative evaluations of administrative service quality (resulting from communication problems). Satisfaction with the…

Healthscape role towards customer satisfaction in private healthcare.

PubMed

Sahoo, Debajani; Ghosh, Tathagata

2016-07-11

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify the motives that enforce consumers to find out the major determinants that frame healthscape in private healthcare service that leads to their satisfaction in a developing country like India. Design/methodology/approach - The generic motive dimensions are identified using an exploratory factor analysis. Next the reliability and validity of the factors are established followed by regression analysis using SPSS 20.0 s/w. Findings - This paper identifies six healthscape motives in the private healthcare sector named as service personnel conduct and cleanliness, service delivery and facilities, ambience, location and look, appealing decoration, and upgraded safety service, out of which only service delivery, ambience, location, and decorations contribute the most to build customer satisfaction as per their significance value. Research limitations/implications - The various dimensions of healthcare motives should be viewed as the levers of improving hospitals' service quality in the minds of its present and future customers. This finding can offer valuable insight to the forthcoming as well as existing developer who are planning to have their healthcare service presence in India. Practical implications - This study suggests some important strategic guidelines for service positioning and market segmentation of healthcare services as per customer requirements. In the recent past, availing services from hospitals were purely utilitarian in nature. Customers were more inclined to get proper and timely services and cared more about the service quality of the healthcare service provider. Originality/value - This paper is among the few works done on understanding private healthcare service delivery process in India and customer satisfaction level from those Hospitals. This study addresses the gap by identifying a set of dimensions that are relevant to customers for a unique healthcare experience.

[Measurement of customer satisfaction and participation of citizens in improving the quality of healthcare services.].

PubMed

Degrassi, Flori; Sopranzi, Cristina; Leto, Antonella; Amato, Simona; D'Urso, Antonio

2009-01-01

Managing quality in health care whilst ensuring equity is a fundamental aspect of the provision of services by healthcare organizations. Measuring perceived quality of care is an important tool for evaluating the quality of healthcare delivery in that it allows the implementation of corrective actions to meet the healthcare needs of patients. The Rome B (ASL RMB) local health authority adopted the UNI EN 10006:2006 norms as a management tool, therefore introducing the evaluation of customer satisfaction as an opportunity to involve users in the creation of quality healthcare services with and for the citizens. This paper presents the activities implemented and the results achieved with regards to shared and integrated continuous improvement of services.

Customer satisfaction with patient care: "Where's the Beef?".

PubMed

Vukmir, Rade B

2006-01-01

This was an attempt to present an analysis of the literature examining objective information concerning the subject of customer service, as it applies to the current medical practice. Hopefully this information will be synthesized to generate a cogent approach to correlate customer service with quality. Articles were obtained by an English language search of MEDLINE from January 1976 to July 2005. This computerized search was supplemented with literature from the author's personal collection of peer reviewed articles on customer service in a medical setting. This information was presented in a qualitative fashion. There is a significant lack of objective data correlating customer service objectives, patient satisfaction, and quality of care. Patients present predominantly for the convenience of emergency department care. Specifics of satisfaction are directed to the timing, and amount of "caring." Demographic correlates including symptom presentation, practice style, location, and physician issues directly impact on satisfaction. It is most helpful to develop a productive plan for the "difficult patient" emphasizing communication and empathy. The current emergency medicine customer service dilemmas are a complex interaction of both patient and physician factors specifically targeting both efficiency and patient satisfaction. Awareness of these issues can help to maximize efficiency, minimize subsequent medicolegal risk and improve patient care.

Measuring Customer Satisfaction and Quality of Service in Special Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Marilyn Domas; Abels, Eileen G.; Nitecki, Danuta

This project tested the appropriateness of SERVQUAL (i.e., an instrument widely used in the service industry for assessing service quality based on repeated service encounters rather than a particular service encounter) to measure service quality in special libraries and developed a modified version for special libraries. SERVQUAL is based on an…

Quality Control through Design and Process: Gambrel Roof Truss Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Dell; Jones, James

2011-01-01

Customers determine whether a product fulfills their needs or satisfies them. "Quality control", then, is the process of finding out what the customer wants, along with designing, producing, delivering, and servicing the product--and ultimately satisfying the customer's expectations. For many years, people considered a product to be of good…

Importance/performance analysis: a tool for service quality control by clinical laboratories.

PubMed

Scammon, D L; Weiss, R

1991-01-01

A study of customer satisfaction with clinical laboratory service is used as the basis for identifying potential improvements in service and more effectively targeting marketing activities to enhance customer satisfaction. Data on customer satisfaction are used to determine the aspects of service most critical to customers, how well the organization is doing in delivery of service, and how consistent service delivery is. Importance-performance analysis is used to highlight areas for future resource reallocation and strategic emphasis. Suggestions include the establishment of performance guidelines for customer contact personnel, the enhancement of timely delivery of reports via electronic transmission (computer and fax), and the development of standardized graphics for request and report forms to facilitate identification of appropriate request forms and guide clients to key items of information on reports.

Quality Management and Information Brokerage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Halm, Johan

1995-01-01

To compete effectively, information brokers need to adopt management and marketing tools; Total Quality Management can upgrade an organization's performance by using customer feedback of its services. SERVQUAL identifies gaps in service by assessing quality expectations versus quality experiences. (AEF)

A quality tool for health insurers. A new scale measures "quality orientation" from the customer's point of view.

PubMed

Westbrook, K W; Pedrick, D; Bush, V

1996-01-01

This study defines a company's quality orientation as "all process-related activities that can be discerned by customers." This even includes certain processes internal to the company that can be seen and evaluated by customers. One significant contribution this study provides is scale development centered on customer rather than employee perceptions. To generate scale items, input was gathered from experts involved in the study, senior managers employed with the target company, focus groups of employees working on the front line with customers, and users of the services. Because the sale measures customer perceptions of quality in comparison with the firm's closest competitor, it provides managers with information for benchmarking performance relative to others in the marketplace.

DCASR (Defense Contract Administration Services Region) New York, Total Quality Management Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-01

service quality measures on-going Commanders Directors 2. Investigate significant changes on-going Commanders in trends in terms of quality Directors 3...customer satisfaction on-going Commanders indicators and significance of the trends in Directors terms of improvements in product and service quality , and

A Strategic Decision Matrix for Analyzing Food Service Operations at Air Force Bases

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

substitute product can replace your product, for example high - fructose corn syrup can substitute for sugar. Substitutes may negatively affect...dining facility closed and receive BAS. Customers can be happy with customer service and the quality of the food (a high customer satisfaction level...Services squadron may achieve significant cost savings by pursuing the NAF MOA but must also weigh the dollar savings against the threat of high

Customer focus in breast cancer screening services.

PubMed

Buttimer, Andreas

2009-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how a generic value chain and customer focused system as demonstrated by the Scottish and Irish breast screening programmes can be used to provide a high quality health service. Literature relevant to aligning the entire operating model--the companies' culture, business processes, management systems to serve one value discipline, i.e. customer intimacy, is reviewed and considered in the context of the NHS Scottish Breast Screening Programme in Edinburgh and BreastCheck--the National Breast Screening Programme in Ireland. This paper demonstrates how an emphasis on customer focus and operational excellence, as used in other service industries, can help to provide a better health service. It uses the Scottish and Irish breast screening programmes as illustrative examples. The paper applies the key requirements in the delivery of a quality service including an understanding of the characteristics of a service industry, the management of discontinuities involved in its delivery and the environment in which it operates. System failure is commonly the cause of quality failure in the health system. Breast screening programmes are designed to prevent such a failure. This paper promotes and describes the use of the generic value chain by using the knowledge gained in delivering a mammography-screening programme.

The National Shipbuilding Research Program, 1991 Ship Production Symposium Proceedings: Paper No. IVA-3: Improving Your Competitive Position Through Total Quality Management (TQM)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

process of TQM, it will expect help from suppliers in the pursuit of increased product and service quality . So if your customers are describing their...customer expectations typically prompt the changes. Remaining competitive in today’s global economy requires an increased level of product and service ... quality at lower cost. In government the motivation often arises from Presidential Order #12552, or more importantly, con- strained budgets. The

A Correlational Study of How Airline Customer Service and Consumer Perception of Airline Customer Service Affect the Air Rage Phenomenon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Joyce A.

2007-01-01

Between 1995 and 2000, customer service declined throughout the airline industry, as reported in February 2001 by the U.S. Department of Transportation (2001). One of the biggest problems today within the airline industry is the constant complaining from customers regarding the deterioraton of service (McCollough, Berry, & Yadav, 2000). Since 1995, unfortunately no airline has been immune from service deterioration, as reported by the Airline Quality Rating, an annual report by two airline industry experts who analyzed Department of Transportation statistics (Harrison & Kleinsasser, 1999). The airline' refusal to recognize the issue of customer service has perpetuated an environment that has become dangerous and detrimental to the traveling public as well as to airline employees, which in turn has fueled a new phenomenon, now referred to as "air rage".

How does a servant leader fuel the service fire? A multilevel model of servant leadership, individual self identity, group competition climate, and customer service performance.

PubMed

Chen, Zhijun; Zhu, Jing; Zhou, Mingjian

2015-03-01

Building on a social identity framework, our cross-level process model explains how a manager's servant leadership affects frontline employees' service performance, measured as service quality, customer-focused citizenship behavior, and customer-oriented prosocial behavior. Among a sample of 238 hairstylists in 30 salons and 470 of their customers, we found that hair stylists' self-identity embedded in the group, namely, self-efficacy and group identification, partially mediated the positive effect of salon managers' servant leadership on stylists' service performance as rated by the customers, after taking into account the positive influence of transformational leadership. Moreover, group competition climate strengthened the positive relationship between self-efficacy and service performance. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

75 FR 3540 - Agency Information Collection (Health Eligibility Center (HEC) New Enrollee Survey) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-21

... used to improve customer service processes for Veterans applying for health care benefits. VA will use this information to determine the quality of customer service given to the Veteran and to identify what... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise McLamb, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans...

A survey of Estonian consumer expectations from the pharmacy service and a comparison with the opinions of pharmacists.

PubMed

Villako, Peeter; Raal, Ain

2007-10-01

To assess the preferences of pharmacy customers when choosing a pharmacy and their expectations of the service, and comparing these with the opinions of pharmacists. Opinion and satisfaction of community pharmacy clients in Estonia. A written survey was carried out among pharmacy customers (n=1979) in cities (in 3 community pharmacies), towns (in 2 community pharmacies), and in small towns (in 2 community pharmacies). The survey was also carried out among community pharmacists (n=135) in different regions of Estonia. When choosing a pharmacy, its location was considered most important, costs and wide choice are less important. The most important expectations of customers' included help choosing the right medicine, as well as professional consultation. Preferences and expectations of pharmacy customers depended on their age, gender and income. Parking space, quickness and pleasantness were considered important by men. Costs and wide choice were considered to be more important by women. Pharmacists wish to give patients more information, but they overestimate the importance of quick service. Customers favoured privacy, discretion and confidentiality more. These characteristics were especially important to younger well-paid people living in big cities. In contrast to the opinions offered by pharmacists', a rapid customer service is so not as important as the quality of service in pharmacy according to customers. They also emphasised that pharmacies should highlight the choice of products, quality of service, a professional consultation, as well as ensure privacy.

Measuring e-Commerce service quality from online customer review using sentiment analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kencana Sari, Puspita; Alamsyah, Andry; Wibowo, Sulistyo

2018-03-01

The biggest e-Commerce challenge to understand their market is to chart their level of service quality according to customer perception. The opportunities to collect user perception through online user review is considered faster methodology than conducting direct sampling methodology. To understand the service quality level, sentiment analysis methodology is used to classify the reviews into positive and negative sentiment for five dimensions of electronic service quality (e-Servqual). As case study in this research, we use Tokopedia, one of the biggest e-Commerce service in Indonesia. We obtain the online review comments about Tokopedia service quality during several month observations. The Naïve Bayes classification methodology is applied for the reason of its high-level accuracy and support large data processing. The result revealed that personalization and reliability dimension required more attention because have high negative sentiment. Meanwhile, trust and web design dimension have high positive sentiments that means it has very good services. The responsiveness dimension have balance sentiment positive and negative.

Factors affecting pharmacy engagement and pharmacy customer devotion in community pharmacy: A structural equation modeling approach.

PubMed

Nitadpakorn, Sujin; Farris, Karen B; Kittisopee, Tanattha

2017-01-01

The concept of customer engagement and devotion has been applied in various service businesses to keep the customers with business However, a limited number of studies were performed to examine the context of customer engagement and devotion in pharmacy business which focus on the impact of customer perceptions about pharmacists, perceived quality of pharmacy structure, medication price strategy on pharmacy engagement and pharmacy customer devotion in a pharmacy providing pharmaceutical care to the customers. This study aimed to assess a conceptual model depicting the relationships among customer perceptions about pharmacists, pharmacy quality structure, medication price, customer engagement, and customer devotion. And also aimed to assess and measure if there is a direct or indirect relationship between these factors. A quantitative study was conducted by using self-administered questionnaires. Two hundred and fifty three customers who regularly visited the pharmacy were randomly recruited from a purposively selected 30 community pharmacies in Bangkok. The survey was completed during February to April 2016. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to assess the direct and indirect relationships between constructs. A total of 253/300 questionnaires were returned for analysis, and the response rate was 84%. Only perceptions about pharmacist in customers receiving professional pharmacy services was statically significant regarding relationship with pharmacy engagement (beta=0.45). Concurrently, the model from empirical data fit with the hypothetical model (p-value = 0.06, adjusted chi-square (CMIN/DF)=1.16, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI)=0.93, Comparatively Fit Index (CFI)=0.99, and Root Mean Square Error Approximation (RMSEA)=0.03). The study confirmed the indirect positive influence of customer perceptions about pharmacist on pharmacy customer devotion in providing pharmacy services via pharmacy engagement It was customer perceptions about pharmacist that influenced customer retention, positive word of mouth and constructive advice to pharmacies, not quality of pharmacy structure and medication price. To create a long term impact on community pharmacy business, pharmacist is the key success factor.

Linkages between organization climate and work outcomes: perceptual differences among health service professionals as a function of customer contact intensity.

PubMed

Scotti, Dennis J; Harmon, Joel

2014-01-01

The delivery of high-quality service, rendered by health service professionals who interact with customers (patients), increases the likelihood that customers will form positive evaluations of the quality of their service encounters as well as high levels of customer satisfaction. Using linkage theory to develop our conceptual framework, we identify four clusters of variables which contribute to a chain of sequential events that connect organization climate to personal and operational work outcomes. We then examine the perceptual differences of service professionals, grouped by intensity of customer contact, with respect to these variables. National data for this project were obtained from multiple sources made available by the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA). Cross-group differences were tested using a series of variance analyses. The results indicate that level of customer-contact intensity plays a significant role in explaining variation in perceptions of support staff, clinical practitioners, and nurses at the multivariate and univariate levels of analysis. Contact intensity appears to be a core determinant of the nature of work performed by health service professionals as well as their psychological responses to organizational and customer-related dynamics. Health service professionals are important resources because of their specialized knowledge, labor expense, and scarcity. Based on findings from our research, managers are advised to survey employees' perceptions of their organizational environment and design practices that respond to the unique viewpoints of each of the professional groups identified in this study. Such tailoring should help executives maximize the value of investments in human resources by underwriting patient satisfaction and financial sustainability.

Measuring the performance of G2G services in Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarei, Behrouz; Safdari, Maryam

To highlight the growth of e-government and the importance of its services it is essential to evaluate the performance of the service delivery to customers. Research indicates that traditional performance indexes are not suitable for this evaluation; moreover, it is noticeable that the e-government services are intangible and invisible. Among different e-government services, measurement of quality government to government (G2G) services has been less attractive for researchers while crucial for government policy-makers. This calls for a better understanding of the specific needs of users of these services in order to provide appropriate type and level of services that meets those needs. In this paper, the performance of the G2G services is measured in the Iranian context. For this purpose, SERVQUAL, which is a well-known method for assessing service quality, is employed. This study proposes and tests a five-factor of SERVQUAL instrument to explain user satisfaction and gap analysis, between expectations and perceptions of its customers, consisting thirty ministries and main governmental organizations. Based on a Chi-square test, factor analysis, gap analysis and correlations, it is concluded the gap between expectations and perceptions of G2G customers is significant and customer satisfaction of G2G services is at low level.

Total Quality: An Understanding and Application For Community, Junior, and Technical Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgdorf, Augustus

1992-01-01

Total Quality (TQ), is a customer-oriented philosophy of management that utilizes total employee involvement in the relentless, daily search for improvement of product and service quality, through the use of statistical methods, employee teams, and performance management. In the TQ framework, "internal" customers are individuals within the…

Improving service quality in NHS Trust hospitals: lessons from the hotel sector.

PubMed

Desombre, T; Eccles, G

1998-01-01

This article looks to review recent practice undertaken within the UK hotel sector to improve customer service, and suggests ideals that could be implemented within National Health (NHS) Trust hospitals. At a time of increasing competition, hotel firms are using service enhancement as a means to gain competitive advantage, and therefore developing a range of techniques to measure levels of service quality improvement. With continued change in the health service, where greater focus now lies with patient satisfaction, so there is a requirement for managers to adapt techniques presently being offered in other service industries to improve levels of customer service and ensure patients are targeted to define their levels of satisfaction.

Total quality management - It works for aerospace information services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erwin, James; Eberline, Carl; Colquitt, Wanda

1993-01-01

Today we are in the midst of information and 'total quality' revolutions. At the NASA STI Program's Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI), we are focused on using continuous improvements techniques to enrich today's services and products and to ensure that tomorrow's technology supports the TQM-based improvement of future STI program products and services. The Continuous Improvements Program at CASI is the foundation for Total Quality Management in products and services. The focus is customer-driven; its goal, to identify processes and procedures that can be improved and new technologies that can be integrated with the processes to gain efficiencies, provide effectiveness, and promote customer satisfaction. This Program seeks to establish quality through an iterative defect prevention approach that is based on the incorporation of standards and measurements into the processing cycle.

How rude! Emotional labor as a mediator between customer incivility and employee outcomes.

PubMed

Sliter, Michael; Jex, Steve; Wolford, Katherine; McInnerney, Joanne

2010-10-01

Because of the large number of people employed in service occupations, customer incivility has become an increasingly prevalent and important workplace stressor. Unfortunately, relatively little research has examined the effects of customer incivility; of the research that does exist, virtually all of it has focused solely on employee mental health outcomes. The present study was designed to replicate previous research linking customer incivility to the emotional exhaustion dimension of burnout and to expand on previous research by examining the effects of customer incivility on customer service quality. In addition, two models were proposed and tested in which emotional labor mediated the relationship between customer incivility and outcomes. Data from 120 bank tellers revealed that customer incivility was positively related to emotional exhaustion and negatively related to customer service performance. In addition, both proposed models were supported. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings and future directions are discussed. © 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Improving the Service with the Servqual Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Midor, Katarzyna; Kučera, Marian

2018-03-01

At the time when economy is growing, there is strong competition in the market, and customers have increasingly higher expectations as regards quality of service and products. Under such conditions, organizations need to improve. One of the areas of improvement for an organization is to research the level of customer satisfaction. The article presents results of customer satisfaction surveys conducted by the Servqual method in a pharmaceutical service company. Use of this method allowed to improve the services provided by that pharmaceutical wholesaler, identify areas that need to be improved as soon as possible in order to improve the level of service provided.

Using fuzzy gap analysis to measure service quality of medical tourism in Taiwan.

PubMed

Ho, Li-Hsing; Feng, Shu-Yun; Yen, Tieh-Min

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is intended to create a model to measure quality of service, using fuzzy linguistics to analyze the quality of service of medical tourism in Taiwan so as to find the direction for improvement of service quality in medical tourism. The study developed fuzzy questionnaires based on the characteristics of medical tourism quality of service in Taiwan. Questionnaires were delivered and recovered from February to April 2014, using random sampling according to the proportion of medical tourism companies in each region, and 150 effective samples were obtained. The critical quality of service level is found through the fuzzy gap analysis using questionnaires examining expectations and perceptions of customers, as the direction for continuous improvement. From the study, the primary five critical service items that improve the quality of service for medical tourism in Taiwan include, in order: the capability of the service provider to provide committed medical tourism services reliably and accurately, facility service providers in conjunction with the services provided, the cordial and polite attitude of the service provider eliciting a sense of trust from the customer, professional ability of medical (nursing) personnel in hospital and reliability of service provider. The contribution of this study is to create a fuzzy gap analysis to assess the performance of medical tourism service quality, identify key quality characteristics and provide a direction for improvement and development for medical tourism service quality in Taiwan.

Impact of hospital atmosphere on perceived health care outcome.

PubMed

Narang, Ritu; Polsa, Pia; Soneye, Alabi; Fuxiang, Wei

2015-01-01

Healthcare service quality studies primarily examine the relationships between patients' perceived quality and satisfaction with healthcare services, clinical effectiveness, service use, recommendations and value for money. These studies suggest that patient-independent quality dimensions (structure, process and outcome) are antecedents to quality. The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative by looking at the relationship between hospital atmosphere and healthcare quality with perceived outcome. Data were collected from Finland, India, Nigeria and the People's Republic of China. Regression analysis used perceived outcome as the dependent variable and atmosphere and healthcare service quality as independent variables. Findings - Results showed that atmosphere and healthcare service quality have a statistically significant relationship with patient perceived outcomes. The sample size was small and the sampling units were selected on convenience; thus, caution must be exercised in generalizing the findings. The study determined that service quality and atmosphere are considered significant for developing and developed nations. This result could have significant implications for policy makers and service providers developing healthcare quality and hospital atmosphere. Studies concentrate on healthcare outcome primarily regarding population health status, mortality, morbidity, customer satisfaction, loyalty, quality of life, customer behavior and consumption. However, the study exposes how patients perceive their health after treatment. Furthermore, the authors develop the healthcare service literature by considering atmosphere and perceived outcome.

77 FR 19673 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance To Conduct Voluntary Customer/Partner...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-02

... Request; Generic Clearance To Conduct Voluntary Customer/Partner Surveys SUMMARY: In compliance with the... to Conduct Voluntary Customer/Partner Surveys; Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of... directly to the public to survey customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and...

Service Quality and Student/Customer Satisfaction in the Private Tertiary Education Sector in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khoo, Susie; Ha, Huong; McGregor, Sue L. T.

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper focuses on students' perceptions of the quality of non-academic services received in higher education. While the important role played by expectations and perceptions in students' evaluations of such services has been discussed in much of the service quality literature, there is insufficient work in the private tertiary…

What matters to infrequent customers: a pragmatic approach to understanding perceived value and intention to revisit trendy coffee café.

PubMed

Ting, Hiram; Thurasamy, Ramayah

2016-01-01

Notwithstanding the rise of trendy coffee café, little is done to investigate revisit intention towards the café in the context of developing markets. In particular, there is a lack of study which provides theoretical and practical explanation to the perceptions and behaviours of infrequent customers. Hence, the study aims to look into the subject matter by using the theory of reasoned action and social exchange theory as the underpinning basis. The framework proposed by Pine and Gilmore (Strat Leadersh 28:18-23, 2000), which asserts the importance of product quality, service quality and experience quality in a progressive manner, is used to decompose perceived value in the model so as to determine their effects on intention to revisit the café. Given the importance to gain practical insights into revisit intention of infrequent customers, pragmatism stance is assumed. Explanatory sequential mixed-method design is thus adopted whereby qualitative approach is used to confirm and complement quantitative findings. Self-administered questionnaire-based survey is first administered before personal interview is carried out at various cafés. Partial least squares structural equation modelling and content analysis are appropriated successively. In the quantitative findings, although product quality, service quality and experience quality are found to have positive effect on perceived value and revisit intention towards trendy coffee café, experience quality is found to have the greater effect than the others among the infrequent customers. The qualitative findings not only confirm their importance, but most importantly explain the favourable impressions they have at trendy coffee café based on their last in-store experience. While product and service quality might not necessary stimulate them to revisit trendy coffee café, experience quality driven by purposes of visit would likely affect their intention to revisit. As retaining customers is of utmost importance to businesses, and infrequent customers more than often make up the majority of the customers, the study provides meaningful and practical understanding of revisit intention.

Building brand equity and customer loyalty

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pokorny, G.

Customer satisfaction and customer loyalty are two different concepts, not merely two different phrases measuring a single consumer attitude. Utilities having identical customer satisfaction ratings based on performance in areas like power reliability, pricing, and quality of service differ dramatically in their levels of customer loyalty. As competitive markets establish themselves, discrepancies in customer loyalty will have profound impacts on each utility`s prospects for market retention, profitability, and ultimately, shareholder value. Meeting pre-existing consumer needs, wants and preferences is the foundation of any utility strategy for building customer loyalty and market retention. Utilities meet their underlying customer expectations by performingmore » well in three discrete areas: product, customer service programs, and customer service transactions. Brand equity is an intervening variable standing between performance and the loyalty a utility desires. It is the totality of customer perceptions about the unique extra value the utility provides above and beyond its basic product, customer service programs and customer service transactions; it is the tangible, palpable reality of a branded utility that exists in the minds of consumers. By learning to manage their brand equity as well as they manage their brand performance, utilities gain control over all the major elements in the value-creation process that creates customer loyalty. By integrating brand performance and brand equity, electric utility companies can truly become in their customers` eyes a brand - a unique, very special, value-added energy services provider that can ask for and deserve a premium price in the marketplace.« less

Customer satisfaction.

PubMed

Vukmir, Rade B

2006-01-01

This paper seeks to present an analysis of the literature examining objective information concerning the subject of customer service, as it applies to the current medical practice. Hopefully, this information will be synthesized to generate a cogent approach to correlate customer service with quality. Articles were obtained by an English language search of MEDLINE from January 1976 to July 2005. This computerized search was supplemented with literature from the author's personal collection of peer-reviewed articles on customer service in a medical setting. This information was presented in a qualitative fashion. There is a significant lack of objective data correlating customer service objectives, patient satisfaction and quality of care. Patients present predominantly for the convenience of emergency department care. Specifics of satisfaction are directed to the timing, and amount of "caring". Demographic correlates including symptom presentation, practice style, location and physician issues directly impact on satisfaction. It is most helpful to develop a productive plan for the "difficult patient", emphasizing communication and empathy. Profiling of the customer satisfaction experience is best accomplished by examining the specifics of satisfaction, nature of the ED patient, demographic profile, symptom presentation and physician interventions emphasizing communication--especially with the difficult patient. The current emergency medicine customer service dilemmas are a complex interaction of both patient and physician factors specifically targeting both efficiency and patient satisfaction. Awareness of these issues particular to the emergency patient can help to maximize efficiency, minimize subsequent medicolegal risk and improve patient care if a tailored management plan is formulated.

An integrative fuzzy Kansei engineering and Kano model for logistics services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartono, M.; Chuan, T. K.; Prayogo, D. N.; Santoso, A.

2017-11-01

Nowadays, customer emotional needs (known as Kansei) in product and especially in services become a major concern. One of the emerging services is the logistics services. In obtaining a global competitive advantage, logistics services should understand and satisfy their customer affective impressions (Kansei). How to capture, model and analyze the customer emotions has been well structured by Kansei Engineering, equipped with Kano model to strengthen its methodology. However, its methodology lacks of the dynamics of customer perception. More specifically, there is a criticism of perceived scores on user preferences, in both perceived service quality and Kansei response, whether they represent an exact numerical value. Thus, this paper is proposed to discuss an approach of fuzzy Kansei in logistics service experiences. A case study in IT-based logistics services involving 100 subjects has been conducted. Its findings including the service gaps accompanied with prioritized improvement initiatives are discussed.

Organizational Culture in Community Colleges: Connecting Market Orientation, Quality, and Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McManimon, Debra J.

2012-01-01

To enhance their competitive advantage in the marketplace, many business leaders develop market orientation strategies designed to increase customer engagement. These market orientation strategies include improvement in service delivery, relationship management, customer satisfaction, and quality control methods. There is a lack of understanding…

Helping You Identify Quality Laboratory Services

MedlinePlus

... and then discuss specifics about the quality improvement processes the laboratory has in place. General questions  What ... like a printed copy, please call the Customer Service Center at (630) 792-5800. To report information ...

The relationships among social capital, organisational commitment and customer-oriented prosocial behaviour of hospital nurses.

PubMed

Hsu, Chiu-Ping; Chang, Chia-Wen; Huang, Heng-Chiang; Chiang, Chi-Yun

2011-05-01

This study examines the perceptions of registered nurses of social capital, organisational commitment and customer-oriented prosocial behaviour. Additionally, this study also addresses a conceptual model for testing how registered nurses' perceptions of three types of social capital influence their organisational commitment, in turn intensifying customer-oriented prosocial behaviour, including role-prescribed customer service and extra-role customer service. Customer-oriented prosocial behaviour explains differences in job satisfaction and job performance. However, the critical role of customer orientation in the hospital setting has yet to be explored. Survey. The survey was conducted to obtain data from registered nurses working for a large Taiwanese medical centre, yielding 797 usable responses and a satisfactory response rate of 86.7%. The partial least squares method was adopted to obtain parameter estimates and test proposed hypotheses. The study measurements display satisfactory reliability, as well as both convergent and discriminant validities. All hypotheses were supported. Empirical results indicate that registered nurses' perceptions of social capital were significantly impacted the extent of organisational commitment, which in turn significantly influenced customer-oriented prosocial behaviour. By stimulating nursing staff commitment, health care providers can urge them to pursue organisational goals and provide high quality customer service. To enhance organisational commitment, health care managers should endeavour to create interpersonal interaction platforms in addition to simply offering material rewards. Nurses act as contact employees for their patient customers in the hospital, and they are required to provide patient safety and service quality. This study shows that nurses with high organisational commitment are willing to provide customer-oriented prosocial activities, which in turn enhances patient satisfaction. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Customers First: Using Process Improvement To Improve Service Quality and Efficiency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Catherine A.

1998-01-01

Describes steps in a process-improvement project for reserve book services at the University of Arizona Library: (1) plan--identify process boundaries and customer requirements, gather/analyze data, prioritize problems; (2) do--encourage divergent thinking, reach convergent thinking, find solutions; (3) check--pilot solutions, compare costs; and…

78 FR 78415 - Submission for Review: Customer Service Surveys, OMB Control No. 3206-0236

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) leads Federal agencies in shaping human resources management systems to effectively recruit, develop, manage and retain a high quality and diverse... OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT Submission for Review: Customer Service Surveys, OMB Control No...

75 FR 41870 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-19

... Customer Satisfaction Survey SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the...: NIDDK Information Clearinghouses Customer Satisfaction Survey. Type of Information Requested... quality of service they want and their level of satisfaction with existing services.'' Frequency of...

75 FR 34748 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-18

... Clearinghouses Customer Satisfaction Survey SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A... Collection Title: NIDDK Information Clearinghouses Customer Satisfaction Survey. Type of Information... and quality of service they want and their level of satisfaction with existing services.'' Frequency...

Wrapping the COTS Dilemma

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-12-01

security services for its transactions, notably e-commerce both business to customer (B2C) and business to business ( B2B ). Already the e4: Wrapping...is cos-oms s the continuity of its function in replacement" cost-competitiveness products? "• customer expectation of quality * are the implications...of new functionality on previous "* customer tolerance to shortfalls in quality assurances "* lifetime in the marketplace "* commercial through-life

Emergency department patient satisfaction: customer service training improves patient satisfaction and ratings of physician and nurse skill.

PubMed

Mayer, T A; Cates, R J; Mastorovich, M J; Royalty, D L

1998-01-01

Customer service initiatives in healthcare have become a popular way of attempting to improve patient satisfaction. This study investigates the effect of clinically focused customer service training on patient satisfaction in the setting of a 62,000-visit emergency department and level I trauma center. Analysis of patient complaints, patient compliments, and a statistically verified patient-satisfaction survey indicate that (1) all 14 key quality characteristics identified in the survey increased dramatically in the study period; (2) patient complaints decreased by over 70 percent from 2.6 per 1,000 emergency department (ED) visits to 0.6 per 1,000 ED visits following customer service training; and (3) patient compliments increased more than 100 percent from 1.1 per 1,000 ED visits to 2.3 per 1,000 ED visits. The most dramatic improvement in the patient satisfaction survey came in ratings of skill of the emergency physician, likelihood of returning, skill of the emergency department nurse, and overall satisfaction. These results show that clinically focused customer service training improves patient satisfaction and ratings of physician and nurse skill. They also suggest that such training may offer a substantial competitive market advantage, as well as improve the patients' perception of quality and outcome.

The Students' Viewpoint on Quality of Educational Services in Iran.

PubMed

Siamian, Hasan; Rostami, Farideh; Ghara, Aliasghar Nadi; Abedi, Ghassem

2017-03-01

Recently, focusing on higher education quality has got increasingly critical. The novel managerial attitudes have defined the customer-demanded quality. Based on this, recognizing the receivers' perception of the quality of the services offered and evaluating the quality of the service is considered of the basic measures taken in order to develop quality promotion programs. Therefore, this is a qualitative research conducted for students' viewpoint on quality of educational services. This qualitative study has been performed by the phenomenological method. The samples have been selected based on goal-oriented approach. In this qualitative research, the required data have been collected in two phases (90 individual interviews and 30 focus group discussions) at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences during which the participants have conveyed their experiences and expectations encountering the educational quality topic. All the interviews have been recorded and implemented. The interviews analysis has been carried out simultaneously with the implementation and using theme analysis by Smith method. According to the findings regarding the definition of quality, the students have emphasized two important aspects including "educational services standards by the teacher "and "the students' satisfaction". Thus the final education quality resulted from the students' experiences and perception is this way: "Presenting the students educational services in class and out of class compatible with the educational services standards so that it results in the students' satisfaction". When a person views her/him-self rightful as a customer, whatever seems necessary to them appears like a requirement. Then regarding paying attention and reflecting on the customers' perceived needs, it is possible to determine their expectations limit to some extent. Therefore, designing educational quality standards in order to evaluate the teachers' function without taking the stakeholders' perspective into account is not practical. This research-extracted finding can present the stakeholders' perspective encountering the educational quality.

Factors affecting pharmacy engagement and pharmacy customer devotion in community pharmacy: A structural equation modeling approach

PubMed Central

Nitadpakorn, Sujin; Kittisopee, Tanattha

2017-01-01

Background: The concept of customer engagement and devotion has been applied in various service businesses to keep the customers with business However, a limited number of studies were performed to examine the context of customer engagement and devotion in pharmacy business which focus on the impact of customer perceptions about pharmacists, perceived quality of pharmacy structure, medication price strategy on pharmacy engagement and pharmacy customer devotion in a pharmacy providing pharmaceutical care to the customers. Objective: This study aimed to assess a conceptual model depicting the relationships among customer perceptions about pharmacists, pharmacy quality structure, medication price, customer engagement, and customer devotion. And also aimed to assess and measure if there is a direct or indirect relationship between these factors. Methods: A quantitative study was conducted by using self-administered questionnaires. Two hundred and fifty three customers who regularly visited the pharmacy were randomly recruited from a purposively selected 30 community pharmacies in Bangkok. The survey was completed during February to April 2016. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to assess the direct and indirect relationships between constructs. Results: A total of 253/300 questionnaires were returned for analysis, and the response rate was 84%. Only perceptions about pharmacist in customers receiving professional pharmacy services was statically significant regarding relationship with pharmacy engagement (beta=0.45). Concurrently, the model from empirical data fit with the hypothetical model (p-value = 0.06, adjusted chi-square (CMIN/DF)=1.16, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI)=0.93, Comparatively Fit Index (CFI)=0.99, and Root Mean Square Error Approximation (RMSEA)=0.03). Conclusion: The study confirmed the indirect positive influence of customer perceptions about pharmacist on pharmacy customer devotion in providing pharmacy services via pharmacy engagement It was customer perceptions about pharmacist that influenced customer retention, positive word of mouth and constructive advice to pharmacies, not quality of pharmacy structure and medication price. To create a long term impact on community pharmacy business, pharmacist is the key success factor. PMID:28943984

Conjoint Analysis for New Service Development on Electricity Distribution in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widaningrum, D. L.; Chynthia; Astuti, L. D.; Seran, M. A. B.

2017-07-01

Many cases of illegal use of electricity in Indonesia is still rampant, especially for activities where the power source is not available, such as in the location of street vendors. It is not only detrimental to the state, but also harm the perpetrators of theft of electricity and the surrounding communities. The purpose of this study is to create New Service Development (NSD) to provide a new electricity source for street vendors' activity based on their preferences. The methods applied in NSD is Conjoint Analysis, Cluster Analysis, Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Service Blueprint, Process Flow Diagrams and Quality Control Plan. The results of this study are the attributes and their importance in the new electricity’s service based on street vendors’ preferences as customers, customer segmentation, service design for new service, designing technical response, designing operational procedures, the quality control plan of any existing operational procedures.

Total quality management: It works for aerospace information services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erwin, James; Eberline, Carl; Colquitt, Wanda

1993-01-01

Today we are in the midst of information and 'total quality' revolutions. At the NASA STI Program's Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI), we are focused on using continuous improvements techniques to enrich today's services and products and to ensure that tomorrow's technology supports the TQM-based improvement of future STI program products and services. The Continuous Improvements Program at CASI is the foundation for Total Quality Management in products and services. The focus is customer-driven; its goal, to identify processes and procedures that can be improved and new technologies that can be integrated with the processes to gain efficiencies, provide effectiveness, and promote customer satisfaction. This Program seeks to establish quality through an iterative defect prevention approach that is based on the incorporation of standards and measurements into the processing cycle. Four projects are described that utilize cross-functional, problem-solving teams for identifying requirements and defining tasks and task standards, management participation, attention to critical processes, and measurable long-term goals. The implementation of these projects provides the customer with measurably improved access to information that is provided through several channels: the NASA STI Database, document requests for microfiche and hardcopy, and the Centralized Help Desk.

Manufacturing Bms/Iso System Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gomez, Yazmin

2004-01-01

The Quality Management System (QMS) is one that recognizes the need to continuously change and improve an organization s products and services as determined by system feedback, and corresponding management decisions. The purpose of a Quality Management System is to minimize quality variability of an organization's products and services. The optimal Quality Management System balances the need for an organization to maintain flexibility in the products and services it provides with the need for providing the appropriate level of discipline and control over the processes used to provide them. The goal of a Quality Management System is to ensure the quality of the products and services while consistently (through minimizing quality variability) meeting or exceeding customer expectations. The GRC Business Management System (BMS) is the foundation of the Center's ISO 9001:2000 registered quality system. ISO 9001 is a quality system model developed by the International Organization for Standardization. BMS supports and promote the Glenn Research Center Quality Policy and wants to ensure the customer satisfaction while also meeting quality standards. My assignment during this summer is to examine the manufacturing processes used to develop research hardware, which in most cases are one of a kind hardware, made with non conventional equipment and materials. During this process of observation I will make a determination, based on my observations of the hardware development processes the best way to meet customer requirements and at the same time achieve the GRC quality standards. The purpose of my task is to review the manufacturing processes identifying opportunities in which to optimize the efficiency of the processes and establish a plan for implementation and continuous improvement.

"Tag you're it!"--providing flawless customer service in the healthcare security environment.

PubMed

Hogan, Michael V

2012-01-01

An adaptation of a childhood game as a means of providing flawless service to customers will allow security departments to increase their scope and quality of service, the author points out. Teaching our officers the concept of playing "tag, " embracing being "it" and finishing the game will provide a significant return on investment by expanding the value of our departments, he says.

The Mental Health Recovery Measure Can Be Used to Assess Aspects of Both Customer-Based and Service-Based Recovery in the Context of Severe Mental Illness.

PubMed

Oliveira-Maia, Albino J; Mendonça, Carina; Pessoa, Maria J; Camacho, Marta; Gago, Joaquim

2016-01-01

Within clinical psychiatry, recovery from severe mental illness (SMI) has classically been defined according to symptoms and function (service-based recovery). However, service-users have argued that recovery should be defined as the process of overcoming mental illness, regaining self-control and establishing a meaningful life (customer-based recovery). Here, we aimed to compare customer-based and service-based recovery and clarify their differential relationship with other constructs, namely needs and quality of life. The study was conducted in 101 patients suffering from SMI, recruited from a rural community mental health setting in Portugal. Customer-based recovery and function-related service-based recovery were assessed, respectively, using a shortened version of the Mental Health Recovery Measure (MHRM-20) and the Global Assessment of Functioning score. The Camberwell Assessment of Need scale was used to objectively assess needs, while subjective quality of life was measured with the TL-30s scale. Using multiple linear regression models, we found that the Global Assessment of Functioning score was incrementally predictive of the MHRM-20 score, when added to a model including only clinical and demographic factors, and that this model was further incremented by the score for quality of life. However, in an alternate model using the Global Assessment of Functioning score as the dependent variable, while the MHRM-20 score contributed significantly to the model when added to clinical and demographic factors, the model was not incremented by the score for quality of life. These results suggest that, while a more global concept of recovery from SMI may be assessed using measures for service-based and customer-based recovery, the latter, namely the MHRM-20, also provides information about subjective well-being. Pending confirmation of these findings in other populations, this instrument could thus be useful for comprehensive assessment of recovery and subjective well-being in patients suffering from SMI.

The Mental Health Recovery Measure Can Be Used to Assess Aspects of Both Customer-Based and Service-Based Recovery in the Context of Severe Mental Illness

PubMed Central

Oliveira-Maia, Albino J.; Mendonça, Carina; Pessoa, Maria J.; Camacho, Marta; Gago, Joaquim

2016-01-01

Within clinical psychiatry, recovery from severe mental illness (SMI) has classically been defined according to symptoms and function (service-based recovery). However, service-users have argued that recovery should be defined as the process of overcoming mental illness, regaining self-control and establishing a meaningful life (customer-based recovery). Here, we aimed to compare customer-based and service-based recovery and clarify their differential relationship with other constructs, namely needs and quality of life. The study was conducted in 101 patients suffering from SMI, recruited from a rural community mental health setting in Portugal. Customer-based recovery and function-related service-based recovery were assessed, respectively, using a shortened version of the Mental Health Recovery Measure (MHRM-20) and the Global Assessment of Functioning score. The Camberwell Assessment of Need scale was used to objectively assess needs, while subjective quality of life was measured with the TL-30s scale. Using multiple linear regression models, we found that the Global Assessment of Functioning score was incrementally predictive of the MHRM-20 score, when added to a model including only clinical and demographic factors, and that this model was further incremented by the score for quality of life. However, in an alternate model using the Global Assessment of Functioning score as the dependent variable, while the MHRM-20 score contributed significantly to the model when added to clinical and demographic factors, the model was not incremented by the score for quality of life. These results suggest that, while a more global concept of recovery from SMI may be assessed using measures for service-based and customer-based recovery, the latter, namely the MHRM-20, also provides information about subjective well-being. Pending confirmation of these findings in other populations, this instrument could thus be useful for comprehensive assessment of recovery and subjective well-being in patients suffering from SMI. PMID:27857698

Service quality, trust, and patient satisfaction in interpersonal-based medical service encounters.

PubMed

Chang, Ching-Sheng; Chen, Su-Yueh; Lan, Yi-Ting

2013-01-16

Interaction between service provider and customer is the primary core of service businesses of different natures, and the influence of trust on service quality and customer satisfaction could not be ignored in interpersonal-based service encounters. However, lack of existing literature on the correlation between service quality, patient trust, and satisfaction from the prospect of interpersonal-based medical service encounters has created a research gap in previous studies. Therefore, this study attempts to bridge such a gap with an evidence-based practice study. We adopted a cross-sectional design using a questionnaire survey of outpatients in seven medical centers of Taiwan. Three hundred and fifty copies of questionnaire were distributed, and 285 valid copies were retrieved, with a valid response rate of 81.43%. The SPSS 14.0 and AMOS 14.0 (structural equation modeling) statistical software packages were used for analysis. Structural equation modeling clarifies the extent of relationships between variables as well as the chain of cause and effect. Restated, SEM results do not merely show empirical relationships between variables when defining the practical situation. For this reason, SEM was used to test the hypotheses. Perception of interpersonal-based medical service encounters positively influences service quality and patient satisfaction. Perception of service quality among patients positively influences their trust. Perception of trust among patients positively influences their satisfaction. According to the findings, as interpersonal-based medical service encounters will positively influence service quality and patient satisfaction, and the differences for patients' perceptions of the professional skill and communication attitude of personnel in interpersonal-based medical service encounters will influence patients' overall satisfaction in two ways: (A) interpersonal-based medical service encounter directly affects patient satisfaction, which represents a direct effect; and (B) service quality and patient trust are used as intervening variables to affect patient satisfaction, which represents an indirect effect. Due to differences in the scale, resources and costs among medical institutions of different levels, it is a most urgent and concerning issue of how to control customers' demands and preferences and adopt correct marketing concepts under the circumstances of intense competition in order to satisfy the public and build up a competitive edge for medical institutions.

When customers exhibit verbal aggression, employees pay cognitive costs.

PubMed

Rafaeli, Anat; Erez, Amir; Ravid, Shy; Derfler-Rozin, Rellie; Treister, Dorit Efrat; Scheyer, Ravit

2012-09-01

In 4 experimental studies, we show that customer verbal aggression impaired the cognitive performance of the targets of this aggression. In Study 1, customers' verbal aggression reduced recall of customers' requests. Study 2 extended these findings by showing that customer verbal aggression impaired recognition memory and working memory among employees of a cellular communication provider. In Study 3, the ability to take another's perspective attenuated the negative effects of customer verbal aggression on participants' cognitive performance. Study 4 linked customer verbal aggression to quality of task performance, showing a particularly negative influence of aggressive requests delivered by high-status customers. Together, these studies suggest that the effects of even minor aggression from customers can strongly affect the immediate cognitive performance of customer service employees and reduce their task performance. The implications for research on aggression and for the practice of customer service are discussed.

Three-year customer satisfaction survey in laboratory medicine in a Chinese university hospital.

PubMed

Guo, Siqi; Duan, Yifei; Liu, Xiaojuan; Jiang, Yongmei

2018-04-25

Customer satisfaction is a key quality indicator of laboratory service. Patients and physicians are the ultimate customers in medical laboratory, and their opinions are essential components in developing a customer-oriented laboratory. A longitudinal investigation of customer satisfaction was conducted through questionnaires. We designed two different questionnaires and selected 1200 customers (600 outpatients and 600 physicians) to assess customer satisfaction every other year from 2012 to 2016. Items with scores <4 were considered unsatisfactory, and corrective actions should be taken. The completion rates of physicians were 96.8% in 2012, 97% in 2014 and 96.5% in 2016, whereas the rates of patients were 95.3%, 96.2% and 95.2%, respectively. In 2012, the most dissatisfaction items were test turnaround time (3.77 points) and service attitude (3.87 points) from physicians, whereas waiting time (3.58 points) and examination environment (3.64 points) were the most dissatisfaction items from patients. After corrective actions were taken, the result of satisfaction in 2014 was better, which illustrated our strategy was effective. However, some items remained to be less than 4, so we repeated the survey after modifying questionnaires in 2016. However, the general satisfaction points of the physicians and patients reduced in 2016, which reminded us of some influential factors we had neglected. By using dynamic survey of satisfaction, we can continuously find deficiencies in our laboratory services and take suitable corrective actions, thereby improving our service quality.

Levers supporting tariff growth for water services: evidence from a contingent valuation analysis.

PubMed

Guerrini, Andrea; Vigolo, Vania; Romano, Giulia; Testa, Federico

2018-02-01

The backwardness of the water utilities sector necessitates urgent investment in infrastructure to improve water quality and efficiency in water supply networks. A policy of tariff growth represents the main source to sustain such investments. Therefore, customer engagement in the form of willingness to pay (WTP) is highly desirable by water utilities to obtain social legitimization and support. This study examines the determinants of consumers' WTP for improvement programs for three drinking water issues: quality of water sources, renewal of water mains, and building of new wastewater treatment plants. The study is based on a survey conducted among a sample of 587 customers of a water utility located in the province of Verona in the north of Italy. The contingence valuation method is used to measure WTP. Specifically, an ordinal logistic regression model yields the following significant determinants of WTP: quality of water and services provided, preference for privatization of the water utility, sustainable consumption of water, and some socio-demographic variables. The findings provide interesting insights into the drivers of WTP as well as managerial recommendations for water utilities. In particular, the findings show that water utilities need to improve service and water quality to increase customers' acceptance of tariff growth. In addition, utilities should invest in customer education and communication activities focusing on specific age groups (e.g., older customers) to enhance their WTP. Finally, communication strategies should reinforce the possible role of liberalization and privatization in supporting infrastructure investments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incorporating Servqual-QFD with Taguchi Design for optimizing service quality design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbi Hadiyat, M.

2018-03-01

Deploying good service design in service companies has been updated issue in improving customer satisfaction, especially based on the level of service quality measured by Parasuraman’s SERVQUAL. Many researchers have been proposing methods in designing the service, and some of them are based on engineering viewpoint, especially by implementing the QFD method or even using robust Taguchi method. The QFD method would found the qualitative solution by generating the “how’s”, while Taguchi method gives more quantitative calculation in optimizing best solution. However, incorporating both QFD and Taguchi has been done in this paper and yields better design process. The purposes of this research is to evaluate the incorporated methods by implemented it to a case study, then analyze the result and see the robustness of those methods to customer perception of service quality. Started by measuring service attributes using SERVQUAL and find the improvement with QFD, the deployment of QFD solution then generated by defining Taguchi factors levels and calculating the Signal-to-noise ratio in its orthogonal array, and optimized Taguchi response then found. A case study was given for designing service in local bank. Afterward, the service design obtained from previous analysis was then evaluated and shows that it was still meet the customer satisfaction. Incorporating QFD and Taguchi has performed well and can be adopted and developed for another research for evaluating the robustness of result.

Service quality from the perspective of myocardial infarction patients.

PubMed

Gholipour, Kamal; Tabrizi, Jafar Sadegh; Azimzadeh, Solmaz; Ghafari, Samad; Iezadi, Shabnam

2018-04-01

Service quality (SQ) generally refers to the nonclinical aspects of health services and primarily focuses on the relationship between the care provider and the customers, and the environment in which care services are delivered. The aim of this study was to assess the SQ provided for myocardial infarction (MI) from the patients' perspective. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 164 patients with MI at the Tabriz Shahid Madani cardiology clinic. Study participants were selected using convenience sampling. SQ was measured using a validated Comprehensive Quality Measurement in Healthcare SQ questionnaire. The reliability was confirmed based on Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α=0.81). SQ was calculated using the formula SQ=10- (importance × performance), based on the importance and performance of non-health-related aspects from the customers' perspective. Importance scores ranged from 1 to 10 and performance was scored between 0 and 1. Of 164 participants, about 75% were men and almost 44% were between 51 and 65 years of age. From the customers' perspective, the total SQ score was 6.80 (0-10 scale), and the individual scores for all SQ aspects were below an acceptable level. Confidentiality, dignity and continuity were given the highest scores, while availability of support groups had the lowest score. The study findings revealed an opportunity to improve SQ. Patient and provider participation in quality improvement activities could be an effective strategy to improve the aspects of health care quality that were most important to the customers and those with low scores, such as availability of support groups.

Insights into Library Services and Users from Qualitative Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lincoln, Yvonna S.

2002-01-01

Describes a study that used interview data to adapt SERVQUAL, a survey to determine customer perceptions of service quality, to LibQUAL[TM], a Web-based survey to investigate users' perceptions of library service quality. Offers hypotheses regarding how data was categorized as it was. (Author/LRW)

Total Quality Management in Libraries: A Sourcebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neil, Rosanna M., Comp.

Total Quality Management (TQM) brings together the best aspects of organizational excellence by driving out fear, offering customer-driven products and services, doing it right the first time by eliminating error, and maintaining inventory control without waste. Libraries are service organizations which are constantly trying to improve service.…

Family and Community Perceptions of Quality in Juvenile Justice Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selber, Katherine; Streeter, Calvin

2004-01-01

The conceptualization and empirical assessment of service quality in juvenile justice remains limited. There are few reports on programmatic attempts to assess satisfaction in juvenile justice programs or attempts to include what constitutes quality of service from multiple customer perspectives. This article describes a potential model, the Gap…

The Total Quality Initiative at South Bank University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geddes, Tommy

1993-01-01

Application of the Total Quality Management approach to one aspect of the administration of South Bank University (England), the relationship between student as customer and university as supplier, is described. The technique includes development of service quality standards and agreements for each service, support, and academic department. (MSE)

Transportation Customer Survey, Part 1-Statewide Analysis.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-10-01

Abstract: In 2003 the University of Missouri-Columbia implemented the Transportation Customer Survey. : This study replicates research previously reported as the Constituent Service Quality Survey (conducted in 2000). The survey collected responses f...

Student Satisfaction and the Customer Focus in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mark, Eddie

2013-01-01

Advocating a customer focus, the Total Quality Management model of leadership has led to success in raising performance levels throughout various manufacturing and service industries. Many education stakeholders, however, are resistant to the notion that postsecondary students benefit from being treated like customers. While many critics oppose…

76 FR 44020 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Partners and Customer Satisfaction...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-22

... surveys, which will be both quantitative and qualitative, are designed to assess the quality of services... Request; Generic Clearance for Partners and Customer Satisfaction Surveys SUMMARY: In compliance with the... Voluntary Partners and Customers Satisfaction Surveys: Extension. The information collected in these surveys...

76 FR 77244 - Renewal of Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1040-0001, DOI Programmatic Clearance for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-12

... Number 1040-0001, DOI Programmatic Clearance for Customer Satisfaction Surveys AGENCY: Department of [email protected] . Reference ``DOI Programmatic Clearance for Customer Satisfaction Surveys'' in your email... public accountability by promoting a new focus on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction...

78 FR 30896 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-23

..., Associated Form and OMB Number: Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE)/Enterprise Voice of the Customer (EVoC...)/ Enterprise Voice of the Customer (EVoC) System automates and minimizes the use of the current manual paper... service provider on the quality of their experience and their satisfaction level. This is a management...

Army Efficiency Initiatives

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-28

provide, its customers with products and services that satisfy their needs. A total quality culture requires quality in all aspects of the company’s...operations, with things being done right the first time, with product defects and waste eradicated from operations. Many companies have...government, service, research and development, and education. Yet in today’s global economy of today, the quality of many American products and services

Student and Faculty Perceptions of Service Quality: The Moderating Role of the Institutional Aspects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duževic, Ines; Ceh Casni, Anita

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore key attributes of service quality in the Croatian higher education system. In particular, the study aims to compare student and faculty perceptions of service quality and to identify institutional aspects that may affect the perceptions of these two customers. Principal component analysis is used to define…

Principles of data collection applied to customer knowledge.

PubMed

Quinn, D

1992-01-01

Are customers becoming more demanding or is the state of excellence in service in the United States in decline? With the dawning of the Age of the Global Marketplace and its attendant competition, American consumers have come to expect a higher standard in products and services. They naturally choose to purchase products that have proved to be well made and reliable. In brief, they require satisfaction. Yet business and medical journals, newspapers, and books all have been eager to tell the story of the sad state of customer service. The "demands of American consumers for high-quality service are higher than ever and businesses that ignore the new realities of customer satisfaction can jeopardize not only their future sales but also their very survival" (Szabo, 1989, p. 16).

The development of NEdSERV: quantitative instrumentation to measure service quality in nurse education.

PubMed

Roberts, P

1999-07-01

The political climate of health care provision and education for health care in the latter years of the 20th century is evolving from the uncertainty of newly created markets to a more clearly focused culture of collaboration, dissemination of good practice, with an increased emphasis on quality provision and its measurement. The need for provider units to prove and improve efficiency and effectiveness through evidence-based quality strategies in order to stay firmly in the market place has never been more necessary. The measurement of customer expectations and perceptions of delivered service quality is widely utilized as a basis for customer retention and business growth in both commercial and non-profit organizations. This paper describes the methodological development of NEdSERV--quantitative instrumentation designed to measure and respond to ongoing stakeholder expectations and perceptions of delivered service quality within nurse education.

Customer Care Management. Customer Care Management Module. Operational Management Programme. Increasing Opportunities for Supervisors and Managers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Jennifer; Hayter, Roy

These teacher's materials are intended to support trainers as they conduct a 1-day course on each of the following topics regarding the hotel and catering industry in Great Britain: the customer perspective, customer service standards, and quality control. The first section explains how to use the materials. The instructions for conducting each…

Evaluating Service Quality in Universities: A Service Department Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Gareth; Smith, Alison; Clarke, Alison

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to report on an in-depth exploration of service quality in an Information Technology service department in a Higher Education Institute (HEI) and to evaluate the instrument used. Design/methodology/approach: The study surveys customers using the SERVQUAL instrument, which is one of the most widely used and…

Product-line administration: a framework for redefining medical record department services.

PubMed

Postal, S N

1990-06-01

Product-line administration is a viable approach for managing medical records services in an environment that demands high quantity and quality service levels. Product-line administration directs medical record department team members to look outside of the department and seek input from the customers it is intended to serve. The feedback received may be alarming at first, as the current state of products usually reveals a true lack of customer input. As the planning, defining, managing, and marketing phases are implemented, the road will not be easy and rewards will be slow to come. Product-line administration does not provide quick fixes, but it does provide long-term problem resolution as products are refined and new products developed to meet customer needs and expectations. In addition to better meeting the needs of the department's external customers, the department's internal customers' needs and expectations will be addressed. The participative management approach will help nurture each team member's creativity. The team members will have the opportunity to reach their full potential while reaping the rewards and benefits of providing products and services that meet the needs and expectations of all department customers. The future of the health care industry promises more changes as the country moves toward some form of prospective payment in the ambulatory setting. Reactive management and the constant struggle to catch up can no longer be accepted as a management approach. It is imperative that the medical record department be viewed as a business with product lines composed of quality products. The planning, defining, managing, and marketing components of product-line administration afford responsiveness to the current situation and the development of quality products that will ensure that medical record departments are prepared for the future.

Customer-focused service management: driving change up the hierarchy and outward.

PubMed

Schonberger, R J

1998-02-01

The modern management revolution, which has quality and customer service at its core, is incomplete. The customer mindset is strongest in frontline operations and growing in support functions. Too often, however, the strategic hierarchy has been left out--still taking its marching orders from the skittish, myopic financial community centered in Wall Street, the City of London, and other meccas of money. Superior organizations, largely in manufacturing thus far, are taking steps toward correcting this deficiency. Their approach is to reorient using customer-focused principles that are attractive to all parties, including external partners.

Towards Customer-Driven Management in Hospitality Education: A Case Study of the Higher Hotel Institute, Cyprus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varnavas, Andreas P.; Soteriou, Andreas C.

2002-01-01

Presents and discusses the approach used by the Higher Hotel Institute in Cyprus to incorporate total quality management through establishment of a customer-driven management culture in its hospitality education program. Discusses how it collects and uses service-quality related data from future employers, staff, and students in pursuing this…

Service Quality Assessment for NASA's Deep Space Network: No Longer a Luxury

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barkley, Erik; Wolgast, Paul; Zendejas, Silvino

2010-01-01

When NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) was established almost a half century ago, the concept of computer-based service delivery was impractical or infeasible due to the state of information technology As a result, the interface the DSN exposes to its customers tends to be equipment-centric, lacking a clear demarcation between the DSN and the mission operation systems (MOS) of its customers. As the number of customers has continued to increase, the need to improve efficiency and minimize costs has grown. This growth has been the impetus for a DSN transformation from an equipment-forrent provider to a provider of standard services. Service orientation naturally leads to requirements for service management, including proactive measurement of service quality and service levels as well as the efficiency of internal processes and the performance of service provisioning systems. DSN System Engineering has surveyed industry offerings to determine if commercial successes in decision support and Business Intelligence (BI) solutions can be applied to the DSN. A pilot project was initiated, and subsequently executed to determine the feasibility of repurposing a commercial Business Intelligence platform for engineering analysis in conjunction with the platform's intended business reporting and analysis functions.

Empirical research in service engineering based on AHP and fuzzy methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yanrui; Cao, Wenfu; Zhang, Lina

2015-12-01

Recent years, management consulting industry has been rapidly developing worldwide. Taking a big management consulting company as research object, this paper established an index system of service quality of consulting, based on customer satisfaction survey, evaluated service quality of the consulting company by AHP and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation methods.

Total Quality Management in Information Services. Information Services Management Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Clair, Guy

Information services managers have a responsibility to provide the best information delivery possible. The basic principles of total quality management can be used by information professionals to help justify library funding through the creation of an environment where customer-patron satisfaction is paramount. This book reveals how to apply the…

A Longitudinal Sociological Monitoring of Customers' Satisfaction with the Quality of Educational Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaidukova, G. N.

2014-01-01

Research data on levels of satisfaction with educational services in a Russian university show room for improvement in such areas as vocational guidance work; range of opportunities in the choice of specialization and optional disciplines; availability of academic and methodological literature; the quality of food services; and amount of practical…

32 CFR 861.4 - DOD air transportation quality and safety requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... programs and business practices that not only ensure good service but also enhance the safety, operational...) “Equivalent to the services sought by DOD” means service offered to qualify for DOD approval must be... § 861.4 DOD air transportation quality and safety requirements. (a) General. The DOD, as a customer of...

Using TQM and ISO 9000 Principles in Assuring Education Service Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kabashkin, Igor; Michnev, Boris; Utchin, Georgy

1998-01-01

Describes Riga Aviation University's movement from a controlled professional-education program to a system of contract relations with students as education service customers. Discusses a study of students' demands, requirements, and issues and the development of a quality assurance system based on Total Quality Management and ISO 9000 standards.…

Development of a Web-based tool to collect and display water system customer service areas for public health action.

PubMed

Wong, Michelle; Wolff, Craig; Collins, Natalie; Guo, Liang; Meltzer, Dan; English, Paul

2015-01-01

Significant illness is associated with biological contaminants in drinking water, but little is known about health effects from low levels of chemical contamination in drinking water. To examine these effects in epidemiological studies, the sources of drinking water of study populations need to be known. The California Environmental Health Tracking Program developed an online application that would collect data on the geographic location of public water system (PWS) customer service areas in California, which then could be linked to demographic and drinking water quality data. We deployed the Water Boundary Tool (WBT), a Web-based geospatial crowdsourcing application that can manage customer service boundary data for each PWS in California and can track changes over time. We also conducted a needs assessment for expansion to other states. The WBT was designed for water system operators, local and state regulatory agencies, and government entities. Since its public launch in 2012, the WBT has collected service area boundaries for about 2300 individual PWS, serving more than 90% of the California population. Results of the needs assessment suggest interest and utility for deploying such a tool among states lacking statewide PWS service area boundary data. Although the WBT data set is incomplete, it has already been used for a variety of applications, including fulfilling legislatively mandated reporting requirements and linking customer service areas to drinking water quality data to better understand local water quality issues. Development of this tool holds promise to assist with outbreak investigations and prevention, environmental health monitoring, and emergency preparedness and response.

Grantee Satisfaction Survey. Final Report, August 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2008

2008-01-01

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is the national indicator of customer evaluations of the quality of goods and services available to U.S. residents. Since 1994, it has served as a uniform, cross-industry/government measure of customer satisfaction. A total of 10 groups, composed of eight program offices, EDFacts Coordinators, and…

77 FR 19307 - Renewal of Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1040-0001, DOI Programmatic Clearance for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-30

... Number 1040-0001, DOI Programmatic Clearance for Customer Satisfaction Surveys AGENCY: Department of the... Customer Satisfaction Surveys'' in your email subject line. Include your name and return address in your... accountability by promoting a new focus on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction.'' In order to...

Determining customer satisfaction in anatomic pathology.

PubMed

Zarbo, Richard J

2006-05-01

Measurement of physicians' and patients' satisfaction with laboratory services has become a standard practice in the United States, prompted by national accreditation requirements. Unlike other surveys of hospital-, outpatient care-, or physician-related activities, no ongoing, comprehensive customer satisfaction survey of anatomic pathology services is available for subscription that would allow continual benchmarking against peer laboratories. Pathologists, therefore, must often design their own local assessment tools to determine physician satisfaction in anatomic pathology. To describe satisfaction survey design that would elicit specific information from physician customers about key elements of anatomic pathology services. The author shares his experience in biannually assessing customer satisfaction in anatomic pathology with survey tools designed at the Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Mich. Benchmarks for physician satisfaction, opportunities for improvement, and characteristics that correlated with a high level of physician satisfaction were identified nationally from a standardized survey tool used by 94 laboratories in the 2001 College of American Pathologists Q-Probes quality improvement program. In general, physicians are most satisfied with professional diagnostic services and least satisfied with pathology services related to poor communication. A well-designed and conducted customer satisfaction survey is an opportunity for pathologists to periodically educate physician customers about services offered, manage unrealistic expectations, and understand the evolving needs of the physician customer. Armed with current information from physician customers, the pathologist is better able to strategically plan for resources that facilitate performance improvements in anatomic pathology laboratory services that align with evolving clinical needs in health care delivery.

Customer quality and type 2 diabetes from the patients' perspective: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tabrizi, Jafar S; Wilson, Andrew J; O'Rourke, Peter K

2010-12-18

Quality in health care can be seen as having three principal dimensions: service, technical and customer quality. This study aimed to measure Customer Quality in relation to self-management of Type 2 diabetes. A cross-sectional survey of 577 Type 2 diabetes people was carried out in Australia. The 13-item Patient Activation Measure was used to evaluate Customer Quality based on self-reported knowledge, skills and confidence in four stages of self-management. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 13.0. All participants achieved scores at the level of stage 1, but ten percent did not achieve score levels consistent with stage 2 and a further 16% did not reach the actual action stage. Seventy-four percent reported capacity for taking action for self-management and 38% reported the highest Customer Quality score and ability to change the action by changing health and environment. Participants with a higher education attainment, better diabetes control status and those who maintain continuity of care reported a higher Customer Quality score, reflecting higher capacity for self-management. Specific capacity building programs for health care providers and people with Type 2 diabetes are needed to increase their knowledge and skills; and improve their confidence to self-management, to achieve improved quality of delivered care and better health outcomes.

Quality of service and customer satisfaction on arterial streets : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-06-13

This report presents the results of a qualitative study of driver perception of quality of service (QOS) on urban arterial streets. The purpose of the study was to identify the factors that are important to drivers of personal automobiles (non-commer...

[Quality management and consumer orientation: survey of referring pediatricians of a Berlin pediatric clinic].

PubMed

Lüthy, A; Lotze, I; Leiske, M; Rossi, R

2000-01-01

Quality management in hospitals not only includes performance according to international medical standards but also the optimization of processes regarding internal staff as well as external customers. Total Quality Management (TQM) and the Business Excellence Model of the European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) require continuous evaluation of customer satisfaction. Specialists and family physician as external customers influence the patient's choice of a hospital. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the satisfaction of admitting physicians of a children's hospital with the help of a questionnaire. The results describe their needs and their level of satisfaction regarding service, information, cooperation and communication within the hospital.

Through a Different Lens: Bridging the Expectation-Perception (Quality) Divide in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeo, Roland K.; Marquardt, Michael J.

2011-01-01

The paper draws on the underpinnings of SERVQUAL (a Service Quality measurement model) and explores three key aspects of service standards as adopted by an Engineering School in Singapore: customer orientation, course design/delivery and support services. Qualitative methodology was employed and data were collected by means of structured in-depth…

Offering memorable patient experience through creative, dynamic marketing strategy

PubMed Central

Raţiu, M; Purcărea, T

2008-01-01

Creative, dynamic strategies are the ones that identify new and better ways of uniquely offering the target customers what they want or need. A business can achieve competitive advantage if it chooses a marketing strategy that sets the business apart from anyone else. Healthcare services companies have to understand that the customer should be placed in the centre of all specific marketing operations. The brand message should reflect the focus on the patient. Healthcare products and services offered must represent exactly the solutions that customers expect. The touchpoints with the patients must be well mastered in order to convince them to accept the proposed solutions. Healthcare service providers must be capable to look beyond customer's behaviour or product and healthcare service aquisition. This will demand proactive and far–reaching changes, including focusing specifically on customer preference, quality, and technological interfaces; rewiring strategy to find new value from existing and unfamiliar sources; disintegrating and radically reassembling operational processes; and restructuring the organization to accommodate new typess of work and skill. PMID:20108466

Offering memorable patient experience through creative, dynamic marketing strategy.

PubMed

Purcărea, Victor Lorín; Raţíu, Monica; Purcărea, Theodor; Davila, Carol

2008-01-01

Creative, dynamic strategies are the ones that identify new and better ways of uniquely offering the target customers what they want or need. A business can achieve competitive advantage if it chooses a marketing strategy that sets the business apart from anyone else. Healthcare services companies have to understand that the customer should be placed in the centre of all specific marketing operations. The brand message should reflect the focus on the patient. Healthcare products and services offered must represent exactly the solutions that customers expect. The touchpoints with the patients must be well mastered in order to convince them to accept the proposed solutions. Healthcare service providers must be capable to look beyond customer's behaviour or product and healthcare service aquisition. This will demand proactive and far-reaching changes, including focusing specifically on customer preference, quality, and technological interfaces; rewiring strategy to find new value from existing and unfamiliar sources: disintegrating and radically reassembling operational processes: and restructuring the organization to accommodate new types of work and skill.

Brand strengthening decision making delved from brand-contacts in health services organizations.

PubMed

Takayanagi, Kazue; Hagihara, Yukiko

2007-01-01

Under the Japanese Government's strong enforcement of Japanese national medical cost reduction, only hospitals which emphasize patient values, and creation of brands according to them can survive. This study extracted patients' expectations as brand from Campbell's Brand-Contact lists. The authors also proposed to add Brand-strengthening strategies both for short-term strategies (large improvement is not required) and for long-term strategies (restructuring hardware and systems). This method would enable hospitals to collect customers' underlying expectations, and would create high-value brands. Trustful medical service would provide mutual and synergetic medical care effects. It is already considered out of date to conduct qualitative patient satisfaction interviews on current medical services to current customers. It is the only way to survive that hospitals themselves produce their original brands to increase patient loyalty and customer satisfaction. In the process, customer value should be reconsidered from both aspects of the quality of clinical care and of other medically related services. Then hospitals would be able to satisfy both customers' output and process expectations.

Process improvement by cycle time reduction through Lean Methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siva, R.; patan, Mahamed naveed khan; lakshmi pavan kumar, Mane; Purusothaman, M.; pitchai, S. Antony; Jegathish, Y.

2017-05-01

In present world, every customer needs their products to get on time with good quality. Presently every industry is striving to satisfy their customer requirements. An aviation concern trying to accomplish continuous improvement in all its projects. In this project the maintenance service for the customer is analyzed. The maintenance part service is split up into four levels. Out of it, three levels are done in service shops and the fourth level falls under customer’s privilege to change the parts in their aircraft engines at their location. An enhancement for electronics initial provisioning (eIP) is done for fourth level. Customers request service shops to get their requirements through Recommended Spare Parts List (RSPL) by eIP. To complete this RSPL for one customer, it takes 61.5 hours as a cycle time which is very high. By mapping current state VSM and takt time, future state improvement can be done in order to reduce cycle time using Lean tools such as Poke-Yoke, Jidoka, 5S, Muda etc.,

The Development of a Total Quality Management Plan for David Grant USAF Medical Center Travis Air Force Base, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

customer satisfaction (DOD, 1988). While the application of TQM in the manufacturing industry and the military acquisition system has been successful, the...improvement of products and services. The overriding objective of TOM is to increase customer satisfaction (DOD, 1988). While the application of TOM in the...25 Description of the Organization ................... 26 Internal Customers ..................... ....... 30 External Customers

Customer care in the NHS.

PubMed

Ruddick, Fred

2015-01-20

Viewing individuals in need of NHS care as customers has the potential to refocus the way their care is delivered. This article highlights some of the benefits of reframing the nurse-patient relationship in terms of customer care, and draws parallels between good customer care and the provision of high quality patient care in the NHS. It explores lessons to be learned from those who have studied the customer experience, which can be adapted to enhance the customer care experience within the health service. Developing professional expertise in the knowledge and skills that underpin good-quality interpersonal encounters is essential to improve the customer experience in health care and should be prioritised alongside the development of more technical skills. Creating a culture where emotional intelligence, caring and compassion are essential requirements for all nursing staff will improve patient satisfaction.

The development of a qualitative dynamic attribute value model for healthcare institutes.

PubMed

Lee, Wan-I

2010-01-01

Understanding customers has become an urgent topic for increasing competitiveness. The purpopse of the study was to develop a qualitative dynamic attribute value model which provides insight into the customers' value for healthcare institute managers by conducting the initial open-ended questionnaire survey to select participants purposefully. A total number of 427 questionnaires was conducted in two hospitals in Taiwan (one district hospital with 635 beds and one academic hospital with 2495 beds) and 419 questionnaires were received in nine weeks. Then, apply qualitative in-depth interviews to explore customers' perspective of values for building a model of partial differential equations. This study concludes nine categories of value, including cost, equipment, physician background, physicain care, environment, timing arrangement, relationship, brand image and additional value, to construct objective network for customer value and qualitative dynamic attribute value model where the network shows the value process of loyalty development via its effect on customer satisfaction, customer relationship, customer loyalty and healthcare service. One set predicts the customer relationship based on comminent, including service quality, communication and empahty. As the same time, customer loyalty based on trust, involves buzz marketing, brand and image. Customer value of the current instance is useful for traversing original customer attributes and identifing customers on different service share.

The seven common pitfalls of customer service in hospitals.

PubMed

Domingo, Rene T

2015-01-01

Operating simultaneously like a repair shop, prison, and hotel, hospitals are prone to seven common pitfalls in customer service. Patient care is often fragmented, inscrutable, inflexible, insensitive, reactive, myopic, and unsafe. Hospitals are vying to be more high-tech, rather than high-touch even though staff engagement with patients rather than facilities and equipment strongly influence patient satisfaction. Unless processes, policies, and people are made customer-centered, the high quality of the hospital's human and hardware resources will not translate into high patient satisfaction and patient loyalty.

Seamless service: maintaining momentum.

PubMed

Grinstead, N; Timoney, R

1994-01-01

Describes the process used by the Mater Infirmorum Hospital in Belfast in 1992-1994 to achieve high quality care (Seamless Service), motivate staff to deliver and measure performance. Aims of the project include focusing the organization on the customer, improving teamwork and motivation at all levels. After comprehensive data collection from GPs, patients and staff management forums developed a full TQM strategy to gain support and maintain momentum including innovative staff events (every staff member was given the opportunity to attend) where multilevel, multidisciplinary workshops enabled staff to design customer care standards, develop teams and lead customer-driven change.

Penalty-rewards contrast analysis (PRCA) on the KL monorail services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muda, Nora; Suradi, Nur Riza; Mat Roji, Noor Sulawati

2013-04-01

Changes in living standards, tastes, views and education has changed the lifestyles where people are more emphasizing on quality and satisfaction with public amenities provided. One of the services provided is the KL Monorail; a public transport service which is based on a single beam track in the city that connects the north and center of Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, this study measures the customer satisfaction on the KL Monorail services and to identify the factors that should be given priority in improving their service levels. There were seven attributes being studied, namely the informations, the situation at the station, the situation in the KL Monorail, customer service, safety, efficiency and other aspects. The analysis found that the overall customer satisfactionis mean is 4.86. Based on the measurement of Penalty-Reward Contrast Analysis (PRCA), most of the KL Monorail service attribute are at moderate level of satisfaction except for the attributes at the station that have lower level of satisfaction. Therefore, a remedial actions or planning is needed to improve the customer satisfaction on the KL Monorail services.

[The digital information platform after-sale service of medical equipment].

PubMed

Cao, Shaoping; Li, Bin

2015-01-01

This paper describes the after-sale service of medical equipment information management platform, with large data sharing resources to further enhance customer service in the whole management process of medical service, to strengthen quality management, to control medical risk.

The quality improvement customers didn't want.

PubMed

Iacobucci, D

1996-01-01

Is investing in new technology always the right choice for a company and its customers? Allan Moulter, the CEO of Quality Care, isn't sure he wants to invest in the computerized reception system that consultant Jack Zadow has outlined for him. But in this HBR case study, the argument Zadow makes is impossible to ignore. Quality Care's rivals have invested in similar systems or are planning to do so. The new system promises to take care of routine busywork, freeing staff up for other interactions with patients. It seems as if the competition hasn't even cut staff and is counting on increased customer retention to pay for the investment. And yet, Quality Care's surveys of its own customers show that they prefer the human touch when checking in. How would customers feel if the first ¿person¿ they met when they came in the door turned out to be a machine? Moulter prides himself on his responsiveness to customers. And with 86% of Quality Care's customers either satisfied or completely satisfied, aren't things fine as they are? Has Moulter considered all the facets of his predicament? How will Quality Care's staff be affected by a decision one way or another? What about the costs of upgrading the system? Can Quality Care maintain its standing without going high-tech? Would customers rebel when confronted with the proposed reception area or would they appreciate the increased efficiency? Six experts weigh the costs and benefits of technology in a service industry.

Leveraging the real value of laboratory medicine with the value proposition.

PubMed

Price, Christopher P; John, Andrew St; Christenson, Robert; Scharnhorst, Volker; Oellerich, Michael; Jones, Patricia; Morris, Howard A

2016-11-01

Improving quality and patient safety, containing costs and delivering value-for-money are the key drivers of change in the delivery of healthcare and have stimulated a shift from an activity-based service to a service based on patient-outcomes. The delivery of an outcomes-based healthcare agenda requires that the real value of laboratory medicine to all stakeholders be understood, effectively defined and communicated. The value proposition of any product or service is the link between the provider and the needs of the customer describing the utility of the product or service in terms of benefit to the customer. The framework of a value proposition for laboratory medicine provides the core business case that drives key activities in the evolution and maintenance of high quality healthcare from research through to adoption and quality improvement in an established service. The framework of a value proposition for laboratory medicine is described. The content is endorsed by IFCC and WASPaLM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Manager personality, manager service quality orientation, and service climate: test of a model.

PubMed

Salvaggio, Amy Nicole; Schneider, Benjamin; Nishii, Lisa H; Mayer, David M; Ramesh, Anuradha; Lyon, Julie S

2007-11-01

This article conceptually and empirically explores the relationships among manager personality, manager service quality orientation, and climate for customer service. Data were collected from 1,486 employees and 145 managers in grocery store departments (N = 145) to test the authors' theoretical model. Largely consistent with hypotheses, results revealed that core self-evaluations were positively related to managers' service quality orientation, even after dimensions of the Big Five model of personality were controlled, and that service quality orientation fully mediated the relationship between personality and global service climate. Implications for personality and organizational climate research are discussed. (c) 2007 APA

Service Quality Management Systems: An Annotated Bibliography

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-01

customers, Fortune, 122, 38-48. Key words: Consumer preferences , customer expectations Abstract: Rice presents a profile of the 1990 U.S. consumers...business process, 16 competitive advantage, 6, 10 consumer, 5 consumer affairs department, 19 consumer preferences , 30 consumer research, 10,24

Managing customization in health care: a framework derived from the services sector literature.

PubMed

Minvielle, Etienne; Waelli, Mathias; Sicotte, Claude; Kimberly, John R

2014-08-01

Organizations that provide health services are increasingly in need of systems and approaches that will enable them to be more responsive to the needs and wishes of their clients. Two recent trends, namely, patient-centered care (PCC) and personalized medicine, are first steps in the customization of care. PCC shifts the focus away from the disease to the patient. Personalized medicine, which relies heavily on genetics, promises significant improvements in the quality of healthcare through the development of tailored and targeted drugs. We need to understand how these two trends can be related to customization in healthcare delivery and, because customization often entails extra costs, to define new business models. This article analyze how customization of the care process can be developed and managed in healthcare. Drawing on relevant literature from various services sectors, we have developed a framework for the implementation of customization by the hospital managers and caregivers involved in care pathways. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Multicultural Service Sensitivity Exercise for Marketing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbaum, Mark S.; Moraru, Ioana; Labrecque, Lauren I.

2013-01-01

Services marketing and retailing courses place service quality at the heart of the curriculum, painting service providers as defenders of their customers' welfare and thwarters of service failures by ushering in recovery solutions. Yet academic literature and the popular press provide evidence that in some cases, service providers act as…

Evaluation of customer satisfaction at the Department of Paediatric Dentistry of "Sapienza" University of Rome.

PubMed

Ierardo, G; Luzzi, V; Vestri, A; Sfasciotti, G L; Polimeni, A

2008-03-01

Healthcare facility management requires the optimisation of the quality of services offered. The Authors adopted a questionnaire as a means to assess customer satisfaction and needs. The Questionnaire has been designed to address adults, i.e., parents or guardians of children attending the Paediatric unit as patients. To estimate their degree of satisfaction, either regarding the environment where children are treated or about the direct interactions between the parents and the structure (waiting room, waiting time, treatment time and time needed to make the payments, costs, etc.), the questionnaire was submitted to a sample of approximately 600 customers, between March and June of 2005. On one hand results provide a pleasant confirmation on customers' perception of the service, especially regarding the direct relationship between the parties; on the other, they highlight aspects that could be improved (waiting room, optimisation of waiting time), distinguishing between factors that need extra funding to be implemented, and those that, instead, could be simply improved through a better and more efficient organisation of labour and time. The present analysis and previous experiences confirm that appraisal of the degree of customers' satisfaction by means of questionnaires is a valid and necessary instrument for the quality improvement of a healthcare service. Doing so, economic and human resources can be more efficiently allocated.

Consumer Behavior in Shopping Streets: The Importance of the Salesperson's Professional Personal Attention

PubMed Central

Medrano, Natalia; Olarte-Pascual, Cristina; Pelegrín-Borondo, Jorge; Sierra-Murillo, Yolanda

2016-01-01

Since the early 2010s, the emergence of a new consumer has begun. In this context, consumer behavior represents one of the greatest interests of marketing scholars and business managers due to their need to adapt their companies' strategies to the new frontier. In order to advance understanding of this new consumer, this article focuses on analyzing consumer behavior in shopping streets. Thus, the aim of this research is to know what customers value in terms of salesperson–customer interaction quality nowadays. To achieve this, the authors conducted two studies. The results of the first study show that customers cite personal attention as the primary factor motivating their preference for small retailers in shopping streets. However, this motivation is not as relevant one for those who prefer malls. This result provides a point on which to research service quality incorporating personal attention in a second study. Using the SERVQUAL-P scale, the authors elaborate three lenses through which the quality of service from the customer's point of view can be analyzed: normative expectations, predictive expectations, and the importance of each attribute. The most striking result is that the dimensions of expectations (normative and predictive) are the same; these results demonstrate that customers are coherent in making assessments of their expectations, evaluating service quality and satisfaction with similar criteria. However, these dimensions are different from the dimensions of importance. Our main contribution lies in the finding that personal attention, when assessed using the scale of attribute importance, is split into two dimensions: (1) courteous attention and (2) personal relationship. Courteous attention is always welcome, but personal relationships are less valued and are often even rejected. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for marketing practices and research. PMID:26903927

Consumer Behavior in Shopping Streets: The Importance of the Salesperson's Professional Personal Attention.

PubMed

Medrano, Natalia; Olarte-Pascual, Cristina; Pelegrín-Borondo, Jorge; Sierra-Murillo, Yolanda

2016-01-01

Since the early 2010s, the emergence of a new consumer has begun. In this context, consumer behavior represents one of the greatest interests of marketing scholars and business managers due to their need to adapt their companies' strategies to the new frontier. In order to advance understanding of this new consumer, this article focuses on analyzing consumer behavior in shopping streets. Thus, the aim of this research is to know what customers value in terms of salesperson-customer interaction quality nowadays. To achieve this, the authors conducted two studies. The results of the first study show that customers cite personal attention as the primary factor motivating their preference for small retailers in shopping streets. However, this motivation is not as relevant one for those who prefer malls. This result provides a point on which to research service quality incorporating personal attention in a second study. Using the SERVQUAL-P scale, the authors elaborate three lenses through which the quality of service from the customer's point of view can be analyzed: normative expectations, predictive expectations, and the importance of each attribute. The most striking result is that the dimensions of expectations (normative and predictive) are the same; these results demonstrate that customers are coherent in making assessments of their expectations, evaluating service quality and satisfaction with similar criteria. However, these dimensions are different from the dimensions of importance. Our main contribution lies in the finding that personal attention, when assessed using the scale of attribute importance, is split into two dimensions: (1) courteous attention and (2) personal relationship. Courteous attention is always welcome, but personal relationships are less valued and are often even rejected. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for marketing practices and research.

Assessing College Student Perceptions of Instructor Customer Service via the Quality of Instructor Service to Students (QISS) Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emanuel, Richard; Adams, J. N.

2006-01-01

This study presents the results of a three-step project designed to: (1) identify what students perceive to be quality service as offered by instructors, (2) relate the dimensions identified to an appropriate survey instrument (the QISS) and pilot-test the instrument, and (3) survey a stratified representative sample of the undergraduate…

Perspectives for Web Service Intermediaries: How Influence on Quality Makes the Difference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholten, Ulrich; Fischer, Robin; Zirpins, Christian

In the service-oriented computing paradigm and the Web service architecture, the broker role is a key facilitator to leverage technical capabilities of loose coupling to achieve organizational capabilities of dynamic customer-provider-relationships. In practice, this role has quickly evolved into a variety of intermediary concepts that refine and extend the basic functionality of service brokerage with respect to various forms of added value like platform or market mechanisms. While this has initially led to a rich variety of Web service intermediaries, many of these are now going through a phase of stagnation or even decline in customer acceptance. In this paper we present a comparative study on insufficient service quality that is arguably one of the key reasons for this phenomenon. In search of a differentiation with respect to quality monitoring and management patterns, we categorize intermediaries into Infomediaries, e-Hubs, e-Markets and Integrators. A mapping of quality factors and control mechanisms to these categories depicts their respective strengths and weaknesses. The results show that Integrators have the highest overall performance, followed by e-Markets, e-Hubs and lastly Infomediaries. A comparative market survey confirms the conceptual findings.

Developing new services using fuzzy QFD: a LIFENET case study.

PubMed

Rahman, Zillur; Qureshi, M N

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to suggest the fuzzy quality function deployment (QFD) method to assess LIFENET customers' spoken and unspoken needs in order to achieve the various objectives like: how to decide optimum portfolio for health services strategically; how to assess competitors' market position in order to reckon the market position of LIFENET; and how to set the revised target in order to satisfy the customers' demand and to fetch profit in order to satisfy managers' mission and vision in a competitive market. A fuzzy QFD method has been devised to take care of the various LIFENET objectives. Fuzzy logic's use has been recommended to remove the uncertainty, vagueness, and impreciseness from data obtained to assess customers' spoken and unspoken needs. Symmetric triangular fuzzy numbers (STFNs) may be used to assess various needs to enhance data accuracy. House of quality (HOQ), an in-built QFD matrix, may be constructed to take care of LIFENET's various requirements in order to satisfy internal and external customers. Fuzzy QFD plays a vital role in assessing customers' need in terms of WHATs. Various WHATs thus obtained can be accomplished by incorporating technical parameter HOWs'. The QFD HOQ offers various vital comparisons for instance, WHATs vs HOWs, HOWs vs HOWs, NOWs vs WHATs, etc. to obtain important inferences, which help to revise target to remain competitive in the market Fuzzy QFD helps devise a management strategy to follow customers' needs in health industry successfully. Accessing Indian customers' needs poses many challenges as the decision to opt for a given healthcare service is most uncertain because it varies from person to person. The set of parameters that influence individual decisions to opt for healthcare services are costs, treatment response time, disease/risk, and health service satisfaction. Fuzzy QFD may help LIFENET promoters to consider customers' favored health services thereby helping strategically in their attempt for major expansion, in order to get the most benefits of becoming first-movers in the sector. Fuzzy QFD may also help LIFENET to avert major investment decisions that looked attractive in short-term, but in fact were unfruitful, in long-term.

The Customer Flow Toolkit: A Framework for Designing High Quality Customer Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals, Albany.

This document presents a toolkit to assist staff involved in the design and development of New York's one-stop system. Section 1 describes the preplanning issues to be addressed and the intended outcomes that serve as the framework for creation of the customer flow toolkit. Section 2 outlines the following strategies to assist in designing local…

iHelp: an intelligent online helpdesk system.

PubMed

Wang, Dingding; Li, Tao; Zhu, Shenghuo; Gong, Yihong

2011-02-01

Due to the importance of high-quality customer service, many companies use intelligent helpdesk systems (e.g., case-based systems) to improve customer service quality. However, these systems face two challenges: 1) Case retrieval measures: most case-based systems use traditional keyword-matching-based ranking schemes for case retrieval and have difficulty to capture the semantic meanings of cases and 2) result representation: most case-based systems return a list of past cases ranked by their relevance to a new request, and customers have to go through the list and examine the cases one by one to identify their desired cases. To address these challenges, we develop iHelp, an intelligent online helpdesk system, to automatically find problem-solution patterns from the past customer-representative interactions. When a new customer request arrives, iHelp searches and ranks the past cases based on their semantic relevance to the request, groups the relevant cases into different clusters using a mixture language model and symmetric matrix factorization, and summarizes each case cluster to generate recommended solutions. Case and user studies have been conducted to show the full functionality and the effectiveness of iHelp.

Case Study: South Texas Veterans Health Care System’s Communication Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-14

appropriate access to health care; technical quality is providing world-class care to our veterans; customer satisfaction is ensuring the STVHCS patients and...were not called. These results not only improved access to health care, but also positively affected customer service. 111 Case Study: South Texas...increased waiting times for the patient . With current regulatory requirements calling for improved access to health care services, many hospital and

Loyalty and positive word-of-mouth: patients and hospital personnel as advocates of a customer-centric health care organization.

PubMed

Ferguson, Ronald J; Paulin, Michele; Leiriao, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

The ability to attract and retain loyal customers depends on the successful implementation of a customer-centric strategy. Customer loyalty is an attitude about an organization and its' services that is manifested by intentions and behaviors of re-patronization and recommendation. In the context of many medical services, loyalty through repeat patronization is not pertinent, whereas loyalty through positive word-of mouth (WOM) recommendation can be a powerful marketing tool. The Shouldice Hospital, a well-known institution for the surgical correction of hernias, instituted a marketing plan to develop a stable base of patients by creating positive WOM advocacy. This study focused on the consequences of both hernia patient overall satisfaction (and overall service quality) and hospital personnel satisfaction on the level of positive WOM advocacy. Using a commitment ladder of positive WOM advocacy, respondents were divided into three categories described as passive supporters, active advocates and ambassador advocates. Patient assessments of overall satisfaction and service quality were significantly related to these progressive levels of WOM for recommending the hospital to potential patients. Similarly, the satisfaction of the hospital employees was also significantly related to these progressive levels of positive WOM about recommending the hospital to potential patients and to potential employees. High levels of satisfaction are required to create true ambassadors of a service organization.

Health service ignores what is known to work.

PubMed

1993-02-03

'Apple pie' marketing statements like 'Meeting Customers' Needs' and 'Putting Quality Services First' have been ridiculed by Professor Alan Maynard, Director of the Centre for Health Economics at York University.

The Development of a Qualitative Dynamic Attribute Value Model for Healthcare Institutes

PubMed Central

Lee, Wan-I

2010-01-01

Background: Understanding customers has become an urgent topic for increasing competitiveness. The purpopse of the study was to develop a qualitative dynamic attribute value model which provides insight into the customers’ value for healthcare institute managers by conducting the initial open-ended questionnaire survey to select participants purposefully. Methods: A total number of 427 questionnaires was conducted in two hospitals in Taiwan (one district hospital with 635 beds and one academic hospital with 2495 beds) and 419 questionnaires were received in nine weeks. Then, apply qualitative in-depth interviews to explore customers’ perspective of values for building a model of partial differential equations. Results: This study concludes nine categories of value, including cost, equipment, physician background, physicain care, environment, timing arrangement, relationship, brand image and additional value, to construct objective network for customer value and qualitative dynamic attribute value model where the network shows the value process of loyalty development via its effect on customer satisfaction, customer relationship, customer loyalty and healthcare service. Conclusion: One set predicts the customer relationship based on comminent, including service quality, communication and empahty. As the same time, customer loyalty based on trust, involves buzz marketing, brand and image. Customer value of the current instance is useful for traversing original customer attributes and identifing customers on different service share. PMID:23113034

Clients' Satisfaction with Monopolistic Services and Commitment to the Organization: A University Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, James L.; Cunningham, Brent J.

2009-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between monopolistic service providers and customer satisfaction and commitment. The authors investigated how the ethical perceptions of service consumers, their perceptions of service quality, and satisfaction effect commitment to the long-term relationship with monopolistic service providers. Results…

78 FR 13914 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-01

... customer surveys designed to determine the kinds and quality of services our beneficiaries, claimants... purpose of information collection: Voluntary Customer Surveys in Accordance with E.O. 12862; OMB 3220-0192.... The surveys are limited to data collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions, and do not...

Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can also hurt me: The relationship between customer verbal aggression and employee incivility.

PubMed

Walker, David D; van Jaarsveld, Danielle D; Skarlicki, Daniel P

2017-02-01

Customer service employees tend to react negatively to customer incivility by demonstrating incivility in return, thereby likely reducing customer service quality. Research, however, has yet to uncover precisely what customers do that results in employee incivility. Through transcript and computerized text analysis in a multilevel, multisource, mixed-method field study of customer service events (N = 434 events), we found that employee incivility can occur as a function of customer (a) aggressive words, (b) second-person pronoun use (e.g., you, your), (c) interruptions, and (d) positive emotion words. First, the positive association between customer aggressive words and employee incivility was more pronounced when the verbal aggression included second-person pronouns, which we label targeted aggression. Second, we observed a 2-way interaction between targeted aggression and customer interruptions such that employees demonstrated more incivility when targeted customer verbal aggression was accompanied by more (vs. fewer) interruptions. Third, this 2-way interaction predicting employee incivility was attenuated when customers used positive emotion words. Our results support a resource-based explanation, suggesting that customer verbal aggression consumes employee resources potentially leading to self-regulation failure, whereas positive emotion words from customers can help replenish employee resources that support self-regulation. The present study highlights the advantages of examining what occurs within customer-employee interactions to gain insight into employee reactions to customer incivility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

How Healthcare Can Refocus on Its Super-Customers (Patients, n =1) and Customers (Doctors and Nurses) by Leveraging Lessons from Amazon, Uber, and Watson.

PubMed

Kolker, Evelyne; Özdemir, Vural; Kolker, Eugene

2016-06-01

Healthcare is transforming with data-intensive omics technologies and Big Data. The "revolution" has already happened in technology, but the bottlenecks have shifted to the social domain: Who can be empowered by Big Data? Who are the users and customers? In this review and innovation field analysis, we introduce the idea of a "super-customer" versus "customer" and relate both to 21st century healthcare. A "super-customer" in healthcare is the patient, sample size of n = 1, while "customers" are the providers of healthcare (e.g., doctors and nurses). The super-customers have been patients, enabled by unprecedented social practices, such as the ability to track one's physical activities, personal genomics, patient advocacy for greater autonomy, and self-governance, to name but a few. In contrast, the originally intended customers-providers, doctors, and nurses-have relatively lagged behind. With patients as super-customers, there are valuable lessons to be learned from industry examples, such as Amazon and Uber. To offer superior quality service, healthcare organizations have to refocus on the needs, pains, and aspirations of their super-customers by enabling the customers. We propose a strategic solution to this end: the PPT-DAM (People-Process-Technology empowered by Data, Analytics, and Metrics) approach. When applied together with the classic Experiment-Execute-Evaluate iterative methodology, we suggest PPT-DAM is an extremely powerful approach to deliver quality health services to super-customers and customers. As an example, we describe the PPT-DAM implementation by the Benchmarking Improvement Program at the Seattle Children's Hospital. Finally, we forecast that cognitive systems in general and IBM Watson in particular, if properly implemented, can bring transformative and sustainable capabilities in healthcare far beyond the current ones.

Brewing Service Quality in Higher Education: Characteristics of Ingredients that Make up the Recipe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeo, Roland K.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to explore the influences of service quality in higher education and the perceptions associated with the implementation of a Singapore tertiary institution. It draws on the underpinnings of SERVQUAL, and discusses the dichotomy and interrelation between customer perception and expectation. Design/methodology/approach:…

Seamless service: research and action.

PubMed

Grinstead, N; Timoney, R

1994-01-01

Describes the process used by the Mater Infirmorum Hospital in Belfast in 1992-1994 to achieve high quality care (Seamless Service), and motivate staff to deliver and measure performance. Aims of the project include focusing the organization on the customer, improving teamwork and motivation at all levels. After comprehensive data collection from GPs, patients and staff forums developed a full TQM strategy to gain support and maintain momentum including innovative staff events (every staff member was given the opportunity to attend) where multilevel, multidisciplinary workshops enabled staff to design customer care standards, develop teams and lead customer-driven change.

An analysis of the field service function of selected electronics firms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Dennis Lee

For the purposes of this study, field service was defined as the function concerned with the servicing and maintaining, by the manufacturer or supplier, of products (usually owned by customers) used away from the manufacturer's or supplier's site. Field service is an important component of the service sector and of customer service. Field service availability and quality of this service are increasingly being used by customers as a means of product selection. Many companies have recognized this trend and have identified field service as a competitive edge. A review of the field service literature and discussions with field service consultants and professionals indicated a lack of field service research--more specifically, a systems analysis of the area was lacking. The purpose of this research was to examine, utilizing a systems perspective, the field service practices of leading electronics firms in order to develop field service management propositions (empirical generalizations) and a prescriptive model of best practice. The electronics industry was selected due to the critical relation of service-based competition to company profitability.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN): Customer satisfaction survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, A.V.; Henderson, D.P.

1996-04-22

The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) Customer Satisfaction Survey was developed and executed in support of EREN`s continuous quality improvement (CQI) plan. The study was designed to provide information about the demographic make up of EREN users, the value or benefits they derive from EREN, the kinds and quality of services they want, their levels of satisfaction with existing services, their preferences in both the sources of service and the means of delivery, and to provide benchmark data for the establishment of continuous quality improvement measures. The survey was performed by soliciting voluntary participation from members of themore » EREN Users Group. It was executed in two phases; the first being conducted by phone using a randomly selected group; and the second being conducted electronically and which was open to all of the remaining members of the Users Group. The survey results are described.« less

Mechanisms linking employee affective delivery and customer behavioral intentions.

PubMed

Tsai, Wei-Chi; Huang, Yin-Mei

2002-10-01

Past empirical evidence has indicated that employee affective delivery can influence customer reactions (e.g., customer satisfaction, service quality evaluation). This study extends previous research by empirically examining mediating processes underlying the relationship between employee affective delivery and customer behavioral intentions. Data were collected from 352 employee-customer pairs in 169 retail shoe stores in Taiwan. Results showed that the influence of employee affective delivery on customers' willingness to return to the store and pass positive comments to friends was indirect through the mediating processes of customer in-store positive moods and perceived friendliness. The study also indicated that employee affective delivery influences customers' time spent in store, which, in turn, influences customer behavioral intentions.

An integrated model to measure service management and physical constraints' effect on food consumption in assisted-living facilities.

PubMed

Huang, Hui-Chun; Shanklin, Carol W

2008-05-01

The United States is experiencing remarkable growth in the elderly population, which provides both opportunities and challenges for assisted-living facilities. The objective of this study was to explore how service management influences residents' actual food consumption in assisted-living facilities. Physical factors influencing residents' service evaluation and food consumption also were investigated. A total of 394 questionnaires were distributed to assisted-living residents in seven randomly selected facilities. The questionnaire was developed based on an in-depth literature review and pilot study. Residents' perceived quality evaluations, satisfaction, and physical constraints were measured. Residents' actual food consumption was measured using a plate waste technique. A total of 118 residents in five facilities completed both questionnaires and food consumption assessments. Descriptive, multivariate analyses and structural equation modeling techniques were employed. Service management, including food and service quality and customer satisfaction, was found to significantly influence residents' food consumption. Physical constraints associated with aging, including a decline in health status, chewing problems, sensory loss, and functional disability, also significantly influenced residents' food consumption. A significant relationship was found between physical constraints and customer satisfaction. Foodservice that provides good food and service quality increases customer satisfaction and affects residents' actual food consumption. Physical constraints also influence residents' food consumption directly, or indirectly through satisfaction. The findings suggest that food and nutrition professionals in assisted-living should consider the physical profiles of their residents to enhance residents' satisfaction and nutrient intake. Recommendations for exploring residents' perspectives are discussed.

Creating value-focused healthcare delivery systems: Part three--Core competencies.

PubMed

Beveridge, R N

1997-01-01

Value is created through the delivery of high-quality, cost--effective healthcare services. The ability to create value from the providers' perspective is facilitated through the development and implementation of essential, customer-focused core competencies. These core competencies include customer relationship management, payer/provider relationship management, disease management, outcomes management, financial/cost management, and information management. Customer relationship management is the foundation upon which all core competencies must be built. All of the core competencies must focus on the needs of the customers, both internal and external. Structuring all processes involved in the core competencies from the perspective of the customer will ensure that value is created throughout the system. Payer/provider relationship management will become a crucial pillar for healthcare providers in the future. As more vertical integration among providers occurs, the management of the relationships among providers and with payers will become more important. Many of the integration strategies being implemented across the country involve the integration of hospitals, physicians, and payers to form accountable health plans. The relationships must be organized to form "win/win" situations, where all parties are focused on a shared vision of creating value and none of the parties benefits at the expense of the others. Disease management in creating value requires that we begin examining the disease process along the entire continuum. Not only must providers be able to provide high-quality acute and chronic care, but they must also begin to focus more heavily on programs of prevention. Value is created throughout the system through reducing the prevalence and incidence of disease. Only through managing the full continuum of health will value be created throughout the healthcare delivery system. Outcomes management ensures that the outcomes are the highest quality at a cost-effective price. Outcomes must not only be compared to best practices, but to what is possible. Providers must constantly strive to enhance the quality of the services. Financial/cost management ensures that care is cost-effective and that a marginal profit is maintained to allow continued investment in new technology and continuing medical education to enhance the quality of care and lifestyles for all stakeholders. Information management is the binding element, or keystone, in providing value-focused care. Through the collection, storing, transfer, manipulation, sorting, and reporting of data, more effective decision-making can occur. Integrated MIS allows information to be generated about the cost-effectiveness of treatment regimens, employee productivity, physician cost-effectiveness, supply utilization, and clinical outcomes, as well as patient information to be readily available throughout the healthcare system. Having this information available will allow providers to become more cost-effective in the delivery of care, which results in perceived higher value for the services. Customers demand value. Value is created by meeting the needs and demands of the customers through the delivery of cost-effective, high-quality healthcare services that are easily accessible and meet with high patient satisfaction. Providers who can demonstrate their ability to provide the services in this manner will create a competitive advantage in the marketplace and will be perceived as the value provider of choice by loyal customers.

Marketing for straight A's? How one practice created a customer-service brand identity.

PubMed

Eliscu, Andrea T

2008-01-01

The four A's of marketing today--access, availability, accountability and accommodation--drive a successful medical practice. This case study describes how Lake Mary (Fla.) Pediatrics, an established, midsized group, used the four A's in an expansion venture. The group redefined its image in the community, creating brand identities for its two locations and establishing customer service and quality care as hallmarks in the minds of both patients and referring professionals.

The SIGNAL expert system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Struve, R.

The SIGNAL insurance companies have developed an expert system for the support of its customer sales service. It was introduced at the end of 1993 and is currently used by approximately 500 customer service representatives. It involves a counseling system, which enables customer sales personnel to produce high-quality benefit analyses at the point of sale. It is not only an information system for the agent but involves the customer in an active role (through the implementation of sales talks, the conscious visualization of facts, the generation of natural language explanations etc.). Thus, the customer is not faced with a faitmore » accompli but is actively involved in solving the problem. To meet these requirements, several Al techniques are used, as described further below. The application has increased sales efficiency, optimized customer contact time and decreased training requirements. The system is developed with KEE (and reimplemented in Allegro CL/PC) and runs on notebooks with 8 MB RAM.« less

Effects of Cultural Assimilation in a Cross-Border M&A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Satoshi; Tamiya, Toshihiko; Fujimura, Shuzo

2010-06-01

This paper examines a merger of two companies with respect to the assimilation of corporate culture differences, particularly quality culture. The study aims to clarify the root cause of declines in quality ratings from customers after a merger despite maintaining products and services as they were before the merger, and whether cultural differences affect decision-making in a newly merged company. Examination is reported of the relationship between actions taken to assimilate quality culture and the resulting quality ratings given by customers, and analyzed is the time required to address quality incidents and the progress of cultural assimilation. A total of 301 incidents in the 5 years after a merger were analyzed, focusing on the time required to resolve the incidents. These empirical analyses reveal that the extent of cultural assimilation is associated with the speed of organizational decision-making and affects the quality ratings given by customers.

Service climate as a mediator of organizational empowerment in customer-service employees.

PubMed

Mendoza-Sierra, Maria Isabel; Orgambídez-Ramos, Alejandro; Carrasco-González, Ana María; León-Jariego, José Carlos

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of the service climate between organizational empowerment (i.e., dynamic structural framework, control of workplace decisions, fluidity in information sharing) and service quality (functional and relational). 428 contact employees from 46 hotels participated in the survey. Correlations demonstrated that dynamic structural framework, control decisions, and fluidity in information sharing are related to both functional and relational service quality. Regression analyses and Sobel tests revealed that service climate totally mediated the relationship between all three dimensions of organizational empowerment and relational service quality. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Self-Service Charge Systems: Current Technological Applications and Their Implications for the Future Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mardikian, Jackie

1995-01-01

Discusses a possible shift to self-service check-out systems for academic library patrons. Provides an annotated bibliography of 51 items that discuss the impact of self-service technology on the quality of service and customer satisfaction in libraries, service sectors, banking, and the vending industry. (LRW)

Understand, Identify, and Respond: The New Focus of Access Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Juan Carlos; Meyer, Kristin; Merry, Brian

2017-01-01

Library public services staff have primarily focused on providing services through interactions with their users. Although service quality and customer satisfaction are important in the delivery of these services, the emphasis and nature of the work have often been influenced by a library-centric philosophy rather than a user-centric philosophy.…

Using the "customer service framework" to successfully implement patient- and family-centered care.

PubMed

Rangachari, Pavani; Bhat, Anita; Seol, Yoon-Ho

2011-01-01

Despite the growing momentum toward patient- and family-centered care at the federal policy level, the organizational literature remains divided on its effectiveness, especially in regard to its key dimension of involving patients and families in treatment decisions and safety practices. Although some have argued for the universal adoption of patient involvement, others have questioned both the effectiveness and feasibility of patient involvement. In this article, we apply a well-established theoretical perspective, that is, the Service Quality Model (SQM) (also known as the "customer service framework") to the health care context, to reconcile the debate related to patient involvement. The application helps support the case for universal adoption of patient involvement and also question the arguments against it. A key contribution of the SQM lies in highlighting a set of fundamental service quality determinants emanating from basic consumer service needs. It also provides a simple framework for understanding how gaps between consumer expectations and management perceptions of those expectations can affect the gap between "expected" and "perceived" service quality from a consumer's perspective. Simultaneously, the SQM also outlines "management requirements" for the successful implementation of a customer service strategy. Applying the SQM to the health care context therefore, in addition to reconciling the debate on patient involvement, helps identify specific steps health care managers could take to successfully implement patient- and family-centered care. Correspondingly, the application also provides insights into strategies for the successful implementation of policy recommendations related to patient- and family-centered care in health care organizations.

41 CFR 102-117.250 - What are my responsibilities after shipping the household goods?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...: General Services Administration National Customer Service Center 1500 Bannister Rd. Kansas City, MO 64131... quality of the TSP's performance. After completing the appropriate sections of this form, the employee...

75 FR 15754 - Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-30

... (RRB) conducts a number of customer surveys designed to determine the kinds and quality of services our... reporting hours: 9,271. 2. Title and Purpose of Information Collection: Voluntary Customer Surveys in... be improved. The surveys are limited to data collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions...

Impact of service attributes on customer satisfaction and loyalty in a healthcare context.

PubMed

Lonial, Subash; Raju, P S

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of perceived service attributes in the development of overall customer satisfaction (OCS) and customer loyalty (CL) in a health-care setting. This paper also sheds light on the role of hospitalist physicians (HPs) and offers suggestions to improve patient satisfaction and loyalty. A telephone survey was used to collect data from recently hospitalized patients with respect to their HP. Structural equations modeling (SEM) was used to confirm the overall relationships between perceived service quality (PSQ), OCS and CL. The sample was then divided into customer relationship groups (CRGs) based on satisfaction and loyalty measures. Discriminant analysis was used to determine which attributes differentiated most between high and low satisfaction and loyalty groups. Overall relationships among PSQ, OCS and CL were in conformity with the conceptual model. Findings also revealed that service attributes played an important role in distinguishing between high and low satisfaction and loyalty groups, although some attributes were more important than others and different attributes emerged as being key influencers for satisfaction and loyalty. The conceptual model used is a fairly straight forward model, and we have not considered the impact of individual factors such as expectations and value perceptions or involvement levels and demographic characteristics on service quality and overall satisfaction. The data for this study were provided by a major health maintenance organization (HMO), and there is room for improvement in the manner in which certain constructs were measured. For example, OCS, recommendation and retention all used single item measures, and it might have been preferable to use multiple item measures for these constructs. The study shows that organizations can benefit by identifying and focusing on critical attributes as part of their customer relationship management program. The SEM results provide strong support for the overall model linking service quality, OCS and CL in a health-care setting. As one would expect, PSQ has a strong impact on OCS, which, in turn, has a fairly strong impact on CL. However, there is also a significant direct linkage between PSQ and CL. This linkage shows that at least a certain portion of CL could evolve independent of the satisfaction level with the HP. This shows that, in addition to trying to improve satisfaction, organizations should also explore influencing loyalty directly, perhaps by the strategic use of service attribute perceptions. The study shows that customer perceptions at the service attribute level can often be the key to the generation and management of customer satisfaction and loyalty. It also has significance for how satisfaction and loyalty with HPs can be improved in a hospital setting.

Aiming for Service Excellence: Implementing a Plan for Customer Service Quality at a Blended Service Desk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oud, Joanne; Genzinger, Peter

2016-01-01

This article discusses a public service review and redesign that resulted in a blended service desk combining reference and circulation functions, staffed by nonlibrarians. The redesign implements a number of organizational structures that encourage service excellence, as found in the business literature and in examples of nonlibrary organizations…

The primacy of the patient and family in a quality-improvement environment.

PubMed

Walker, J K

1995-09-01

The primary customers of health care services are the patient and family. It is important to adopt a mission and philosophy that put the patient and family at the center of all quality improvement programs. The principles put forth by Deming in his 14 points can be applied to patient-focused quality improvement measures. Creating a foundation for the professional practice of nursing and using and expanding tools that are already in use can help care providers meet the needs of their customers and help people to live healthier, better lives.

[Personalizing the reference level: gold standard to evaluate the quality of service perceived].

PubMed

Rodrigo-Rincón, I; Reyes-Pérez, M; Martínez-Lozano, M E

2014-01-01

To know the cutoff point at which in-house Nuclear Medicine Department (MND) customers consider that the quality of service is good (personalized cutoff). We conducted a survey of the professionals who had requested at least 5 tests to the Nuclear Medicine Department. A total of 71 doctors responded (response rate: 30%). A question was added to the questionnaire for the user to establish a cutoff point for which they would consider the quality of service as good. The quality non-conformities, areas of improvement and strong points of the six questions measuring the quality of service (Likert scale 0 to 10) were compared with two different thresholds: personalized cutoff and one proposed by the service itself a priori. Test statistics: binomial and Student's t-test for paired data. A cutoff value of 7 was proposed by the service as a reference while 68.1% of respondents suggested a cutoff above 7 points (mean 7.9 points). The 6 elements of perceived quality were considered strong points with the cutoff proposed by the MND, while there were 3 detected with the personalized threshold. Thirteen percent of the answers were nonconformities with the service cutoff versus 19.2% with the personalized one, the differences being statistically significant (difference 95% CI 6.44%:0,83-12.06). The final image of the perceived quality of an in-house customer is different when using the cutoff established by the Department versus the personalized cutoff given by the respondent. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

On Q: Causing Quality in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seymour, Daniel T.

This book presents college and university education as a quality-oriented service with students, parents, and legislators as customers demanding quality. It attempts to blend the concept of strategic management of quality in industry with the latest thinking on the administration of higher education. The first chapter discusses the importance of…

Improving Service Quality: Achieving High Performance in the Public and Private Sectors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milakovich, Michael E.

Quality-improvement principles are a sound means to respond to customer needs. However, when various quality and productivity theories and methods are applied, it is very difficult to consistently deliver quality results, especially in quasi-monopolistic, non-competitive, and regulated environments. This book focuses on quality-improvement methods…

Developing Collections With Get It Now: A Pilot Project for a Hybrid Collection.

PubMed

Hendler, Gail Y; Gudenas, Jean

2016-01-01

As health sciences libraries transition from print to online journal collections that require significant institutional funding, librarians are investigating the use of on demand services in order to meet customer need and contain costs. In 2014 a three-year pilot project to determine if unmediated access to the Copyright Clearance Center's Get It Now service would expand access to needed content and provide usage data to inform collections decision making. The service provides rapid, automated delivery of unsubscribed, high-quality journal articles directly to the customer. The three-year pilot project aims to compare the cost of Get It Now to the traditional subscription model to learn if the service is a cost-effective and sustainable alternative that improves customer satisfaction and that can transform collection development with a hybrid model for journal acquisitions.

Customerizing the clinical laboratory. Repositioning for enhanced service and a competitive advantage.

PubMed

Schuler, R S

1989-01-01

The call for excellence has never been louder, especially in the health-care industry. This call typically means increased service, i.e., faster, more accurate and, of course, friendlier service--all easier said than done, but qualities that make enhanced customer service so powerful. The excellent companies are learning that because it is so difficult to customerize, few competitors do so. Therefore, by devoting the time and effort necessary for customerization, they can move ahead of their competitors. But surpassing competitors by excellent service can be done inside of companies as well as outside. All units and departments have customers. The key to customerization inside is finding out what your customers want and behaving accordingly. The results go beyond enhanced customer satisfaction. They also include enhanced energy levels, reduced turnover, increased pride, and greater creativity for the newly customerized department. All it takes is an understanding of and dedication to customerization. Repositioning the existing department is critical to the success of any attempt to customerize. This article thoroughly describes customerization and the entire process of repositioning the clinical laboratory. One will not occur without the other.

Understanding patients' behavioral intentions: evidence from Iran's private hospitals industry.

PubMed

Zarei, Ehsan; Arab, Mohammad; Tabatabaei, Seyed Mahmoud Ghazi; Rashidian, Arash; Forushani, Abbas Rahimi; Khabiri, Roghayeh

2014-01-01

In the ever-increasing competitive market of private hospital industry, creating a strong relationship with the customers that shapes patients' loyalty has been considered a key factor in obtaining market share. The purpose of this paper is to test a model of customer loyalty among patients of private hospitals in Iran. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2010. The study samples composed of 969 patients who were consecutively selected from eight private hospitals. The survey instrument was designed based on a review of the related literature and included 36 items. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. For the service quality construct, three dimensions extracted: Process, interaction, and environment. Both process and interaction quality had significant effects on perceived value. Perceived value along with the process and interaction quality were the most important antecedents of patient overall satisfaction. The direct effect of the process and interaction quality on behavioral intentions was insignificant. Perceived value and patient overall satisfaction were the direct antecedents of patient behavioral intentions and the mediators between service quality and behavioral intentions. Environment quality of service delivery had no significant effect on perceived value, overall satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. Contrary to previous similar studies, the role of service quality was investigated not in a general sense, but in the form of three types of qualities including quality of environment, quality of process, and quality of interaction.

Mapping online transportation service quality and multiclass classification problem solving priorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alamsyah, Andry; Rachmadiansyah, Imam

2018-03-01

Online transportation service is known for its accessibility, transparency, and tariff affordability. These points make online transportation have advantages over the existing conventional transportation service. Online transportation service is an example of disruptive technology that change the relationship between customers and companies. In Indonesia, there are high competition among online transportation provider, hence the companies must maintain and monitor their service level. To understand their position, we apply both sentiment analysis and multiclass classification to understand customer opinions. From negative sentiments, we can identify problems and establish problem-solving priorities. As a case study, we use the most popular online transportation provider in Indonesia: Gojek and Grab. Since many customers are actively give compliment and complain about company’s service level on Twitter, therefore we collect 61,721 tweets in Bahasa during one month observations. We apply Naive Bayes and Support Vector Machine methods to see which model perform best for our data. The result reveal Gojek has better service quality with 19.76% positive and 80.23% negative sentiments than Grab with 9.2% positive and 90.8% negative. The Gojek highest problem-solving priority is regarding application problems, while Grab is about unusable promos. The overall result shows general problems of both case study are related to accessibility dimension which indicate lack of capability to provide good digital access to the end users.

Required Delivery Date, an Alternative to Procurement Administrative Lead Time

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

quality services we may be shout out by the customer. He mentioned two changes in the area of small purchase that may impact the process, the proposed... sweatshop mentality, do more vendor quality evaluations, and overall make the process more responsive to the customer. When questioned about RDD, he said...larger, more economical quantities, a habit that would also cut down on the number of requisitions to be processed. This may, however, have some

Gaining competitive advantage in personal dosimetry services through ISO 9001 certification.

PubMed

Noriah, M A

2007-01-01

This paper discusses the advantage of certification process in the quality assurance of individual dose monitoring in Malaysia. The demand by customers and the regulatory authority for a higher degree of quality service requires a switch in emphasis from a technically focused quality assurance program to a comprehensive quality management for service provision. Achieving the ISO 9001:2000 certification by an accredited third party demonstrates acceptable recognition and documents the fact that the methods used are capable of generating results that satisfy the performance criteria of the certification program. It also offers a proof of the commitment to quality and, as a benchmark, allows measurement of the progress for continual improvement of service performance.

Ordinary or peculiar men? Comparing the customers of prostitutes with a nationally representative sample of men.

PubMed

Monto, Martin A; Milrod, Christine

2014-07-01

Recent media attention implies that prostitution seeking is widespread, an "ordinary" aspect of masculine sexual behavior. Other accounts suggest that customers are "peculiar," characterized by distinct qualities, perversions, or psychological impairments. Using the nationally representative General Social Survey (GSS), this study demonstrates that prostitution seeking is relatively uncommon. Only about 14% of men in the United States report having ever paid for sex, and only 1% report having done so during the previous year. Furthermore, this study dissects whether customers are ordinary or peculiar by comparing a new sample of active customers who solicit sex on the Internet with an older sample of arrested customers, a sample of customers from the GSS, and a nationally representative sample of noncustomers. The customers of Internet sexual service providers differed greatly from men in general and also from other customers. The remaining samples of customers differed slightly from noncustomers in general. We argue for a balanced perspective that recognizes the significant variety among customers. There is no evidence of a peculiar quality that differentiates customers in general from men who have not paid for sex. © The Author(s) 2013.

Assessment of Service Desk Quality at an Academic Health Sciences Library.

PubMed

Blevins, Amy E; DeBerg, Jennifer; Kiscaden, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Due to an identified need for formal assessment, a small team of librarians designed and administered a survey to gauge the quality of customer service at their academic health sciences library. Though results did not drive major changes to services, several important improvements were implemented and a process was established to serve as a foundation for future use. This article details the assessment process used and lessons learned during the project.

78 FR 25321 - Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-30

... Board (RRB) conducts a number of customer surveys designed to determine the kinds and quality of... what extent services can be improved. The surveys are limited to data collections that solicit strictly.... This generic authority allows the RRB to submit a variety of new or revised customer survey instruments...

Continuous Improvement in Business Education: Insights from the For-Profit Sector and Business School Deans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Allan R.; Chow, Chee W.; Hadad, Kamal M.

1999-01-01

The balanced scorecard, a customer-based continuous improvement system, can be applied to business schools. Business deans (n=38) suggested goals and measures for a customer perspective, including such factors as stakeholders, program and service quality, public image, teaching/learning excellence, curriculum excellence, fund raising, and human…

Using TQM and ISO 9000 Principles in Assuring Education Service Quality

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

This paper describes Riga Aviation University's (Latvia) movement from a strongly regulated and controlled professional education program to a system of contract relations with students as Education Service customers. This period demanded, first, a s...

Using SERVQUAL in health libraries across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

PubMed

Martin, Susan

2003-03-01

This study provides the results of a survey conducted in the autumn of 2001 by ten NHS library services across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. The aim of the project was to measure the service quality of each individual library and to provide an overall picture of the quality of library services within the south-west peninsula. The survey was based on SERVQUAL, a diagnostic tool developed in the 1980s, which measures service quality in terms of customer expectations and perceptions of service. The survey results have provided the librarians with a wealth of information about service quality. The service as a whole is perceived to be not only meeting but also exceeding expectations in terms of reliability, responsiveness, empathy and assurance. For the first time, the ten health library services can measure their own service quality as well as benchmark themselves against others.

Improving Internal Customer Service

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

organizations, profit and non- profit, are becoming interested in the concepts of Total Quality Management (TQM). Businesses in the United States ’have...to business strategy" (39:45). The United States Air Force (USAF) is one of the American organizations adopting the ideals of Total Quality...more than a buzz word in today’s business environment; it has become the key to excellence (36:52). With today’s economic climate, quality service means

A Study Investigating the Perceived Service Quality Levels of Sport Center Members: A Kano Model Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Kadir; Polat, Ercan; Güzel, Pinar

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate sport center members' perceived service quality levels with a view to Kano customer expectations and requirements model. To that end, a descriptive approach and a correlational research design featuring survey method is adopted. Research group consists of 680 (300 women, 380 men) sport center members who…

The Impact of Practical Relevance on Training Transfer: Evidence from a Service Quality Training Program for German Bank Clerks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebermann, Susanne; Hoffmann, Stefan

2008-01-01

The management literature provides a variety of recommendations as to how workers' customer orientation might be improved, including through training. Crucial factors in the process of transferring the contents of service quality training programs to practice, however, have not yet been sufficiently analysed. This study proposes and tests a model…

Evaluating the Implementation of a Training Program for Improving Quality Service: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierre, Ketly Dieudonne

2014-01-01

There is a need to implement a comprehensive training program to build employees' knowledge, skills, and attitudes in order to improve quality service at ABC Restaurant because of a surge in customer complaints. The purpose of this study was to develop a training program that included an employee handbook as a training tool, a handbook designed…

Assessing the physical service setting: a look at emergency departments.

PubMed

Steinke, Claudia

2015-01-01

To determine the attributes of the physical setting that are important for developing a positive service climate within emergency departments and to validate a measure for assessing physical service design. The design of the physical setting is an important and contributing factor for creating a service climate in organizations. Service climate is defined as employee perceptions of the practices, procedures, and behaviors that get rewarded, supported, and expected with regard to customer service and customer service quality. There has been research conducted which identifies antecedents within organization that promotes a positive service climate which in turn creates service-oriented behaviors by employees toward clients. The antecedent of the physical setting and its impact on perceptions of service climate has been less commonly explored. Using the concept of the physical service setting (which may be defined as aspects of the physical, built environment that facilitate the delivery of quality service), attributes of the physical setting and their relationship with service climate were explored by means of a quantitative paper survey distributed to emergency nurses (n = 180) throughout a province in Canada. The results highlight the validity and reliability of six scales measuring the physical setting and its relation to service. Respondents gave low ratings to the physical setting of their departments, in addition to low ratings of service climate. Respondents feel that the design of the physical setting in the emergency departments where they work is not conducive to providing quality service to clients. Certain attributes of the physical setting were found to be significant in influencing perceptions of service climate, hence service quality, within the emergency department setting. © The Author(s) 2015.

The Students’ Viewpoint on Quality of Educational Services in Iran

PubMed Central

Siamian, Hasan; Rostami, Farideh; Ghara, Aliasghar Nadi; Abedi, Ghassem

2017-01-01

Background: Recently, focusing on higher education quality has got increasingly critical. The novel managerial attitudes have defined the customer-demanded quality. Based on this, recognizing the receivers’ perception of the quality of the services offered and evaluating the quality of the service is considered of the basic measures taken in order to develop quality promotion programs. Therefore, this is a qualitative research conducted for students’ viewpoint on quality of educational services. Material and Methods: This qualitative study has been performed by the phenomenological method. The samples have been selected based on goal-oriented approach. In this qualitative research, the required data have been collected in two phases (90 individual interviews and 30 focus group discussions) at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences during which the participants have conveyed their experiences and expectations encountering the educational quality topic. All the interviews have been recorded and implemented. The interviews analysis has been carried out simultaneously with the implementation and using theme analysis by Smith method. Results: According to the findings regarding the definition of quality, the students have emphasized two important aspects including “educational services standards by the teacher “and “the students’ satisfaction”. Thus the final education quality resulted from the students’ experiences and perception is this way: “Presenting the students educational services in class and out of class compatible with the educational services standards so that it results in the students’ satisfaction”. When a person views her/him-self rightful as a customer, whatever seems necessary to them appears like a requirement. Then regarding paying attention and reflecting on the customers’ perceived needs, it is possible to determine their expectations limit to some extent. Conclusion: Therefore, designing educational quality standards in order to evaluate the teachers’ function without taking the stakeholders’ perspective into account is not practical. This research-extracted finding can present the stakeholders’ perspective encountering the educational quality. PMID:28484355

TQM: the essential concepts.

PubMed

Chambers, D W

1998-01-01

This is an introduction to the major concepts in total quality management, a loose collection of management approaches that focus on continuous improvement of processes, guided by routine data collection and adjustment of the processes. Customer focus and involvement of all members of an organization are also characteristics commonly found in TQM. The seventy-five-year history of the movement is sketched from its beginning in statistical work on quality assurance through the many improvements and redefinitions added by American and Japanese thinkers. Essential concepts covered include: control cycles, focus on the process rather than the defects, the GEAR model, importance of the customer, upstream quality, just-in-time, kaizen, and service quality.

What results when firms implement practices: the differential relationship between specific practices, firm financial performance, customer service, and quality.

PubMed

Gibson, Cristina B; Porath, Christine L; Benson, George S; Lawler, Edward E

2007-11-01

Previous research on organizational practices is replete with contradictory evidence regarding their effects. Here, the authors argue that these contradictory findings may have occurred because researchers have often examined complex practice combinations and have failed to investigate a broad variety of firm-level outcomes. Thus, past research may obscure important differential effects of specific practices on specific firm-level outcomes. Extending this research, the authors develop hypotheses about the effects of practices that (a) enable information sharing, (b) set boundaries, and (c) enable teams on 3 different firm-level outcomes: financial performance, customer service, and quality. Relationships are tested in a sample of observations from over 200 Fortune 1000 firms. Results indicate that information-sharing practices were positively related to financial performance 1 year following implementation of the practices, boundary-setting practices were positively related to firm-level customer service, and team-enabling practices were related to firm-level quality. No single set of practices predicted all 3 firm-level outcomes, indicating practice-specific effects. These findings help resolve the theoretical tension in the literature regarding the effects of organizational practices and offer guidance as to how to best target practices to increase specific work-related outcomes. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed. (c) 2007 APA

The impact of using kiosk on enterprise systems in service industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jengchung V.; Yen, David; Dunk, Kimberly; Widjaja, Andree E.

2015-11-01

The hospitality industry services many types of travellers. Each of them needs to be analysed differently in order to accurately determine their respective service quality attributes and customer delight. The effective and efficient enterprise information systems (EISs) play a significant role in traveller's experience and in the competitive advantages that hotels can gain. For this study, self-service kiosks and guest service agents as part of hotel's EISs are used to investigate the impact each has on the experience of business and leisure travellers. This study provides empirical results that further investigate how to improve the service quality for both types of travellers during the registration process. This process is the first physical interaction between the travellers and the hotel. Any problem in registering would generate a long-lasting negative first impression on the travellers, thus diminishing the customer delight. In the light of our findings, this study will contribute to the effective and efficient design of self-service kiosk systems, hotel's EISs, and improved front office management to better accommodate the specific needs of both types of travellers.

Positioning patient-perceived medical services to develop a marketing strategy.

PubMed

Jung, Minsoo; Hong, Myung-Sun

2012-01-01

In today's medical market, marketing philosophy is being rapidly transformed from customer searching to patient satisfaction and service improvement. The principal objective of this study was to contribute to the establishment of a desirable medical marketing strategy, through the factors of customer satisfaction and the positioning of patients' perceptions by marketing institutions. The data were collected from 282 students of the College of Public Health and Medicine in Seoul. The survey tools were developed using the SERVQUAL scale. Analysis in this study involved both statistical and network analysis. The former was used to verify the determinants of service satisfaction as perceived by respondents, via factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. The latter was obtained using a positioning map and 2-mode network analysis with the matrix data converted from raw data. The determining factors for patient satisfaction were identified as facilities, accessibility, process, physicians, and medical staff. The regression equation was significant (R = 0.606), and the most influential variable was the service quality of physicians (β = .569). According to multidimensional scaling, the positioning of medical institutions indicated that patients' perceptions were affected by hospital size and specialization. By recognizing and managing patient satisfaction, medical institutions are able to foster customer loyalty and, in turn, to enhance service quality. It is necessary to develop an adequate marketing mix to provide better medical services and to overcome medical competition among institutions.

[Comprehensive and competition-oriented quality management in social medicine expert services].

PubMed

Seger, W

1996-05-01

In free competition expert services in Social Medicine must supply their expertise with high quality in a short time and at low cost. The demands by customers in respect of motivation of the staff and innovative organisation are as important competitive factors as high quality standards for expertise production. These guiding principles completed by "Kaizen" and "Lean production" are necessary requirements for the further existence of the enterprise in competition. Quality assurance must be promoted in a process looking to the future in active quality management.

Increasing the Quality and Value of Conferences, Seminars, and Workshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoyt, Jeff E.; Whyte, Chrystine

2011-01-01

The purpose of this best practices article is to provide continuing education administrators with a reliable participant evaluation that measures factors predictive of not only satisfaction, but also perceived value: adequacy of topics, customer service, learning, quality of facilities, image, and quality of presentations, among other variables.…

United States Army Garrison - Miami (USAG-Miami)

Science.gov Websites

quality customer service. Let us know how to address your specific or community needs through ICE. Send this site use Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF) This site is provided as a public service by United States

The customer satisfaction towards the service quality of Tawang Alun Malang-Banyuwangi Train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Permatasari, D.

2017-06-01

Service sector which has quiet vital role in supporting people’s daily activities is transportation service. Transportation is one of the important and strategic developments in improving economy sector. One of the alternative ways to overcome people’s need of transportation is by providing trains. This research was conducted on the weekend that has objectives to analyze the work performance of Indonesian Railway Company towards the service quality that can determine the customers’ satisfaction of TawangAlun Malang-Banyuwangi train and to analyze the customers’ satisfaction itself towards the service quality of TawangAlun Malang-Banyuwangi train. This research used quantitative descriptive as the research method. There are two kinds of data that were used in this research; the first one is the primary data taken from questionnaire’s results and interview meanwhile the second one is the secondary data taken from literature and internet. The sample used in this research is nonprobability sampling using convenience sampling technique. Data analysis used in this research is Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) and Customer Satisfaction index (CSI). The results are the Indonesian Railway Company should make a new innovation to buy the ticket from the ticket machine and add more exhausts in every railway coach.

Observations on quality senior health business: success patterns and policy implications.

PubMed

Yang, Ya-Ting; Hsu, Yi-Hsin Elsa; Chen, Ya-Mei; Su, Shyi; Chang, Yao-Mao; Iqbal, Usman; Yujiro, Handa; Lin, Neng-Pai

2016-04-01

Population ageing is a global issue that affects almost every country. Most ageing researches focused on demand side and studies related to supply side were relatively scarce. This study selected quality enterprises focus on ageing health and analysed their patterns on providing quality services successfully. Our study selected quality senior health enterprises and explored their success patterns through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews with CEO of each enterprise in 2013. Thirty-three quality senior health enterprises in Taiwan. Thirty-three CEO's of enterprises were interviewed individually. None. Core values and vision, historical development, organization structure, services/products provided, delivering channels, customer relationships and further development strategies. Our results indicated success patterns for senior enterprises that there were meeting diversified lifestyles and substitutive needs for the elderly and their caregivers, providing a total solution for actual/virtual integration and flexible one-stop shopping services. We classified these enterprises by used degree of clicks-and-mortar of services and residing situation of the elderly. Industry characteristics and policy implications were summarized. Our observations will serve as a primary evidenced base for enterprises developing their senior market, and also for opening dialogue between customers and enterprises to facilitate valuable opportunities for co-creation between the supply and demand sides. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Competing strategically through market orientation.

PubMed

Rapert, M I; Yarbrough, L

1997-01-01

As organizations seek to better understand their customers, competitors, and environments, the marketing function effectively serves as the support mechanism for these activities in many industries. Accordingly, in many organizations the marketing concept has been elevated to the stature of a strategic weapon, manifested in the form of market orientation. Market-oriented firms emphasize the collection, organization, and dissemination of information regarding both customers and competitors. This strategy is especially well-suited for the health care industry where customer knowledge is of paramount importance, customer interaction is instantaneous, and customer satisfaction is essential. Results of a national study of general service hospitals suggest that firms which embrace a market orientation benefit through enhanced customer satisfaction and quality.

Creating the living brand.

PubMed

Bendapudi, Neeli; Bendapudi, Venkat

2005-05-01

It's easy to conclude from the literature and the lore that top-notch customer service is the province of a few luxury companies and that any retailer outside that rarefied atmosphere is condemned to offer mediocre service at best. But even companies that position themselves for the mass market can provide outstanding customer-employee interactions and profit from them, if they train employees to reflect the brand's core values. The authors studied the convenience store industry in depth and focused on two that have developed a devoted following: QuikTrip (QT) and Wawa. Turnover rates at QT and Wawa are 14% and 22% respectively, much lower than the typical rate in retail. The authors found six principles that both firms embrace to create a strong culture of customer service. Know what you're looking for: A focus on candidates' intrinsic traits allows the companies to hire people who will naturally bring the right qualities to the job. Make the most of talent: In mass-market retail, talent is generally viewed as a commodity, but that outlook becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Create pride in the brand: Service quality depends directly on employees' attachment to the brand. Build community: Wawa and QT have made concerted efforts to build customer loyalty through a sense of community. Share the business context: Employees need a clear understanding of how their company operates and how it defines success. Satisfy the soul: To win an employee's passionate engagement, a company must meet his or her needs for security, esteem, and justice.

Listening to Students: Customer Journey Mapping at Birmingham City University Library and Learning Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Judith; Eade, Eleanor

2013-01-01

Birmingham City University's Library and Learning Resources' strategic aim is to improve student satisfaction. A key element is the achievement of the Customer Excellence Standard. An important component of the standard is the mapping of services to improve quality. Library and Learning Resources has developed a methodology to map these…

Using aspen for artist stretcher frames: adding value through quality service, direct marketing, and careful material selection

Treesearch

Chris Polson

2001-01-01

Aspen wood, when carefully selected and kiln dried, makes excellent stock for artist stretcher frames. Direct marketing techniques including the Internet and word of mouth give access to national markets, providing a more diverse and stable customer base for operations from a rural area. High-quality service, as shown by product performance and rapid order fulfillment...

Voice of the customer---a roadmap for service improvement.

PubMed

Uberoi, Ravinder S; Nayak, Yogamaya; Sachdeva, Pritindira; Sibal, Anupam

2013-01-01

Patient satisfaction surveys help a great deal in identifying ways of improving a hospital's services. Ultimately, that translates into better care and happier patients. Moreover, it shows the staff and the community that the hospital is serious about quality and is looking for ways to improve. This article describes how the Voice of the Customer (VOC) Survey can be used as a tool for improving services. Regular monitoring of VOC scores is essential for minimizing the gaps between service delivery and patient expectations. The present study showcases the various initiatives undertaken to improve the VOC scores from an original 4.40 to 4.77 (on a 5 point scale) at the hospital under study.

Cost, Emissions, and Customer Service Trade-Off Analysis In Pickup and Delivery Systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-05-01

This research offers a novel formulation for including emissions into fleet assignment and vehicle routing, and for the : trade-offs faced by fleet operators between cost, emissions, and service quality. This approach enables evaluation of : the impa...

Measuring Effectiveness in a Virtual Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, Jannette L.

2010-01-01

Measuring quality of service in academic libraries traditionally includes quantifiable data such as collection size, staff counts, circulation numbers, reference service statistics, qualitative analyses of customer satisfaction, shelving accuracy, and building comfort. In the libraries of the third millennium, virtual worlds, Web content and…

Balancing quality customer service with financial returns in privatized park services

Treesearch

Glen D. Alexander

1998-01-01

The privatization of public facilities continues to be an issue that impacts the bottom line of many public agencies. Choosing a concessionaire or contractor involves much more that selecting the highest bidder. Examining all the variables is a necessity.

Algorithms for routing vehicles and their application to the paratransit vehicle scheduling problem.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

As the demand for paratransit services increases, there is a constant pressure to maintain the quality of : service provided to the customers while minimizing the cost of operation; this is especially important as : the availability of public funding...

The role of learning and customer orientation for delivering service quality to patients.

PubMed

Bellou, Victoria

2010-01-01

This study seeks to investigate the impact that learning orientation, internal and external customer orientation have on quality of care delivered to patients. Additionally, given the differences between managerial and non-managerial employees regarding organizational value perception and focus on the needs of internal customers and patients, the study aims to examine potential variations in these relationships. The study took place in ten out of 31 public hospitals operating in the five largest districts in continental Greece. Hospitals were chosen on a random basis. Out of 800 questionnaires that were personally administered, 499 usable responses were gathered. The extent to which employees create and use knowledge and focus on satisfying the needs of both internal customers and patients is indicative of the quality of care provided. In addition, only managerial employees believe that learning orientation reinforces quality of care. The fact that employees rated quality of care delivered to patients and that most employees had extended tenure should be taken into consideration when interpreting these findings. Top management needs to create a strong and clear culture that emphasizes learning, as well as internal customer and patient orientation, and infuse them among all organizational members. Moreover, human resource management policies should be aligned to meeting or exceeding patients' requests and expectations. The paper enhances existing knowledge with regard to the antecedents of offering medical care of high quality.

What Factors Influence Employee Service Recovery Performance and What Are the Consequences in Health Care?

PubMed

Nadiri, Halil; Tanova, Cem

2016-01-01

We analyzed the extent to which the service recovery performance of frontline employees in private health care institutions is influenced by employee perceptions of manager attitudes toward service quality, workplace support, and manager fairness and organizational commitment. We also examined the relationship of service recovery performance to employee job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Partial least square path modeling of data from 178 frontline employees in private health care institutions in North Cyprus was utilized. Although empowerment and role clarity were positively related to service recovery performance, perceived managerial attitudes toward hospital customer service, teamwork, and customer service-oriented training as indicators of workplace support were not related to frontline employees' service recovery performance. Organizational justice was related to affective commitment, which in turn was related to service recovery performance. Although service recovery performance was not related to employee turnover intentions, it was related to job satisfaction. Managerial implications of these study findings are presented in the light of the cognitive evaluation theory. Health services differ from other service organizations in the way that intrinsic and extrinsic rewards influence the service recovery efforts of frontline employees. To ensure high quality services, managers should focus on intrinsic rewards, empower and give more autonomy to staff.

Model for selecting quality standards for a salad bar through identifying elements of customer satisfaction.

PubMed

Ouellet, D; Norback, J P

1993-11-01

Continuous quality improvement is the new requirement of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. This means that meeting quality standards will not be enough. Dietitians will need to improve those standards and the way they are selected. Because quality is defined in terms of the customers, all quality improvement projects must start by defining what customers want. Using a salad bar as an example, this article presents and illustrates a technique developed in Japan to identify which elements in a product or service will satisfy or dissatisfy consumers. Using a model and a questionnaire format developed by Kano and coworkers, 273 students were surveyed to classify six quality elements of a salad bar. Four elements showed a dominant "must-be" characteristic: food freshness, labeling of the dressings, no spills in the food, and no spills on the salad bar. The two other elements (food easy to reach and food variety) showed a dominant one-dimensional characteristic. By better understanding consumer perceptions of quality elements, foodservice managers can select quality standards that focus on what really matters to their consumers.

What is quality, who wants it, and why?

PubMed

Friedman, L H; White, D B

1999-01-01

The health services literature is replete with examples of the failure of total quality management to produce significant change in organizational performance. Some authors suggest that incremental quality improvement be abandoned in favor of structural reengineering. However, these naysayers ignore the critical impact of environmental change, managed care, and customer service as primary organizational drivers that demand an enhanced focus on continuous quality improvement. Coupled with these factors is the movement towards the creation of learning organizations. At the core of any learning organization is a commitment to quality and the empowerment of employees to identify and improve quality.

Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

PubMed Central

Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

1991-01-01

A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas. PMID:1909197

Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

PubMed

Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

1991-07-01

A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas.

Changing the Concept and Measure of Service Quality in Academic Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitecki, Danuta A.

1996-01-01

The diagnostic instrument SERVQUAL has been developed to measure customer expectations and perceptions of service. This article describes a study that investigated how applicable SERVQUAL is to academic libraries and how influential the study's findings might be in changing concepts of the management of academic library services. Two SERVQUAL…

Evaluating the Quality of a Chat Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Julie; Kaske, Neal K.

2005-01-01

A quantitative study of a university chat reference service (online synchronous) addresses the following research questions: (1) What types of questions are being asked? (2) Who is asking the questions of the service? and (3) Did the customers get correct answers to their questions? All the transcripts (351) from January through August 2002 were…

Effective interventions on service quality improvement in a physiotherapy clinic.

PubMed

Gharibi, Farid; Tabrizi, JafarSadegh; Eteraf Oskouei, MirAli; AsghariJafarabadi, Mohammad

2014-01-01

Service quality is considered as a main domain of quality associ-ated with non-clinical aspect of healthcare. This study aimed to survey and im-proves service quality of delivered care in the Physiotherapy Clinic affiliated with the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. A quasi experimental interventional study was conducted in the Physiotherapy Clinic, 2010-2011. Data were collected using a validated and reli-able researcher made questionnaire with participation of 324 patients and their coadjutors. The study questionnaire consisted of 7 questions about demographic factors and 38 questions for eleven aspects of service quality. Data were then analyzed using paired samples t-test by SPSS16. In the pre intervention phase, six aspects of service quality including choice of provider, safety, prevention and early detection, dignity, autonomy and availability achieved non-acceptable scores. Following interventions, all aspects of the service quality improved and also total service quality score improved from 8.58 to 9.83 (P<0.001). Service quality can be improved by problem implementation of appropriate interventions. The acquired results can be used in health system fields to create respectful environments for healthcare customers.

Post-purchase reassessment and improvement of neuroendoscope holder: importance of physician-manufacturer communication.

PubMed

Ogawa, Yoshikazu; Nakata, Yusuke; Tominaga, Teiji

2014-01-01

Modern medical management requires constant quality improvement of the various instruments used for surgical procedures. Higher quality, less complicated handling, and reduced maintenance are all desirable qualities. However, any improvements in instrumentation require that surgeons must clearly understand the application of the device by adherence to the manufacturer's instructions. The weakness of this one-way information flow depends on the low interest among medical personnel for post-purchase reassessment. Service industries have research departments to investigate the post-purchase behavior of customers, and service recovery is considered essential to retain customers after service failure. All service providers can suffer service failures, and even the best providers may make errors in delivering service. Such an approach has been increasingly adopted in the risk management at medical institutions. We report our clinical trials of the post-purchase reassessment and product improvement of surgical instrumentation. Medical personnel reassessed the use of a newly developed endoscope holder based on the manufacturer's manual and made recommendations for possible improvements, which were examined by the manufacturer. Simple but important improvement was achieved for reducing the instability and uncertainty of instrument fixation. This bi-directional post-purchase communication between medical personnel and manufacturers can improve risk management in medical institutions.

Marketing is everything.

PubMed

McKenna, R

1991-01-01

Technology is creating customer choice, and choice is altering the marketplace. Gone are the days of the marketer as salesperson. Gone as well is marketing that tries to trick the customer into buying whatever the company makes. There is a new paradigm for marketing, a model that depends on the marketer's knowledge, experience, and ability to integrate the customer and the company. Six principles are at the heart of the new marketing. The first, "Marketing is everything and everything is marketing," suggests that marketing is like quality. It is not a function but an all-pervasive way of doing business. The second, "The goal of marketing is to own the market, not just to sell the product," is a remedy for companies that adopt a limiting "market-share mentality." When you own a market, you lead the market. The third principle says that "marketing evolves as technology evolves." Programmable technology means that companies can promise customers "any thing, any way, any time." Now marketing is evolving to deliver on that promise. The fourth principle, "Marketing moves from monologue to dialogue," argues that advertising is obsolete. Talking at customers is no longer useful. The new marketing requires a feedback loop--a dialogue between company and customer. The fifth principle says that "marketing a product is marketing a service is marketing a product." The line between the categories is fast eroding: the best manufacturing companies provide great service, the best service companies think of themselves as offering high-quality products. The sixth principle, "Technology markets technology," points out the inevitable marriage of marketing and technology and predicts the emergence of marketing workstations, a marketing counterpart to engineers' CAD/CAM systems.

Manage your human sigma.

PubMed

Fleming, John H; Coffman, Curt; Harter, James K

2005-01-01

If sales and service organizations are to improve, they must learn to measure and manage the quality of the employee-customer encounter. Quality improvement methodologies such as Six Sigma are extremely useful in manufacturing contexts, but they're less useful when it comes to human interactions. To address this problem, the authors have developed a quality improvement approach they refer to as Human Sigma. It weaves together a consistent method for assessing the employee-customer encounter and a disciplined process for managing and improving it. There are several core principles for measuring and managing the employee-customer encounter: It's important not to think like an economist or an engineer when assessing interactions because emotions inform both sides' judgments and behavior. The employee-customer encounter must be measured and managed locally, because there are enormous variations in quality at the work-group and individual levels. And to improve the quality of the employee-customer interaction, organizations must conduct both short-term, transactional interventions and long-term, transformational ones. Employee engagement and customer engagement are intimately connected--and, taken together, they have an outsized effect on financial performance. They therefore need to be managed holistically. That is, the responsibility for measuring and monitoring the health of employee-customer relationships must reside within a single organizational structure, with an executive champion who has the authority to initiate and manage change. Nevertheless, the local manager remains the single most important factor in local group performance. A local manager whose work group shows suboptimal performance should be encouraged to conduct interventions, such as targeted training, performance reviews, action learning, and individual coaching.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) customer satisfaction survey, 1997. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, A.V.; Henderson, D.P.

the EREN Customer Satisfaction Survey 1997 was designed to follow up the results of the 1995-96 Surveys, enabling comparison to the 1995- 96 baseline, and to provide additional qualitative feedback about EREN. Both the 1995-96 and 1997 Surveys had these objectives: Identify and define actual EREN users; Determine the value or benefits derived from the use of EREN; Determine the kind and quality of services that users want; Determine the users` levels of satisfaction with existing services; Determine users` preferences in both the sources of service and means of delivery; and Establish continuous quality improvement measures. This report presents themore » methodology used, scope and limitations of the study, description of the survey instrument, and findings regarding demographics, technical capabilities, usage patterns, general use, importance of and satisfaction with resources, and additional information and comments.« less

Supply Operations (DLA-O) Total Quality Management (TQM) Master Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-01

This document briefly outlines the DLA Directorate of Supply Operations plan to implement total quality management . It seeks to provide better...service to customers at a lower cost through continuous process improvement and commitment from everyone in the organization. Keywords: TQM (total Quality Management ), Supply operations; Continuous process improvement. (KR)

Users' demographic profile and quality attributes of bus services: The perspectives of users, operators and local authorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Nur'Amirah Mhd.; Hamid, Ahmad Hilmy Abd

2017-10-01

Bus services that can help meet almost every bus user's needs are the goals of bus operators. Despite such an idealistic view, the operators themselves, users and even the local authorities have been found to hold different views about the quality of service that the bus should deliver. As the users i.e., customers are considered as important stakeholders, understanding their characteristics, profile and pattern is very crucial. To this end, the present study has attempted to gauge the perspectives of all the above-mentioned stakeholders. For the users, a customer satisfaction survey was employed to look into the relative influence of service attributes. In addition, surveys were also administered to bus operators and local authorities to study their perspectives in relation to this matter. 450 randomly selected respondents were surveyed. Identification of the service level was analyzed through the Likert scale whereas the perspectives of the operators and authorities were dealt with through mean value Analysis. Specifically, this study aims to identify the crucial attributes in determining the quality of the bus services. Findings of the study indicated that different attributes were selected by users, operators and authorities, which clearly enlightened the variations of the important attributes in determining the level of bus service quality. In its attempt to compare the service level attributes from three perspectives, this study has helped advance better improvement and strategies for the urban public bus operators and planners, in addition to the authorities in delivering user-friendly bus services by taking into account the local context, user profile and demographic characteristics.

A modify ant colony optimization for the grid jobs scheduling problem with QoS requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Xun; Lu, XianLiang

2011-10-01

Job scheduling with customers' quality of service (QoS) requirement is challenging in grid environment. In this paper, we present a modify Ant colony optimization (MACO) for the Job scheduling problem in grid. Instead of using the conventional construction approach to construct feasible schedules, the proposed algorithm employs a decomposition method to satisfy the customer's deadline and cost requirements. Besides, a new mechanism of service instances state updating is embedded to improve the convergence of MACO. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Evaluating supplier quality performance using analytical hierarchy process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalimuthu Rajoo, Shanmugam Sundram; Kasim, Maznah Mat; Ahmad, Nazihah

2013-09-01

This paper elaborates the importance of evaluating supplier quality performance to an organization. Supplier quality performance evaluation reflects the actual performance of the supplier exhibited at customer's end. It is critical in enabling the organization to determine the area of improvement and thereafter works with supplier to close the gaps. Success of the customer partly depends on supplier's quality performance. Key criteria as quality, cost, delivery, technology support and customer service are categorized as main factors in contributing to supplier's quality performance. 18 suppliers' who were manufacturing automotive application parts evaluated in year 2010 using weight point system. There were few suppliers with common rating which led to common ranking observed by few suppliers'. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a user friendly decision making tool for complex and multi criteria problems was used to evaluate the supplier's quality performance challenging the weight point system that was used for 18 suppliers'. The consistency ratio was checked for criteria and sub-criteria. Final results of AHP obtained with no overlap ratings, therefore yielded a better decision making methodology as compared to weight point rating system.

Data collection automation and total quality management: case studies in the health-service industry.

PubMed

Smith, Alan D; Offodile, O Felix

2008-01-01

The limitations, immeasurable, and seemly unquantifiable aspects of the healthcare service industry, make it imperative that quality assurance programs include total quality management (TQM) and automatic identification and data capture (AIDC)-related technologies. Most of standards used in TQM and AIDC require data, to measure improvement and achieve standardization. Major difference between managing a service firm and managing a product-manufacturing firm is the difficulty of achieving consistently high quality. Examination of two different healthcare service providers in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area offers different views as to the implementation and practice of total quality management techniques and AIDC integration. Since the healthcare service industry must take into account its high customization needs, there are positive steps to make the hospital structure itself more patient friendly and quality related; hence improving its heath-marketing strategies to the general public.

Critical to quality in telemedicine service management: application of DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) and SERVQUAL).

PubMed

Yun, Eun Kyoung; Chun, Kee Moon

2008-01-01

Telemedicine generally refers to the use of communications and information technologies for the delivery of health care. owever, telemedicine is not merely a simple combination of health care and technology. The researchers propose a systematic approach for assessing needs of telemedicine customers, called critical-to-quality (CTQ) in Six Sigma, with a purpose of continuous quality improvement. The combination approach using DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) and SERVQUAL (Service Quality Framework) was applied to define the critical quality attributes of telemedicine service management and to match them with the current telemedicine process. With a step-by-step procedure, telemedicine service process was reviewed and all the important CTQ candidates identified via a case study. The findings suggest that nurses need further understanding and research methods that will improve and manage the quality of health care service in various medical fields.

Prototyping and implementing flight qualifiable semicustom CMOS P-well bulk integrated circuits in the JPL environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, E. M.

1986-01-01

Presently, there are many difficulties associated with implementing application specific custom or semi-custom (standard cell based) integrated circuits (ICs) into JPL flight projects. One of the primary difficulties is developing prototype semi-custom integrated circuits for use and evaluation in engineering prototype flight hardware. The prototype semi-custom ICs must be extremely cost-effective and yet still representative of flight qualifiable versions of the design. A second difficulty is encountered in the transport of the design from engineering prototype quality to flight quality. Normally, flight quality integrated circuits have stringent quality standards, must be radiation resistant and should consume minimal power. It is often not necessary or cost effective, however, to impose such stringent quality standards on engineering models developed for systems analysis in controlled lab environments. This article presents work originally initiated for ground based applications that also addresses these two problems. Furthermore, this article suggests a method that has been shown successful in prototyping flight quality semi-custom ICs through the Metal Oxide Semiconductor Implementation Service (MOSIS) program run by the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute. The method has been used successfully to design and fabricate through the MOSIS three different semi-custom prototype CMOS p-well chips. The three designs make use of the work presented and were designed consistent with design techniques and structures that are flight qualifiable, allowing one hour transfer of the design from engineering model status to flight qualifiable foundry-ready status through methods outlined in this article.

Excerpts from Managing CQI in Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Services: A CQI Handbook.

PubMed

Joseph, E D; Lesher, C; Zage, R

1994-01-01

Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is currently the most popular and influential quality management program used in healthcare organizations. It is an effective methodology for identifying and acting on opportunities to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and value of services provided to customers. CQI implementation can be broken down into four components: (1) achievement objectives and goal identification, (2) system process analysis, (3) action planning and implementation, and (4) performance measurement and follow-up. As the project team establishes goals, it should consider customer and staff needs, what constitutes "quality," existing guidelines and regulations, and how results will be measured. Many techniques can be used to analyze the procedure or function targeted for improvement, including charts and diagrams, formal monitoring, data collection and statistical analysis. After the project team has identified potential service improvements, they develop an action plan, which may include education, recruitment, reassignment or equipment acquisition. The team must consider the impact of proposed changes and the financial and logistical feasibility of various proposals. The dynamic challenges of radiology and diagnostic imaging cannot be addressed through single, isolated actions; efforts to improve quality should be continuous. Accordingly, the project team should measure and analyze results of the action plan, reappraise goals and look for opportunities to further improve service.

Information system success model for customer relationship management system in health promotion centers.

PubMed

Choi, Wona; Rho, Mi Jung; Park, Jiyun; Kim, Kwang-Jum; Kwon, Young Dae; Choi, In Young

2013-06-01

Intensified competitiveness in the healthcare industry has increased the number of healthcare centers and propelled the introduction of customer relationship management (CRM) systems to meet diverse customer demands. This study aimed to develop the information system success model of the CRM system by investigating previously proposed indicators within the model. THE EVALUATION AREAS OF THE CRM SYSTEM INCLUDES THREE AREAS: the system characteristics area (system quality, information quality, and service quality), the user area (perceived usefulness and user satisfaction), and the performance area (personal performance and organizational performance). Detailed evaluation criteria of the three areas were developed, and its validity was verified by a survey administered to CRM system users in 13 nationwide health promotion centers. The survey data were analyzed by the structural equation modeling method, and the results confirmed that the model is feasible. Information quality and service quality showed a statistically significant relationship with perceived usefulness and user satisfaction. Consequently, the perceived usefulness and user satisfaction had significant influence on individual performance as well as an indirect influence on organizational performance. This study extends the research area on information success from general information systems to CRM systems in health promotion centers applying a previous information success model. This lays a foundation for evaluating health promotion center systems and provides a useful guide for successful implementation of hospital CRM systems.

Information System Success Model for Customer Relationship Management System in Health Promotion Centers

PubMed Central

Choi, Wona; Rho, Mi Jung; Park, Jiyun; Kim, Kwang-Jum; Kwon, Young Dae

2013-01-01

Objectives Intensified competitiveness in the healthcare industry has increased the number of healthcare centers and propelled the introduction of customer relationship management (CRM) systems to meet diverse customer demands. This study aimed to develop the information system success model of the CRM system by investigating previously proposed indicators within the model. Methods The evaluation areas of the CRM system includes three areas: the system characteristics area (system quality, information quality, and service quality), the user area (perceived usefulness and user satisfaction), and the performance area (personal performance and organizational performance). Detailed evaluation criteria of the three areas were developed, and its validity was verified by a survey administered to CRM system users in 13 nationwide health promotion centers. The survey data were analyzed by the structural equation modeling method, and the results confirmed that the model is feasible. Results Information quality and service quality showed a statistically significant relationship with perceived usefulness and user satisfaction. Consequently, the perceived usefulness and user satisfaction had significant influence on individual performance as well as an indirect influence on organizational performance. Conclusions This study extends the research area on information success from general information systems to CRM systems in health promotion centers applying a previous information success model. This lays a foundation for evaluating health promotion center systems and provides a useful guide for successful implementation of hospital CRM systems. PMID:23882416

Achieving the Quality Difference: Making Customers Count

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-02

Involve Unions in the Quality Im provem ent Process .................................................... 53 Workshop 11 How to Develop an Effective ...quality and cost effective products and services to the American public. Proper management of this require- ment calls for enlightened approaches. To...potential rewards for all of us are enormous. A culture that is dedicated to quality will result in more profitable companies, more effective public

Trade-off decisions in distribution utility management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slavickas, Rimas Anthony

As a result of the "unbundling" of traditional monopolistic electricity generation and transmission enterprises into a free-market economy, power distribution utilities are faced with very difficult decisions pertaining to electricity supply options and quality of service to the customers. The management of distribution utilities has become increasingly complex, versatile, and dynamic to the extent that conventional, non-automated management tools are almost useless and obsolete. This thesis presents a novel and unified approach to managing electricity supply options and quality of service to customers. The technique formulates the problem in terms of variables, parameters, and constraints. An advanced Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) optimization formulation is developed together with novel, logical, decision-making algorithms. These tools enable the utility management to optimize various cost components and assess their time-trend impacts, taking into account the intangible issues such as customer perception, customer expectation, social pressures, and public response to service deterioration. The above concepts are further generalized and a Logical Proportion Analysis (LPA) methodology and associated software have been developed. Solutions using numbers are replaced with solutions using words (character strings) which more closely emulate the human decision-making process and advance the art of decision-making in the power utility environment. Using practical distribution utility operation data and customer surveys, the developments outlined in this thesis are successfully applied to several important utility management problems. These involve the evaluation of alternative electricity supply options, the impact of rate structures on utility business, and the decision of whether to continue to purchase from a main grid or generate locally (partially or totally) by building Non-Utility Generation (NUG).

Delivery of video-on-demand services using local storages within passive optical networks.

PubMed

Abeywickrama, Sandu; Wong, Elaine

2013-01-28

At present, distributed storage systems have been widely studied to alleviate Internet traffic build-up caused by high-bandwidth, on-demand applications. Distributed storage arrays located locally within the passive optical network were previously proposed to deliver Video-on-Demand services. As an added feature, a popularity-aware caching algorithm was also proposed to dynamically maintain the most popular videos in the storage arrays of such local storages. In this paper, we present a new dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithm to improve Video-on-Demand services over passive optical networks using local storages. The algorithm exploits the use of standard control packets to reduce the time taken for the initial request communication between the customer and the central office, and to maintain the set of popular movies in the local storage. We conduct packet level simulations to perform a comparative analysis of the Quality-of-Service attributes between two passive optical networks, namely the conventional passive optical network and one that is equipped with a local storage. Results from our analysis highlight that strategic placement of a local storage inside the network enables the services to be delivered with improved Quality-of-Service to the customer. We further formulate power consumption models of both architectures to examine the trade-off between enhanced Quality-of-Service performance versus the increased power requirement from implementing a local storage within the network.

A Knowledge Navigation Method for the Domain of Customers' Services of Mobile Communication Corporations in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jiangning; Wang, Xiaohuan

Rapidly increasing amount of mobile phone users and types of services leads to a great accumulation of complaining information. How to use this information to enhance the quality of customers' services is a big issue at present. To handle this kind of problem, the paper presents an approach to construct a domain knowledge map for navigating the explicit and tacit knowledge in two ways: building the Topic Map-based explicit knowledge navigation model, which includes domain TM construction, a semantic topic expansion algorithm and VSM-based similarity calculation; building Social Network Analysis-based tacit knowledge navigation model, which includes a multi-relational expert navigation algorithm and the criterions to evaluate the performance of expert networks. In doing so, both the customer managers and operators in call centers can find the appropriate knowledge and experts quickly and exactly. The experimental results show that the above method is very powerful for knowledge navigation.

Student as Customer: Factors Affecting Satisfaction and Assessments of Institutional Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne, Beverly A.; Kaldenberg, Dennis O.; Browne, William G.; Brown, Daniel J.

1998-01-01

A survey of 736 college students investigated satisfaction with a university's business education program, with attention to ratings of services and educational quality, and their relationship to students' global satisfaction, willingness to recommend the institution, and satisfaction with educational value received. Results suggest institutions…

76 FR 4354 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-25

...: Proposed Project Voluntary Customer Survey Generic Clearance for the Agency for Healthcare Research and... clearance for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to survey the users of AHRQ's work... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency...

Student Perceptions and Central Administrative Services: The Case of Higher Education in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arena, Marika; Arnaboldi, Michela; Azzone, Giovanni

2010-01-01

In recent years, various reforms have sought to foster forms of marketisation in the Italian public sector, promoting the uptake of concepts such as customer satisfaction and perceived quality. In the field of higher education, such efforts have focused on certain specific areas, like quality of research and teaching, while the quality of…

76 FR 71355 - United States et al. v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, Inc. et al.; Proposed Final...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-17

... Montana residents a high-quality option for their health insurance, routinely pressuring Blue Cross to... reputation for high-quality customer service. 36. Since the Agreement was announced in August 2011, many... offered Montana residents a high-quality option for their health insurance, routinely pressuring Blue...

Effects of an Integrated Care System on quality of care and satisfaction for children with special health care needs.

PubMed

Knapp, Caprice; Madden, Vanessa; Sloyer, Phyllis; Shenkman, Elizabeth

2012-04-01

To assess the effects of an Integrated Care System (ICS) on parent-reported quality of care and satisfaction for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN). In 2006 Florida reformed its Medicaid program in Broward and Duval counties. Children's Medical Services Network (CMSN) chose to participate in the reform and developed an ICS for CSHCN. The ICS ushered in several changes such as more prior approval requirements and closing of the provider network. Telephone surveys were conducted with CMSN parents whose children reside in the reform counties and parents whose children reside outside of the reform counties in 2006 and 2007 (n = 1,727). Results from multivariate quasi-experimental models show that one component of parent-report quality of care, customer service, increased. Following implementation of the ICS, customer service increased by 0.22 points. After implementation of the ICS, parent-reported quality and satisfaction were generally unaffected. Although significant increases were not seen in the majority of the quality and satisfaction domains, it is nonetheless encouraging that parents did not report negative experiences with the ICS. It is important to present these interim findings so that progress can be monitored and decision-makers can begin to consider if the program should be expanded statewide.

The relationship between advertising, price, and nursing home quality.

PubMed

Kash, Bita A; Miller, Thomas R

2009-01-01

Theoretically, nursing homes should engage in advertising for the following two reasons: (a) to improve awareness of the services offered in a particular market and (b) to signal high-quality services. In this study, we build upon results from prior studies of nursing home advertising activity, market competition, and quality. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between advertising expenses, price, and quality. We focused on answering the question: Do nursing homes use advertising and price to signal superior quality? The Texas Nursing Facilities Medicaid Cost Report, the Texas Quality Reporting System, and the Area Resource File were merged for the year 2003. We used three alternative measures of quality to improve the robustness of this exploratory analysis. Quality measures were examined using Bonferroni correlation coefficient analysis. Associations between advertising expenses and quality were evaluated using three regression models predicting quality. We also examined the association of the price of a private bed per day with quality. Advertising expenses were not associated with better nursing home quality as measured by three quality scales. The average price customers pay for one private bed per day was associated with better quality only in one of the three quality regression models. The price of nursing home care might be a better indicator of quality and necessary to increase as quality of care is improved in the nursing homes sector. Because more advertising expenditures are not necessarily associated with better quality, consumers could be mislead by advertisements and choose poor quality nursing homes. Nursing home administrators should focus on customer relationship management tools instead of expensive advertising. Relationship management tools are proven marketing techniques for the health services sector, usually less expensive than advertising, and help with staff retention and quality outcomes.

[2011 after-service customer satisfaction survey of monitoring devices in Shanghai area].

PubMed

Wang, Lijun; Li, Bin; Qian, Jianguo; Cao, Shaoping; He, Dehua; Zheng, Yunxin

2013-01-01

In 2011, Shanghai Medical Equipment Management Quality Control Center launched the fifth after-sale service satisfaction survey for medical devices in Shanghai area. There are 8 classes medical devices involving in the survey. This paper demonstrates the investigation results of monitoring devices which are from different manufacturers.

Give Everyone a Vested Interest in Food Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Shirley Maree

1987-01-01

Describes the school food service industry, providing 27 million meals daily in 89,000 schools, as second only to McDonald's in size. Offers advice for developing a superior, cooperative business venture. Focus must be on visible managers, high quality staff, clearly communicated objectives, and customer satisfaction. (MLH)

Headquarters Air Force Material Command Customer Relationship Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

important feedback about quality and acceptability of the service . The process orientation allows an organization to look at what the contributions of...ENS/06-17 Abstract The purpose of this research was to determine what was important to Air Force Material Command’s (AFMC) external...is instrumental in writing and administering a survey designed to determine what the keys issues are with AFMC’s customers. The

Total Quality Management of Information System for Quality Assessment of Pesantren Using Fuzzy-SERVQUAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faizah, Arbiati; Syafei, Wahyul Amien; Isnanto, R. Rizal

2018-02-01

This research proposed a model combining an approach of Total Quality Management (TQM) and Fuzzy method of Service Quality (SERVQUAL) to asses service quality. TQM implementation was as quality management orienting on customer's satisfaction by involving all stakeholders. SERVQUAL model was used to measure quality service based on five dimensions such as tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Fuzzy set theory was to accommodate subjectivity and ambiguity of quality assessment. Input data consisted of indicator data and quality assessment aspect. Input data was, then, processed to be service quality assessment questionnaires of Pesantren by using Fuzzy method to get service quality score. This process consisted of some steps as follows : inputting dimension and questionnaire data to data base system, filling questionnaire through system, then, system calculated fuzzification, defuzzification, gap of quality expected and received by service receivers, and calculating each dimension rating showing quality refinement priority. Rating of each quality dimension was, then, displayed at dashboard system to enable users to see information. From system having been built, it could be known that tangible dimension had the highest gap, -0.399, thus it needs to be prioritized and gets evaluation and refinement action soon.

Health worker (internal customer) satisfaction and motivation in the public sector in Ghana.

PubMed

Agyepong, Irene Akua; Anafi, Patricia; Asiamah, Ebenezer; Ansah, Evelyn K; Ashon, Daniel A; Narh-Dometey, Christiana

2004-01-01

This paper describes factors affecting health worker motivation and satisfaction in the public sector in Ghana. The data are from a survey of public sector health care providers carried out in January 2002 and repeated in August 2003 using an interviewer administered structured questionnaire. It is part of a continuous quality improvement (CQI) effort in the health sector in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Workplace obstacles identified that caused dissatisfaction and de-motivated staff in order of the most frequently mentioned were low salaries such that obtaining basic necessities of daily living becomes a problem; lack of essential equipment, tools and supplies to work with; delayed promotions; difficulties and inconveniences with transportation to work; staff shortages; housing, additional duty allowances and in-service (continuous) training. Others included children's education, vehicles to work with such as ambulances and pickups, staff transfer procedures, staff pre-service education inadequate for job requirements, and the effect of the job on family and other social factors. There were some differences in the percentages of staff selecting a given workplace obstacle between the purely rural districts, the highly urbanized Accra metropolis and the districts that were a mixture of urbanized and rural. It is unlikely that the Ghana Health Service can provide high quality of care to its end users (external customers) if workplace obstacles that de-motivate staff (internal customers) and negatively influence their performance are not properly recognized and addressed as a complex of inter-related problems producing a common result--dissatisfied poorly motivated staff and resulting poor quality services.

Resource Provisioning in SLA-Based Cluster Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Kaiqi; Suh, Sang

Cluster computing is excellent for parallel computation. It has become increasingly popular. In cluster computing, a service level agreement (SLA) is a set of quality of services (QoS) and a fee agreed between a customer and an application service provider. It plays an important role in an e-business application. An application service provider uses a set of cluster computing resources to support e-business applications subject to an SLA. In this paper, the QoS includes percentile response time and cluster utilization. We present an approach for resource provisioning in such an environment that minimizes the total cost of cluster computing resources used by an application service provider for an e-business application that often requires parallel computation for high service performance, availability, and reliability while satisfying a QoS and a fee negotiated between a customer and the application service provider. Simulation experiments demonstrate the applicability of the approach.

42 CFR 423.128 - Dissemination of Part D plan information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... coverage determination and redetermination processes via an Internet Web site; and (iii) A system that... determination by contacting the plan sponsor's toll free customer service line or by accessing the plan sponsor's internet Web site. (8) Quality assurance policies and procedures. A description of the quality...

42 CFR 423.128 - Dissemination of Part D plan information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... coverage determination and redetermination processes via an Internet Web site; and (iii) A system that... determination by contacting the plan sponsor's toll free customer service line or by accessing the plan sponsor's internet Web site. (8) Quality assurance policies and procedures. A description of the quality...

42 CFR 423.128 - Dissemination of Part D plan information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... coverage determination and redetermination processes via an Internet Web site; and (iii) A system that... determination by contacting the plan sponsor's toll free customer service line or by accessing the plan sponsor's internet Web site. (8) Quality assurance policies and procedures. A description of the quality...

Behavioral System Feedback Measurement Failure: Sweeping Quality under the Rug

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihalic, Maria T.; Ludwig, Timothy D.

2009-01-01

Behavioral Systems rely on valid measurement systems to manage processes and feedback and to deliver contingencies. An examination of measurement system components designed to track customer service quality of furniture delivery drivers revealed the measurement system failed to capture information it was designed to measure. A reason for this…

How to improve the promotion of Korean beef barbecue, bulgogi, for international customers. An application of quality function deployment.

PubMed

Park, So-Hyun; Ham, Sunny; Lee, Min-A

2012-10-01

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a product development technique that translates customer requirements into activities for the development of products and services. This study utilizes QFD to identify American customer's requirements for bulgogi, a popular Korean dish among international customers, and how to fulfill those requirements. A customer survey and an expert opinion survey were conducted for US customers. The top five customer requirements for bulgogi were identified as taste, freshness, flavor, tenderness, and juiciness; ease of purchase was included in the place of tenderness after calculating the weight requirements. Eighteen engineering characteristics were developed, and a 'localization of bulgogi menu' is strongly related to the other characteristics as well. The results from the calculation of relative importance of engineering characteristics identified that the 'control of marinating time', 'localization of bulgogi menu', 'improvement of cooking and serving process', 'development of recipe by parts of beef', and 'use of various seasonings' were the highest contributors to the overall improvement of bulgogi. The relative importance of engineering characteristics, correlation, and technical difficulties are ranked and integrated to develop the most effective strategy. The findings are discussed relative to industry implications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Service quality, trust, and patient satisfaction in interpersonal-based medical service encounters

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Interaction between service provider and customer is the primary core of service businesses of different natures, and the influence of trust on service quality and customer satisfaction could not be ignored in interpersonal-based service encounters. However, lack of existing literature on the correlation between service quality, patient trust, and satisfaction from the prospect of interpersonal-based medical service encounters has created a research gap in previous studies. Therefore, this study attempts to bridge such a gap with an evidence-based practice study. Methods We adopted a cross-sectional design using a questionnaire survey of outpatients in seven medical centers of Taiwan. Three hundred and fifty copies of questionnaire were distributed, and 285 valid copies were retrieved, with a valid response rate of 81.43%. The SPSS 14.0 and AMOS 14.0 (structural equation modeling) statistical software packages were used for analysis. Structural equation modeling clarifies the extent of relationships between variables as well as the chain of cause and effect. Restated, SEM results do not merely show empirical relationships between variables when defining the practical situation. For this reason, SEM was used to test the hypotheses. Results Perception of interpersonal-based medical service encounters positively influences service quality and patient satisfaction. Perception of service quality among patients positively influences their trust. Perception of trust among patients positively influences their satisfaction. Conclusions According to the findings, as interpersonal-based medical service encounters will positively influence service quality and patient satisfaction, and the differences for patients’ perceptions of the professional skill and communication attitude of personnel in interpersonal-based medical service encounters will influence patients’ overall satisfaction in two ways: (A) interpersonal-based medical service encounter directly affects patient satisfaction, which represents a direct effect; and (B) service quality and patient trust are used as intervening variables to affect patient satisfaction, which represents an indirect effect. Due to differences in the scale, resources and costs among medical institutions of different levels, it is a most urgent and concerning issue of how to control customers’ demands and preferences and adopt correct marketing concepts under the circumstances of intense competition in order to satisfy the public and build up a competitive edge for medical institutions. PMID:23320786

Total quality management in the hospital setting.

PubMed

Ernst, D F

1994-01-01

With the increasing demands on hospitals for improved quality and lower costs, hospitals have been forced to reevaluate their manner of operation and quality assurance (QA) programs. Hospitals have been faced with customer dissatisfaction with services, escalating costs, intense competition, and reduced reimbursement for services. As a result, many hospitals have incorporated total quality management (TQM), also known as continuous quality improvement (CQI) and quality improvement (QI), to improve quality care and decrease costs. This article examines the concept of TQM, its rationale, and how it can be implemented in a hospital. A comparison of TQM and QA is made. Examples of hospital implementation of TQM and problems and issues associated with TQM in the hospital setting are explored.

An empirical research on customer satisfaction study: a consideration of different levels of performance.

PubMed

Lee, Yu-Cheng; Wang, Yu-Che; Lu, Shu-Chiung; Hsieh, Yi-Fang; Chien, Chih-Hung; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Dong, Weiwei

2016-01-01

Customer satisfaction is the key factor for successful and depends highly on the behaviors of frontline service providers. Customers should be managed as assets, and that customers vary in their needs, preferences, and buying behavior. This study applied the Taiwan Customer Satisfaction Index model to a tourism factory to analyze customer satisfaction and loyalty. We surveyed 242 customers served by one tourism factory organizations in Taiwan. A partial least squares was performed to analyze and test the theoretical model. The results show that perceived quality had the greatest influence on the customer satisfaction for satisfied and dissatisfied customers. In addition, in terms of customer loyalty, the customer satisfaction is more important than image for satisfied and dissatisfied customers. The contribution of this paper is to propose two satisfaction levels of CSI models for analyzing customer satisfaction and loyalty, thereby helping tourism factory managers improve customer satisfaction effectively. Compared with traditional techniques, we believe that our method is more appropriate for making decisions about allocating resources and for assisting managers in establishing appropriate priorities in customer satisfaction management.

Practice management/role of the medical director.

PubMed

Merrill, Douglas G

2014-06-01

Although the nature of ambulatory surgery has changed over the years, the ideal role of the medical director mirrors its earliest iterations, focusing on excellent customer service and high quality of care. These efforts are supported by 3 modern methods of quality management borrowed from industry: intentional process improvement, standard care pathways, and monitoring outcomes to determine the efficacy of each. These methods are critical to master in order to lead the facility and providers to the highest quality of care and service. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eating your feelings? Testing a model of employees' work-related stressors, sleep quality, and unhealthy eating.

PubMed

Liu, Yihao; Song, Yifan; Koopmann, Jaclyn; Wang, Mo; Chang, Chu-Hsiang Daisy; Shi, Junqi

2017-08-01

Although organizational research on health-related behaviors has become increasingly popular, little attention has been paid to unhealthy eating. Drawing on the self-regulation perspective, we conducted 2 daily diary studies to examine the relationships between work-related stressors, sleep quality, negative mood, and eating behaviors. Study 1 sampled 125 participants from 5 Chinese information technology companies and showed that when participants experienced higher levels of job demands in the morning, they consumed more types of unhealthy food and fewer types of healthy food in the evening. In addition, sleep quality from the previous night buffered the effect of morning job demands on evening unhealthy food consumption. Study 2 used data from 110 customer service employees from a Chinese telecommunications company and further demonstrated a positive association between morning customer mistreatment and evening overeating behaviors, as well as the buffering effect of sleep quality. Results from Study 2 also supported afternoon negative mood as a mediator linking morning customer mistreatment to evening overeating behaviors. Finally, our findings revealed that the buffering effect of sleep quality was channeled through employees' vigor in the morning, which subsequently weakened the effect of customer mistreatment on negative mood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Loglines. September - October 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

Services Region Los Angeles is responsible for the design, property and quality assurance of NASA’s Apollo- Soyuz space project, the first joint flight of...Sherman began his career with the organization that year as a management intern . He worked in the customer service departments of the Philadelphia and...the use of online documents and services . Sherman, that management intern in 1979, is now the director of DLA Document Services . He has been with

The identification and measurement of quality dimensions in health care: focus group interview results.

PubMed

Jun, M; Peterson, R T; Zsidisin, G A

1998-01-01

The identification and measurement of service quality are critical factors that are responsible for customer satisfaction. This article identifies 11 attributes that define quality of care and patient satisfaction and reveals various gaps among the patient, physician, and administrator groups in the perceived importance of those dimensions. Managerial implications for patient-focused health care are discussed.

Customers' Precedence for Service Quality Dimensions in Indian Private Healthcare Setting: A Ridit Approach.

PubMed

Panda, Rajeev Kumar; Kondasani, Rama Koteswara Rao

2017-01-01

Changes in demographic and sociocultural environment, improved health awareness, and information technology have considerably changed the outlook of healthcare sector in India. While both the public and the private healthcare sectors have priority of increasing access while minimizing costs, they try hard to achieve goals without letting the quality suffer. Customers with rising disposable income no longer have faith in the public healthcare system and are willing to migrate to the private healthcare sector, which is more professional, technology savvy, and trustworthy. However, there are enough loopholes in the private healthcare sector that are yet to be plugged. The purpose of this research study was to identify and assess the relative importance of the diverse service quality dimensions and prioritize them to draw meaningful conclusions. Survey responses from 370 customers were analyzed using factor analysis to find underlying relationships between the survey items. This allowed the individual items to be placed into related groups. Independently, a ridit analysis was conducted to determine the relative importance of each item to the survey respondents. Based on the ridit analysis a priority ranking was assigned to each item. An analysis was then undertaken of the degree to which the items grouped into each particular factor tended to have high or low priority rankings. The results of the study may be helpful to the managers of the private healthcare sector to focus their strategies and plan their efforts in line with the findings to gain superior customer satisfaction and retention.

Quality Assurance Framework for Mini-Grids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baring-Gould, Ian; Burman, Kari; Singh, Mohit

Providing clean and affordable energy services to the more than 1 billion people globally who lack access to electricity is a critical driver for poverty reduction, economic development, improved health, and social outcomes. More than 84% of populations without electricity are located in rural areas where traditional grid extension may not be cost-effective; therefore, distributed energy solutions such as mini-grids are critical. To address some of the root challenges of providing safe, quality, and financially viable mini-grid power systems to remote customers, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) teamed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop a Qualitymore » Assurance Framework (QAF) for isolated mini-grids. The QAF for mini-grids aims to address some root challenges of providing safe, quality, and affordable power to remote customers via financially viable mini-grids through two key components: (1) Levels of service: Defines a standard set of tiers of end-user service and links them to technical parameters of power quality, power availability, and power reliability. These levels of service span the entire energy ladder, from basic energy service to high-quality, high-reliability, and high-availability service (often considered 'grid parity'); (2) Accountability and performance reporting framework: Provides a clear process of validating power delivery by providing trusted information to customers, funders, and/or regulators. The performance reporting protocol can also serve as a robust monitoring and evaluation tool for mini-grid operators and funding organizations. The QAF will provide a flexible alternative to rigid top-down standards for mini-grids in energy access contexts, outlining tiers of end-user service and linking them to relevant technical parameters. In addition, data generated through implementation of the QAF will provide the foundation for comparisons across projects, assessment of impacts, and greater confidence that will drive investment and scale-up in this sector. The QAF implementation process also defines a set of implementation guidelines that help the deployment of mini-grids on a regional or national scale, helping to insure successful rapid deployment of these relatively new remote energy options. Note that the QAF is technology agnostic, addressing both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) mini-grids, and is also applicable to renewable, fossil-fuel, and hybrid systems.« less

Microbiological quality of open ready-to-eat salad vegetables: effectiveness of food hygiene training of management.

PubMed

Sagoo, S K; Little, C L; Mitchell, R T

2003-09-01

During September and October 2001, a microbiological study of open, ready-to-eat, prepared salad vegetables from catering or retail premises was undertaken to determine their microbiological quality. The study focused on those salad vegetables that were unwrapped and handled either by staff or customers in the premises where the sample was taken. Examination of salad vegetables from food service areas and customer self-service bars revealed that most (97%; 2,862 of 2,950) were of satisfactory or acceptable microbiological quality, 3% (87) were of unsatisfactory microbiological quality because of Escherichia coli levels in the range of 10(2) to 10(5) colony-forming units per gram. One (<1%) sample was of unacceptable microbiological quality because of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes at 840 colony-forming units per gram. The pathogens E. coli O157, Campylobacter spp., and salmonellas were not detected in any of the samples examined. The display area for most food service and preparation areas (95%) and self-service salad bars (98%) that were visited was judged to be visibly clean by the sampling officer. Most self-service bars (87%) were regularly supervised or inspected by staff during opening hours, and designated serving utensils were used in most salad bars (92%) but in only a minority of food service areas (35%). A hazard analysis system was in place in most (80%) premises, and in 61%, it was documented. Most (90%) managers had received food hygiene training. A direct relationship was shown between increased confidence in the food business management and the presence of food safety procedures and the training of management in food hygiene.

Service quality and patient experiences of ambulatory care in a specialized clinic vs. a general hospital.

PubMed

De Regge, Melissa; De Groote, Hélène; Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul; Brugada, Pedro

2017-04-01

Health care organizations are constantly looking for ways to establish a differential advantage to attract customers. To this end, service quality has become an important differentiator in the strategy of health care organizations. In this study, we compared the service quality and patient experience in an ambulatory care setting of a physician-owned specialized facility with that of a general hospital. A comparative case study with a mixed method design was employed. Data were gathered through a survey on health service quality and patient experience, completed with observations, walkthroughs, and photographic material. Service quality and patient experiences are high in both the investigated health care facilities. A significant distinction can be made between the two facilities in terms of interpersonal quality (p = 0.001) and environmental quality (P ≤ 0.001), in favor of the medical center. The difference in environmental quality is also indicated by the scores given by participants who had been in both facilities. Qualitative analysis showed higher administrative quality in the medical center. Environmental quality and patient experience can predict the interpersonal quality; for environmental quality, interpersonal quality and age are significant predictors. Service quality and patient experiences are high in both facilities. The medical center has higher service quality for interpersonal and environmental service quality and is more process-centered.

Services for culturally diverse customers in parks and recreation

Treesearch

C. Li; J.D. Absher; A.R. Graefe; Y. Hsu

2008-01-01

Changes in racial and ethnic composition due to the increasing diversity in the United States are confronting managers of parks and recreation areas. Since cultural values influence perceptions and behaviors, studying cultural values among different groups is important for understanding perceptions of service quality and parks and recreation behavior. The purpose of...

Bridging the Gap: An Alternative Tool for Course Evaluation. Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tricker, Tony; Rangecroft, Margaret; Long, Peter

2005-01-01

The increasing perception of students as customers of services puts a stronger focus on improving the quality of the student experience. Satisfaction with aspects of service, such as access, flexibility and fitness for purpose can be assessed through student feedback questionnaires. The results of these surveys may not immediately suggest…

QoS measurement of workflow-based web service compositions using Colored Petri net.

PubMed

Nematzadeh, Hossein; Motameni, Homayun; Mohamad, Radziah; Nematzadeh, Zahra

2014-01-01

Workflow-based web service compositions (WB-WSCs) is one of the main composition categories in service oriented architecture (SOA). Eflow, polymorphic process model (PPM), and business process execution language (BPEL) are the main techniques of the category of WB-WSCs. Due to maturity of web services, measuring the quality of composite web services being developed by different techniques becomes one of the most important challenges in today's web environments. Business should try to provide good quality regarding the customers' requirements to a composed web service. Thus, quality of service (QoS) which refers to nonfunctional parameters is important to be measured since the quality degree of a certain web service composition could be achieved. This paper tried to find a deterministic analytical method for dependability and performance measurement using Colored Petri net (CPN) with explicit routing constructs and application of theory of probability. A computer tool called WSET was also developed for modeling and supporting QoS measurement through simulation.

Enhancing Dairy Manufacturing through customer feedback: A statistical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vineesh, D.; Anbuudayasankar, S. P.; Narassima, M. S.

2018-02-01

Dairy products have become inevitable of habitual diet. This study aims to investigate the consumers’ satisfaction towards dairy products so as to provide useful information for the manufacturers which would serve as useful inputs for enriching the quality of products delivered. The study involved consumers of dairy products from various demographical backgrounds across South India. The questionnaire focussed on quality aspects of dairy products and also the service provided. A customer satisfaction model was developed based on various factors identified, with robust hypotheses that govern the use of the product. The developed model proved to be statistically significant as it passed the required statistical tests for reliability, construct validity and interdependency between the constructs. Some major concerns detected were regarding the fat content, taste and odour of packaged milk. A minor proportion of people (15.64%) were unsatisfied with the quality of service provided, which is another issue to be addressed to eliminate the sense of dissatisfaction in the minds of consumers.

Using Marketing Research Techniques To Improve Quality and Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahilly, Tony

Marketing in the business world has long used focus group interviews and survey techniques to explore the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of their customers. In the college setting, these same techniques are now being used to improve program quality, assess the effectiveness of publications, and explore the image of the college. At Durham…

Knowing Your "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Paul

2007-01-01

In the UK and elsewhere, higher education is increasingly and controversially being construed, especially within political discourse, as a marketised commodity service to paying customers. Notions of quality, broadly construed, will be of central significance in the development of new markets in higher education in the UK and beyond. Drawing upon…

Quality electric motor repair: A guidebook for electric utilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schueler, V.; Douglass, J.

This guidebook provides utilities with a resource for better understanding and developing their roles in relation to electric motor repair shops and the industrial and commercial utility customers that use them. The guidebook includes information and tools that utilities can use to raise the quality of electric motor repair practices in their service territories.

Opening the Box: Information Technology, Work Practices, and Wages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Larry W.; Lakfas, John J.

2003-01-01

Analysis of 1994-95 data on customer service representatives in 303 banks revealed a positive relationship between high-involvement work practices (quality circles) and extensive use of information technology (IT) to support sales. Use of IT to automate routine processes and no quality circles were associated with lower wages. (Contains 55…

The costs and benefits of getting the ISO 9000 certification in the manufacturing sector in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Mezher, T; Ramadan, H

1998-01-01

Many Saudi companies, in their journey to improve quality, efficiency and competitiveness, are pursuing and obtaining the ISO 9000 certificate. Many studies have evaluated how to implement ISO 9000 in different sectors, but none have analyzed the effectiveness of ISO 9000 certification (costs and benefits) on improving the overall quality and on meeting expectations. This study addressed these issues by investigating manufacturing organizations in Saudi Arabia that have the ISO 9000 certification. A survey questionnaire was distributed to firms throughout the kingdom. Thirty-two firms participated in the study. Results indicate that increased consistency of operations, improved service, and product quality are among the top motivators for pursuing the ISO certificate. The benefits most often experienced were improved awareness of procedural problems, better management control, keeping existing customers, increased customer satisfaction, and improved customer service. Difficulties experienced during the certification process involved time and cost, but these were not considered to be major problems. A high volume of paperwork was the main problem experienced following initial certification. Respondents in general said that the ISO 9000 certification met their expectations and that their level of satisfaction regarding the impact of ISO 9000 was high. Most recommended that other organizations pursue the certificate.

Monitoring Users' Satisfactions of the NOAA NWS Climate Products and Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horsfall, F. M.; Timofeyeva, M. M.; Dixon, S.; Meyers, J. C.

2011-12-01

The NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Services Division (CSD) ensures the relevance of NWS climate products and services. There are several ongoing efforts to identify the level of user satisfaction. One of these efforts includes periodical surveys conducted by Claes Fornell International (CFI) Group using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which is "the only uniform, national, cross-industry measure of satisfaction with the quality of goods and services available in the United States" (http://www.cfigroup.com/acsi/overview.asp). The CFI Group conducted NWS Climate Products and Services surveys in 2004 and 2009. In 2010, a prominent routine was established for a periodical assessment of the customer satisfaction. From 2010 onward, yearly surveys will cover major climate services products and services. An expanded suite of climate products will be surveyed every other year. Each survey evaluated customer satisfaction with a range of NWS climate services, data, and products, including Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlooks, drought monitoring, and ENSO monitoring and forecasts, as well as NWS local climate data and forecast products and services. The survey results provide insight into the NWS climate customer base and their requirements for climate services. They also evaluate whether we are meeting the needs of customers and the ease of their understanding for routine climate services, forecasts, and outlooks. In addition, the evaluation of specific topics, such as NWS forecast product category names, probabilistic nature of climate products, interpretation issues, etc., were addressed to assess how our users interpret prediction terminology. This paper provides an analysis of the following products: hazards, extended-range, long-lead and drought outlooks, El Nino Southern Oscillation monitoring and predictions as well as local climate data products. Two key issues make comparing the different surveys challenging, including the inconsistent suite of characteristics measured and the different number of respondent collected for each survey. Regardless of these two factors contributing to uncertainty of the results, CSD observed general improvement in customer satisfaction. Although, all NWS climate products have competitive scores, the leading ACSIs are for NWS Drought products and climate surface observation products. Overall, the survey results identify requirements for improving existing NWS climate services and introducing new ones. To date, the 2011 survey results have not been evaluated, but will be included in the conference presentation. A key point out of the initial 2011 survey results was that the climate section captured the greatest interest (as measured by number of respondents) of the customers of NWS products and services.

Customer service providers' attitudes relating to customer service and customer satisfaction in the customer-server exchange.

PubMed

Susskind, Alex M; Kacmar, K Michele; Borchgrevink, Carl P

2003-02-01

The authors proposed and tested a model describing the relationship between customer service providers' perceptions and attitudes toward their service-related duties and their customers' perceptions of satisfaction with their service experiences. Results indicated that the perception of having standards for service delivery in an organization is strongly related to line-level employees' perceptions of support from coworkers and supervisors. Perceived support from coworkers was significantly related to service providers' customer orientation, whereas perceived support from supervisors showed a weaker relationship to a customer orientation. Ultimately, service providers' customer orientation was strongly related to customers' satisfaction with service. Finally, a set of post hoc analyses indicated that coworker and supervisory support explained a greater proportion of incremental variance in the model than did perceived organizational support alone.

Customer satisfaction measurement in emergency medical services.

PubMed

Kuisma, Markku; Määttä, Teuvo; Hakala, Taisto; Sivula, Tommi; Nousila-Wiik, Maria

2003-07-01

The annual patient volume in emergency medical services (EMS) systems is high worldwide. However, there are no comprehensive studies on customer satisfaction for EMS. The authors report how a customer satisfaction survey on EMS patients was conducted, the results, and the possible causes for dissatisfaction. Two prospective customer satisfactions surveys were conducted in an urban EMS system. Consecutive patients treated by EMS received a postal questionnaire approximately two weeks after service. Satisfaction was measured in a scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent). Neither EMS personnel nor patients were made aware prospectively that patient satisfaction would be measured. Response rates to the surveys were 36.8% (432/1,175) in 2000 and 40.0% (464/1,150) in 2002. The mean general grades for the service were 4.6 and 4.5, respectively. Patients reported the highest degree of dissatisfaction when they were not taken to their hospital of choice, when they perceived that the paramedics were not able to meet their needs, and when paramedics did not introduce themselves or communicate directly with the patient's relatives. In high-volume calls (i.e., frequent chief complaints), the general satisfaction was highest in patients with arrhythmias, breathing difficulties, and hypoglycemia. Patients with drug overdose included the highest proportion of unsatisfied patients. None of the background variables (e.g., gender, transport decision, working shift) was statistically related to general patient satisfaction. This study shows that customer satisfaction surveys can be successfully conducted for EMS. EMS systems should consider routinely using customer satisfaction surveys as a tool for quality measurement and improvement.

Customer complaints in the National Health Service.

PubMed

Reid, N; Reid, R; Morris, D

1995-11-01

This paper addresses the role of consumer complaints in the flourishing quality assurance industry within the National Health Service (NHS), and considers the traditional ethos of complaints within the service. The advent of the internal market is considered as one of a range of factors which may change attitudes of NHS staff to complaints. In evaluating how complaints services might develop relevant literature is reviewed and recent national data on complaints procedures are cited.

Work-team implementation.

PubMed

Reiste, K K; Hubrich, A

1996-02-01

The authors describe the implementation of the Work-Team Concept at the Frigidaire plans in Jefferson, Iowa. By forming teams, plant staff have made significant improvements in worker safety, product quality, customer service, cost-effectiveness, and overall employee well-being.

ISO 9000 and/or Systems Engineering Capability Maturity Model?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gholston, Sampson E.

2002-01-01

For businesses and organizations to remain competitive today they must have processes and systems in place that will allow them to first identify customer needs and then develop products/processes that will meet or exceed the customers needs and expectations. Customer needs, once identified, are normally stated as requirements. Designers can then develop products/processes that will meet these requirements. Several functions, such as quality management and systems engineering management are used to assist product development teams in the development process. Both functions exist in all organizations and both have a similar objective, which is to ensure that developed processes will meet customer requirements. Are efforts in these organizations being duplicated? Are both functions needed by organizations? What are the similarities and differences between the functions listed above? ISO 9000 is an international standard of goods and services. It sets broad requirements for the assurance of quality and for management's involvement. It requires organizations to document the processes and to follow these documented processes. ISO 9000 gives customers assurance that the suppliers have control of the process for product development. Systems engineering can broadly be defined as a discipline that seeks to ensure that all requirements for a system are satisfied throughout the life of the system by preserving their interrelationship. The key activities of systems engineering include requirements analysis, functional analysis/allocation, design synthesis and verification, and system analysis and control. The systems engineering process, when followed properly, will lead to higher quality products, lower cost products, and shorter development cycles. The System Engineering Capability Maturity Model (SE-CMM) will allow companies to measure their system engineering capability and continuously improve those capabilities. ISO 9000 and SE-CMM seem to have a similar objective, which is to document the organization's processes and certify to potential customers the capability of a supplier to control the processes that determine the quality of the product or services being produced. The remaining sections of this report examine the differences and similarities between ISO 9000 and SE-CMM and make recommendations for implementation.

Online Sellers’ Website Quality Influencing Online Buyers’ Purchase Intention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea Lee, Tan; Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Zakuan, Norhayati; Sulaiman, Zuraidah; Zameri Mat Saman, Muhamad

2016-05-01

The increase adoption of Internet among young users in Malaysia provides high prospect for online seller. Young users aged between 18 and 25 years old are important to online sellers because they are actively involved in online purchasing and this group of online buyers is expected to dominate future online market. Therefore, examining online sellers’ website quality and online buyers’ purchase intention is crucial. Based on the Theory of planned behavior (TPB), a conceptual model of online sellers’ website quality and purchase intention of online buyers was developed. E-tailQ instrument was adapted in this study which composed of website design, reliability/fulfillment, security, privacy & trust, and customer service. Using online questionnaire and convenience sampling procedure, primary data were obtained from 240 online buyers aged between 18 to 25 years old. It was discovered that website design, website reliability/fulfillment, website security, privacy & trust, and website customer service positively and significantly influence intention of online buyers to continuously purchase via online channels. This study concludes that online sellers’ website quality is important in predicting online buyers’ purchase intention. Recommendation and implication of this study were discussed focusing on how online sellers should improve their website quality to stay competitive in online business.

The structure of service quality perceptions for multiple-encounter services.

PubMed

Andaleeb, Syed Saad; Kara, Ali

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine a complex service environment-hospitals-to suggest how service quality could be reframed and measured for multiple-encounter service situations more effectively. In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 371 patients completed the survey instrument. Service quality measures were guided by the literature but allowed to flow from the respondents at the preliminary stage. Confirmatory factor analysis, along with structural equation modeling, was used to test the hypothesized relationships among key actors' performance metrics (KAPMs). Patient satisfaction is significantly influenced by perceived service quality based on KAPMs. For multiple-encounter services, service quality dimensions and measures ought to be tied to KAPMs. Primary actors-ie, doctors-need knowledge and skills about patient psychology, negotiation, handling difficult patients, and, importantly, "putting the customer first." Sensitivity training on such matters should be provided. The secondary actors are the nurses who have more frequent contact with the patients. Nurses need to be perceived as "patient advocates." Effective advocacy begins with prompt and caring services to build trust. The tertiary actors in their support role also ought to be integrated into becoming vital part of the service provided.

Toward Customized Care

PubMed Central

Minvielle, Etienne

2018-01-01

Patients want their personal needs to be taken into account. Accordingly, the management of care has long involved some degree of personalization. In recent times, patients’ wishes have become more pressing in a moving context. As the population ages, the number of patients requiring sophisticated combinations of longterm care is rising. Moreover, we are witnessing previously unvoiced demands, preferences and expectations (eg, demand for information about treatment, for care complying with religious practices, or for choice of appointment dates). In view of the escalating costs and the concerns about quality of care, the time has now come to rethink healthcare delivery. Part of this reorganization can be related to customization: what is needed is a customized business model that is effective and sustainable. Such business model exists in different service sectors, the customization being defined as the development of tailored services to meet consumers’ diverse and changing needs at near mass production prices. Therefore, its application to the healthcare sector needs to be seriously considered. PMID:29524957

Customer satisfaction in anatomic pathology. A College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study of 3065 physician surveys from 94 laboratories.

PubMed

Zarbo, Richard J; Nakhleh, Raouf E; Walsh, Molly

2003-01-01

Measurement of physicians' and patients' satisfaction with laboratory services has recently become a requirement of health care accreditation agencies in the United States. To our knowledge, this is the first customer satisfaction survey of anatomic pathology services to provide a standardized tool and benchmarks for subsequent measures of satisfaction. This Q-Probes study assessed physician satisfaction with anatomic pathology laboratory services and sought to determine characteristics that correlate with a high level of physician satisfaction. In January 2001, each laboratory used standardized survey forms to assess physician customer satisfaction with 10 specific elements of service in anatomic pathology and an overall satisfaction rating based on a scale of rankings from a 5 for excellent to a 1 for poor. Data from up to 50 surveys returned per laboratory were compiled and analyzed by the College of American Pathologists. A general questionnaire collected information about types of services offered and each laboratory's quality assurance initiatives to determine characteristics that correlate with a high level of physician satisfaction. Hospital-based laboratories in the United States (95.8%), as well as others from Canada and Australia. Ninety-four voluntary subscriber laboratories in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes quality improvement program participated in this survey. Roughly 70% of respondents were from hospitals with occupied bedsizes of 300 or less, 65% were private nonprofit institutions, just over half were located in cities, one third were teaching hospitals, and 19% had pathology residency training programs. Overall physician satisfaction with anatomic pathology and 10 selected aspects of the laboratory service (professional interaction, diagnostic accuracy, pathologist responsiveness to problems, pathologist accessibility for frozen section, tumor board presentations, courtesy of secretarial and technical staff, communication of relevant information, teaching conferences and courses, notification of significant abnormal results, and timeliness of reporting). The database of 3065 physician surveys was derived from 94 laboratories. An average of 32.6 surveys (median 30) was returned per institution, with a range of 5 to 50 surveys per institution. The mean response rate was 35.6% (median 32.5%). The median (50th percentile) laboratory had an overall median satisfaction score of 4.4. The lowest satisfaction scores that were obtained all related to poor communication, which included timeliness of reporting, communication of relevant information, and notification of significant abnormal results. Statistically significant associations of customer satisfaction with certain institutional characteristics and laboratory performance improvement activities were identified. The importance of this satisfaction survey lies not in its requirement as an exercise for accrediting agencies but in understanding the needs of the customer (in this case the physician) to direct performance improvement in the delivery of quality anatomic pathology laboratory services.

Quality management of human resources. Providers should begin by focusing on education, performance management, and reward systems.

PubMed

Blair, C S; Fordyce, M; Barney, S M

1993-10-01

For a quality management transformation to occur, a healthcare organization must focus on education and development, performance management, and recognition and reward systems during the first years of implementation. Education and development are perhaps the most important human resource management functions when implementing quality management principles and processes because behavioral changes will be required at all organizational levels. Specific programs that support an organization's quality management effort will vary but should include the conceptual, cultural, and technical aspects of quality management. The essence of quality management is to always satisfy the customer and to continuously improve the services and products the organization offers. The approach to performance management should therefore rely on customer feedback and satisfaction. An organization committed to quality management should base its performance management approach on customer orientation, process improvement, employee involvement, decision making with data, and continuous improvement. Managers and trustees are being challenged to provide innovative recognition and reward systems that reinforce the values and behaviors consistent with quality management. Such systems must also be aligned with the behaviors and outcomes that support the philosophy, mission, and values of the Catholic healthcare ministry. The following components should be considered for a recognition and reward system: base pay, incentives, benefits, and nonmonetary rewards.

Balanced scorecard as a framework for driving performance in managed care organizations.

PubMed

Sahney, V K

1998-01-01

Managed care organizations in a highly competitive environment constantly face the pressure of improving their financial performance. At the same time, customers of the organization expect the organization to deliver high-quality outcomes and improve customer service. Payers expect the organization to develop innovative new products to meet their needs. This article presents an approach called "Balanced Scorecard" for measurement, development of strategy, and performance improvement in a managed care organization.

Do it right this time: the role of employee service recovery performance in customer-perceived justice and customer loyalty after service failures.

PubMed

Liao, Hui

2007-03-01

Integrating justice and customer service literatures, this research examines the role of customer service employees' behaviors of handling customer complaints, or service recovery performance (SRP), in conveying a just image of service organizations and achieving desirable customer outcomes. Results from a field study and a laboratory study demonstrate that the dimensions of SRP--making an apology, problem solving, being courteous, and prompt handling--positively influenced customer satisfaction and then customer repurchase intent through the mediation of customer-perceived justice. In addition, service failure severity and repeated failures reduced the positive impact of some dimensions of SRP on customer satisfaction, and customer-perceived justice again mediated these moderated effects. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

Talking about Customer Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talley, Mary; Axelroth, Joan

2001-01-01

Discusses customer service in information centers and how to define it. Topics include the effects of competition, that give customers more choices; defining customers, and defining services; communications; physical environment; change, in customers and in technology; measuring customer service; and evaluating policies and procedures. (LRW)

The Marriott Secret: Put Your Staff First. The Endpaper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marriott, J. W., Jr.

1983-01-01

The key to the success of the Marriott Corporation is its emphasis on employee satisfaction and training. Because it is a service industry, the Marriott Corporation relies on the quality of the contact between its employees and its customers. Education is also a service industry in which this contact is vitally important. Some ingredients of…

Improving Service Delivery: Investigating the Role of Information Sharing, Job Characteristics, and Employee Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bontis, Nick; Richards, David; Serenko, Alexander

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to propose and test a model designed to investigate the impact of job characteristics, employee satisfaction, and information sharing on two key indicators of quality service delivery, such as worker perceptions of their efficiency and customer focus. Design/methodology/approach: During the project, 9,060…

Effectiveness of Learning Process Using "Web Technology" in the Distance Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killedar, Manoj

2008-01-01

Web is a globally distributed, still highly personalized media for cost-effective delivery of multimedia information and services. Web is expected to have a strong impact on almost every aspect of how we learn. "Total Quality" is the totality of features, as perceived by the customers of the product or service. Totality of features…

The architecture of smart surveys: core issues in why and how to collect patient and referring physician satisfaction data.

PubMed

Lexa, Frank J; Berlin, Jonathan W

2009-02-01

Radiology practices are facing challenges on many fronts. As the field becomes more competitive, leaders must pay more attention to the quality of the service that groups provide to their customers. This need is also being driven by higher expectations from customers, particularly patients, who will likely act much more like consumers in the 21st century. For practices to succeed in providing exemplary service, they must pay attention to the voices of their key customer groups. It is dismaying to see practices that are struggling or even dissolving over issues created by poor service. As much as we are experts in imaging, we are unlikely to be able to provide superlative service by reading books, talking among ourselves, or hiring consultants. Rather, we must do what should be obvious, which is to actually ask our customers how we are doing. Surveys are one of the important tools that can be brought to bear on this issue. For many groups, surveying is the starting point for understanding what their patients, referring physicians, and other key stakeholders want. Groups can also find out what customers like and dislike about their experiences, and how groups compare with their competitors. This article provides a guide on how to get off to a good start in designing and deploying surveys that can help optimize the way groups take care of their patients and help their referring physicians.

Customer satisfaction and response to AOS

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-01-01

Passenger surveys were conducted in each of three successive springs in order to track passenger perception of changes in service quality during AOS implementation. In general, no improvement in passenger perceptions was observed relative to a high b...

Methods and devices for determining quality of services of storage systems

DOEpatents

Seelam, Seetharami R [Yorktown Heights, NY; Teller, Patricia J [Las Cruces, NM

2012-01-17

Methods and systems for allowing access to computer storage systems. Multiple requests from multiple applications can be received and processed efficiently to allow traffic from multiple customers to access the storage system concurrently.

The Marine Corps Enlisted Assignment Process: The Customer’s Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

continue service in the Marine Corps or to leave. Additionally, this process affects career development, quality of life , and ultimately their lives...retention goals. If not, the Marine Corps may increase quality of life by introducing new assignment processes or systems. These changes could also increase enlisted Marines’ retention rate, and ultimately personnel readiness.

41 CFR 101-26.501-6 - Forms used in connection with delivery of vehicles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... repairs pursuant to the warranty. (b) Standard Form 368, Quality Deficiency Report (Category II). GSA is constantly striving to improve customer service and the quality of motor vehicles for which it contracts. To inform contractors of the deficiencies noted during the life of the vehicles, Standard Form 368 shall be...

41 CFR 101-26.501-6 - Forms used in connection with delivery of vehicles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... repairs pursuant to the warranty. (b) Standard Form 368, Quality Deficiency Report (Category II). GSA is constantly striving to improve customer service and the quality of motor vehicles for which it contracts. To inform contractors of the deficiencies noted during the life of the vehicles, Standard Form 368 shall be...

HR Manager Leadership in Quality Improvement in a College Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharabi, Moshe

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the influence of the human resource (HR) manager on the quality of service in an academic college, and the human resource management (HRM) outcomes of the process. Design/methodology/approach: The paper relates to a customer satisfaction survey. More than 120 questionnaires were completed by the…

[Costs and benefits of quality management].

PubMed

Schroeder-Printzen, I

2014-01-01

The establishment of quality management (QM) has been mandatory for health care providers of the national health insurance since 2004; however, certification is so far only compulsory for rehabilitation clinics. The costs have so far only been quantified in a few medical studies, while they are widely known in business administration with a basic distinction made between planning, steering, auditing, and declaration costs. Another business economics approach differentiates between prevention, appraisal, and non-conformance costs. The benefits of QM relates to customers, employees, external service providers, and health insurance providers. Also important in our consideration of the patient as a customer is that they should not be considered a customer in the usual business sense because the patient is in an emergency situation and can not freely decide. Improvements in treatment quality and in reducing the rate of adverse events make up the largest portion of the benefits of QM. Furthermore, QM can have a positive influence on motivation and employee recruitment. In addition, the cost savings that result despite costs for QM must not be forgotten.

20 CFR 669.330 - How are services delivered to the customer?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How are services delivered to the customer... Farmworker Jobs Program Customers and Available Program Services § 669.330 How are services delivered to the customer? To ensure that all services are focused on the customer's needs, services are provided through a...

20 CFR 669.330 - How are services delivered to the customer?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false How are services delivered to the customer... Farmworker Jobs Program Customers and Available Program Services § 669.330 How are services delivered to the customer? To ensure that all services are focused on the customer's needs, services are provided through a...

Human Connectome Project Informatics: quality control, database services, and data visualization

PubMed Central

Marcus, Daniel S.; Harms, Michael P.; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Jenkinson, Mark; Wilson, J Anthony; Glasser, Matthew F.; Barch, Deanna M.; Archie, Kevin A.; Burgess, Gregory C.; Ramaratnam, Mohana; Hodge, Michael; Horton, William; Herrick, Rick; Olsen, Timothy; McKay, Michael; House, Matthew; Hileman, Michael; Reid, Erin; Harwell, John; Coalson, Timothy; Schindler, Jon; Elam, Jennifer S.; Curtiss, Sandra W.; Van Essen, David C.

2013-01-01

The Human Connectome Project (HCP) has developed protocols, standard operating and quality control procedures, and a suite of informatics tools to enable high throughput data collection, data sharing, automated data processing and analysis, and data mining and visualization. Quality control procedures include methods to maintain data collection consistency over time, to measure head motion, and to establish quantitative modality-specific overall quality assessments. Database services developed as customizations of the XNAT imaging informatics platform support both internal daily operations and open access data sharing. The Connectome Workbench visualization environment enables user interaction with HCP data and is increasingly integrated with the HCP's database services. Here we describe the current state of these procedures and tools and their application in the ongoing HCP study. PMID:23707591

The Customer Service Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Chip R.

2001-01-01

Discusses ways to embed customer service learning and customer loyalty including making customers think, examining every aspect of customers' service encounters with staff, providing follow-up, making learning fun, and involving customers in your business. (JOW)

Method for optimizing resource allocation in a government organization. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Afarin, James

1994-01-01

The managers in Federal agencies are challenged to control the extensive activities in government and still provide high-quality products and services to the American taxpayers. Considering today's complex social and economic environment and the $3.8 billion daily cost of operating the Federal Government, it is evident that there is a need to develop decision-making tools for accurate resource allocation and total quality management. The goal of this thesis is to provide a methodical process that will aid managers in Federal Government to make budgetary decisions based on the cost of services, the agency's objectives, and the customers' perception of the agency's product. A general resource allocation procedure was developed in this study that can be applied to any government organization. A government organization, hereafter the 'organization,' is assumed to be a multidivision enterprise. This procedure was applied to a small organization for the proof of the concept. This organization is the Technical Services Directorate (TSD) at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. As part of the procedure, a nonlinear programming model was developed to account for the resources of the organization, the outputs produced by the organization, the decision-maker's views, and the customers' satisfaction with the organization. The information on the resources of the organization was acquired from current budget levels of the organization and the human resources assigned to the divisions. The outputs of the organization were defined and measured by identifying metrics that assess the outputs, the most challenging task in this study. The decision-maker's views are represented in the model as weights assigned to the various outputs and were quantified by using the analytic hierarchy process. The customer's opinions regarding the outputs of the organization were collected through questionnaires that were designed for each division individually. Following the philosophy of total quality management, information on customers' satisfaction is presented in the model as the quality of output. The model is a nonlinear one whose objective is to maximize customers' satisfaction such that the total cost of operation does not exceed the organization's budget. This model represents a structured approach or policy mechanism, at the agency level, to make capital investment decisions based on the priorities of the agency and the quality of outputs. This procedure applied to TSD resulted in a resources allocation scheme that was reasonable and acceptable to the decision-makers and, as expected, dependent on the assumptions and accuracy of the data used in the model.

Which Way Do You Want To Serve Your Customers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Dinesh K.; Jambheykar, Ashok

2002-01-01

Discusses the need to focus on customer service in libraries. Topics include motivating factors, including the value of library services as judged by the users; attributes of customer service; categories of customer service; identifying users; and questions to ask library staff to help evaluate their customer service. (LRW)

76 FR 24339 - Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-02

... Order 13571 of April 27, 2011 Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service By the... Customer Service Standards), issued on September 11, 1993, requires agencies that provide significant services directly to the public to identify and survey their customers, establish service standards and...

A new three-dimensional manufacturing service composition method under various structures using improved Flower Pollination Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wenyu; Yang, Yushu; Zhang, Shuai; Yu, Dejian; Chen, Yong

2018-05-01

With the growing complexity of customer requirements and the increasing scale of manufacturing services, how to select and combine the single services to meet the complex demand of the customer has become a growing concern. This paper presents a new manufacturing service composition method to solve the multi-objective optimization problem based on quality of service (QoS). The proposed model not only presents different methods for calculating the transportation time and transportation cost under various structures but also solves the three-dimensional composition optimization problem, including service aggregation, service selection, and service scheduling simultaneously. Further, an improved Flower Pollination Algorithm (IFPA) is proposed to solve the three-dimensional composition optimization problem using a matrix-based representation scheme. The mutation operator and crossover operator of the Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm are also used to extend the basic Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) to improve its performance. Compared to Genetic Algorithm, DE, and basic FPA, the experimental results confirm that the proposed method demonstrates superior performance than other meta heuristic algorithms and can obtain better manufacturing service composition solutions.

Personal communications: An extension to the mobile satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Epstein, Murray; Draper, Francois

1990-01-01

As time progresses, customer demands become far more universal, involving integrated, simple to operate, cost effective services, with technology virtually transparent to the operator. Industry will be in a position of providing the necessary services to meet the subscribers' needs. Our resource based industries, transportation services, and utilities in the more rural and unserviced areas will require quality and affordable services that can only be supplied via satellite. One answer to these needs will be one- and two-way interoperable data messaging.

Customer service in equine veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Blach, Edward L

2009-12-01

This article explores customer service in equine veterinary medicine. It begins with a discussion about the differences between customers and clients in veterinary medicine. An overview of the nature of the veterinary-client-patient relationship and its effects on the veterinarian's services sheds light on how to evaluate your customer service. The author reviews a study performed in 2007 that evaluated 24 attributes of customer service and their importance to clients of equine veterinarians in their decision to select a specific veterinarian or hospital. The article concludes with an overview of how to evaluate your customer service in an effort to optimize your service to achieve customer loyalty.

Linking quality and performance. Quality orientation can be a competitive strategy for health care providers.

PubMed

Rapert, M I; Babakus, E

1996-01-01

Many organizations are not convinced a quality orientation pays off and are looking for ways to link quality with performance. The authors' exploratory study found that a quality orientation is a differentiating factor between low-performing and high-performing general service hospitals. They also developed a quality scale to assess the performance implications of quality-based strategies in the health care industry. Successful health care organizations (1) develop a strategic quality orientation at the management level, (2) support the pursuit of quality at the contact level, and (3) monitor external customers' perceptions of quality.

Applying the expectancy disconfirmation and regret theories to online consumer behavior.

PubMed

Liao, Chechen; Liu, Chuang-Chun; Liu, Yu-Ping; To, Pui-Lai; Lin, Hong-Nan

2011-04-01

This study synthesizes the expectancy disconfirmation theory with empirical theories pertaining to customer regret in an e-commerce environment. The study begins by examining the roles that information quality (IQ), system quality (SYQ), and service quality (SEQ) play in determining customer regret and satisfaction. Then the consequences of regret and satisfaction on reuse intention are examined. Survey data collected from 445 respondents are analyzed using structural equation modeling with partial least squares (PLS-Graph 3.0) to provide support for the hypothesized links. Results show that IQ disconfirmation, SYQ disconfirmation and SEQ disconfirmation are related to regret and satisfaction. Both regret and satisfaction are related to reuse intention. In addition, satisfaction mediates the effect of regret on reuse intention. Based on these results, implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology as a Global Learning Tool: Information Systems Success and Control Belief Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Charlie C.; Vannoy, Sandra

2013-01-01

Voice over Internet Protocol- (VoIP) enabled online learning service providers struggling with high attrition rates and low customer loyalty issues despite VoIP's high degree of system fit for online global learning applications. Effective solutions to this prevalent problem rely on the understanding of system quality, information quality, and…

Simulation Design for Off-Line Training of Practical Lean Manufacturing Concepts for Visual Inspection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tetteh, Edem; McWilliams, Douglas

2010-01-01

Customer needs for high-quality goods and the risk of product-liability litigation against businesses have made companies look for a way to sustain quality assurance in their products and services. Lean manufacturing is the latest and most successful system being used by companies to turn their business around. Visual inspection plays an important…

How To Improve the Quality of Our Organizations through the Use of TQM, Continuous Improvement Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coates, James

As a result of global competition in business, Total Quality Management (TQM) has been seen as necessary to provide competitive products and services that customers want and need at attractive prices. In applying the principles of TQM to higher education, however, the perceived need for survival and competition in business and industry does not…

Satisfaction with care in peritoneal dialysis patients.

PubMed

Kirchgessner, J; Perera-Chang, M; Klinkner, G; Soley, I; Marcelli, D; Arkossy, O; Stopper, A; Kimmel, P L

2006-10-01

Patient satisfaction is an important aspect of dialysis care, only recently evaluated in clinical studies. We developed a tool to assess peritoneal dialysis (PD) customer satisfaction, and sought to evaluate and validate the Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), quantifying PD patient satisfaction. The CSQ included questions regarding administrative issues, Delivery Service, PD Training, Handling Requests, and transportation. The study was performed using interviews in all Hungarian Fresenius Medical Care dialysis centers offering PD. CSQ results were compared with psychosocial measures to identify if patient satisfaction was associated with perception of social support and illness burden, or depression. We assessed CSQ internal consistency and validity. Factor analysis explored potential underlying dimensions of the CSQ. One hundred and thirty-three patients treated with PD for end-stage renal disease for more than 3 months were interviewed. The CSQ had high internal consistency. There was high patient satisfaction with customer service. PD patient satisfaction scores correlated with quality of life (QOL) and social support measures, but not with medical or demographic factors, or depressive affect. The CSQ is a reliable tool to assess PD customer satisfaction. PD patient satisfaction is associated with perception of QOL. Efforts to improve customer satisfaction may improve PD patients' quantity as well as QOL.

Critical Success Factors of Internet Shopping: The Case of Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atchariyachanvanich, Kanokwan; Okada, Hitoshi; Sonehara, Noboru

This paper presents the results from a study conducted on the effect of differing factors on a customer's attitude towards using Internet shopping in Japan. The research model used was an extended version of the consumers' acceptance of virtual stores model with the addition of a new factor, need specificity, and a grouping of critical success factors based on their customer-centric and website-centric viewpoints sources. It examines how differences in the individual characteristics of customers affect the actual use of Internet shopping. According to an online questionnaire filled out by 1,215 online customers used to conduct a multiple regression analysis and a structural equation modeling analysis, the participant's gender, education level, innovativeness, net-orientation, and need specificity, which are the factors for the customer-centric viewpoints, have a positive impact on the actual use of Internet shopping. The implication also shows that Japanese online customers do not worry about the quality of service of Internet shopping, a factor in the website-centric viewpoint, as significantly as offline customers do.

New Strategies in the New Millennium: Servant Leadership As Enhancer of Service Climate and Customer Service Performance.

PubMed

Linuesa-Langreo, Jorge; Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo; Elche-Hortelano, Dioni

2017-01-01

In a world in which customers are increasingly looking for solutions to their own concerns on how to make a better globalized world, new organizational strategies are emerging to approach the customer in the current third millennium. Servant leadership, which involves putting employees' needs first and serving the broader society, is emerging as a new strategic mechanism to approach the customer in line with the new social values-driven Marketing 3.0 era. Yet research has ignored the role and the various mechanisms servant leadership might utilize to improve customer service performance of their service units. Spanning 185 hotels located in Spain, a sample of 247 service units -in close contact with customers- was used to investigate whether servant leadership enhances customer service performance through shaping a service climate within the service unit. Results revealed that service climate mediates the positive influence of servant leadership on customer service performance. Managers can use these findings to note the value of leading the service unit in a servant friendly direction, which is better aligned with the new aspirations of customers today.

An Artificial Intelligence System to Predict Quality of Service in Banking Organizations

PubMed Central

Popovič, Aleš

2016-01-01

Quality of service, that is, the waiting time that customers must endure in order to receive a service, is a critical performance aspect in private and public service organizations. Providing good service quality is particularly important in highly competitive sectors where similar services exist. In this paper, focusing on banking sector, we propose an artificial intelligence system for building a model for the prediction of service quality. While the traditional approach used for building analytical models relies on theories and assumptions about the problem at hand, we propose a novel approach for learning models from actual data. Thus, the proposed approach is not biased by the knowledge that experts may have about the problem, but it is completely based on the available data. The system is based on a recently defined variant of genetic programming that allows practitioners to include the concept of semantics in the search process. This will have beneficial effects on the search process and will produce analytical models that are based only on the data and not on domain-dependent knowledge. PMID:27313604

An Artificial Intelligence System to Predict Quality of Service in Banking Organizations.

PubMed

Castelli, Mauro; Manzoni, Luca; Popovič, Aleš

2016-01-01

Quality of service, that is, the waiting time that customers must endure in order to receive a service, is a critical performance aspect in private and public service organizations. Providing good service quality is particularly important in highly competitive sectors where similar services exist. In this paper, focusing on banking sector, we propose an artificial intelligence system for building a model for the prediction of service quality. While the traditional approach used for building analytical models relies on theories and assumptions about the problem at hand, we propose a novel approach for learning models from actual data. Thus, the proposed approach is not biased by the knowledge that experts may have about the problem, but it is completely based on the available data. The system is based on a recently defined variant of genetic programming that allows practitioners to include the concept of semantics in the search process. This will have beneficial effects on the search process and will produce analytical models that are based only on the data and not on domain-dependent knowledge.

Evaluation of health care service quality in Poland with the use of SERVQUAL method at the specialist ambulatory health care center.

PubMed

Manulik, Stanisław; Rosińczuk, Joanna; Karniej, Piotr

2016-01-01

Service quality and customer satisfaction are very important components of competitive advantage in the health care sector. The SERVQUAL method is widely used for assessing the quality expected by patients and the quality of actually provided services. The main purpose of this study was to determine if patients from state and private health care facilities differed in terms of their qualitative priorities and assessments of received services. The study included a total of 412 patients: 211 treated at a state facility and 201 treated at a private facility. Each of the respondents completed a 5-domain, 22-item SERVQUAL questionnaire. The actual quality of health care services in both types of facilities proved significantly lower than expected. All the patients gave the highest scores to the domains constituting the core aspects of health care services. The private facility respondents had the highest expectations with regard to equipment, and the state facility ones regarding contacts with the medical personnel. Health care quality management should be oriented toward comprehensive optimization in all domains, rather than only within the domain identified as the qualitative priority for patients of a given facility.

Implementation of Quality Management in Core Service Laboratories

PubMed Central

Creavalle, T.; Haque, K.; Raley, C.; Subleski, M.; Smith, M.W.; Hicks, B.

2010-01-01

CF-28 The Genetics and Genomics group of the Advanced Technology Program of SAIC-Frederick exists to bring innovative genomic expertise, tools and analysis to NCI and the scientific community. The Sequencing Facility (SF) provides next generation short read (Illumina) sequencing capacity to investigators using a streamlined production approach. The Laboratory of Molecular Technology (LMT) offers a wide range of genomics core services including microarray expression analysis, miRNA analysis, array comparative genome hybridization, long read (Roche) next generation sequencing, quantitative real time PCR, transgenic genotyping, Sanger sequencing, and clinical mutation detection services to investigators from across the NIH. As the technology supporting this genomic research becomes more complex, the need for basic quality processes within all aspects of the core service groups becomes critical. The Quality Management group works alongside members of these labs to establish or improve processes supporting operations control (equipment, reagent and materials management), process improvement (reengineering/optimization, automation, acceptance criteria for new technologies and tech transfer), and quality assurance and customer support (controlled documentation/SOPs, training, service deficiencies and continual improvement efforts). Implementation and expansion of quality programs within unregulated environments demonstrates SAIC-Frederick's dedication to providing the highest quality products and services to the NIH community.

Health care competition, strategic mission, and patient satisfaction: research model and propositions.

PubMed

Rivers, Patrick A; Glover, Saundra H

2008-01-01

In all industries, competition among businesses has long been encouraged as a mechanism to increase value for patients. In other words, competition ensures the provision of better products and services to satisfy the needs of customers This paper aims to develop a model that can be used to empirically investigate a number of complex issues and relationships associated with competition in the health care industry. A literature review was conducted. A total of 50 items of literature related to the subject were reviewed. Various perspectives of competition, the nature of service quality, health system costs, and patient satisfaction in health care are examined. A model of the relationship among these variables is developed. The model depicts patient satisfaction as an outcome measure directly dependent on competition. Quality of care and health care systems costs, while also directly dependent on the strategic mission and goals, are considered as determinants of customer satisfaction as well. The model is discussed in the light of propositions for empirical research. Empirical studies based on the model proposed in this paper should help identify areas with significant impact on patient satisfaction while maintaining high quality of service at lower costs in a competitive environment. The authors develop a research model which included propositions to examine the complex issues of competition in the health care industry.

Measuring quality in services for children with an intellectual disability.

PubMed

Koornneef, Erik

2006-01-01

To evaluate the application of one particular quality measurement tool, the SERVQUAL instrument, as a potential mechanism to measure quality in services for children with disabilities Staff and family of children with an intellectual disability in two organisations providing specialist therapy and day completed an adapted SERVQUAL questionnaire. A total of 81 SERVQUAL questionnaires were distributed and 59 questionnaires were returned (response rate of 73 per cent). The SERVQUAL instrument can be considered as a useful diagnostic tool to identify particular strengths and areas for improvement in services for people with disabilities as the instrument lends itself for the monitoring of the effectiveness of quality improvement initiatives over time. The findings also showed relatively high customer expectations and the organisations involved in this research are currently not meeting all of these high expectations as significant quality gaps were found in the areas of reliability and responsiveness. The sample size was relatively small and the measurement of quality using the SERVQUAL instrument remains a challenge, due to the conceptual and empirical difficulties. The SERVQUAL instrument is probably most be attractive to service managers and funding organisations because of its ability to identify gaps in the quality of the service. The tool had been used to measure quality in services for people with disabilities and the research has shown that this tool might be an important additional quality measurement tool for services.

Customer emotion regulation in the service interactions: its relationship to employee ingratiation, satisfaction and loyalty intentions.

PubMed

Medler-Liraz, Hana; Yagil, Dana

2013-01-01

Many studies have explored emotional regulation on the part of service employees, and its antecedents. However, customers' emotional regulation in general, and how it is affected by service employee behavior in particular, have received only scant attention. The present article explores a model suggesting that service employees' ingratiatory behavior relates to customer emotion regulation strategies, which in turn are related to customer satisfaction and loyalty. The model was tested with 131 service employee-customer dyads. The results show that service employee ingratiation was positively related to customers' deep acting but not related to surface acting. Customers' deep acting was positively related to their satisfaction. A positive relationship was found between customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Issues in Commercial Document Delivery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcinko, Randall Wayne

1997-01-01

Discusses (1) the history of document delivery; (2) the delivery process--end-user request, intermediary request, vendor reference, citation verification, obtaining document and source relations, quality control, transferring document to client, customer service and status, invoicing and billing, research and development, and copyright; and (3)…

10 CFR 171.11 - Exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... LICENSES, INCLUDING HOLDERS OF CERTIFICATES OF COMPLIANCE, REGISTRATIONS, AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM...) Remunerated services to other persons; (iii) Distribution of byproduct material, source material, or special... following factors: (1) Age of the reactor; (2) Number of customers in rate base; (3) Net increase in KWh...

Focusing on customer service.

PubMed

1996-01-01

This booklet is devoted to a consideration of how good customer service in family planning programs can generate demand for products and services, bring customers back, and reduce costs. Customer service is defined as increasing client satisfaction through continuous concern for client preferences, staff accountability to clients, and respect for the rights of clients. Issues discussed include the introduction of a customer service approach and gaining staff commitment. The experience of PROSALUD in Bolivia in recruiting appropriate staff, supervising staff, soliciting client feedback, and marketing services is offered as an example of a successful customer service approach. The key customer service functions are described as 1) establishing a welcoming atmosphere, 2) streamlining client flow, 3) personalizing client services, and 4) organizing and providing clear information to clients. The role of the manager in developing procedures is explored, and the COPE (Client-Oriented Provider-Efficient) process is presented as a good way to begin to make improvements. Techniques in staff training in customer service include brainstorming, role playing, using case studies (examples of which are provided), and engaging in practice sessions. Training also leads to the development of effective customer service attitudes, and the differences between these and organizational/staff-focused attitudes are illustrated in a chart. The use of communication skills (asking open-ended questions, helping clients express their concerns, engaging in active listening, and handling difficult situations) is considered. Good recovery skills are important when things go wrong. Gathering and using client feedback is the next topic considered. This involves identifying, recording, and discussing customer service issues as well as taking action on these issues and evaluating the results. The booklet ends by providing a sample of customer service indicators, considering the maintenance of a customer service focus, and reporting comments from the reviewers of the booklet.

Perceptions of a medical microbiology service: a survey of laboratory users.

PubMed Central

Morgan, M S

1995-01-01

AIM--To ascertain the perception of laboratory users regarding the quality of the medical microbiology services in a district general hospital. METHODS--Detailed questionnaires were circulated to all clinicians in the locality, with headings covering the quality of medical advice provided, the availability of information on specimen collection, format of request forms, specimen transport arrangements, turnaround times, the quality and need for interpretative advice, and the overall impression of the quality of the services provided. RESULTS--Two hundred and thirty five replies were received, giving a response rate of 69%. Transportation of specimens and communication of reports were identified as priority areas for improvement. The overall quality of the service was perceived as satisfactory, although areas were identified where substantial improvements could be made, some at little or no cost to the laboratory. CONCLUSIONS--The survey focused clinicians' attention on the service, raised the profile of the laboratory, and resulted in improved communications and a better understanding of customer needs. Overall, the exercise was felt to be extremely useful, and worthwhile repeating to gauge the effect of the changes instituted as a result. PMID:8537489

Stochastic Packet Loss Model to Evaluate QoE Impairments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohlfeld, Oliver

With provisioning of broadband access for mass market—even in wireless and mobile networks—multimedia content, especially real-time streaming of high-quality audio and video, is extensively viewed and exchanged over the Internet. Quality of Experience (QoE) aspects, describing the service quality perceived by the user, is a vital factor in ensuring customer satisfaction in today's communication networks. Frameworks for accessing quality degradations in streamed video currently are investigated as a complex multi-layered research topic, involving network traffic load, codec functions and measures of user perception of video quality.

Evaluation of User Satisfaction in Public Residential Housing - A Case Study in the Outskirts of Naples, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forte, Fabiana; Russo, Yvonne

2017-10-01

Nowadays the quality of homes and social life are two closely interacting categories which require a more careful interpretation of the users’ needs. Their opinions, expectations and “desires” have to be incorporated into both the design and evaluation processes. With specific reference to the experiences of public housing, the practice of “user satisfaction” should be increasingly incorporated during the ex-post (or monitoring) evaluation in order to verify the quality and validity of the service offered, thus activating a real co-participation of the user in the creation and improvement of the housing service. It is well-known that the principle of customer satisfaction derives from the field of marketing as a tool to evaluate how and how much the products/services offered meet the needs of the consumers. In the field of the construction industry, customer satisfaction has been incorporated into the “Post-Occupation Evaluation”, an evaluation tool of the performance of the building “in use” through the combination of objective and subjective variables expressed by the occupiers. Widely used since the 1970s in Anglo-Saxon countries, Italy is still struggling to find a systematic implementation. In this perspective, the article presents an application of the customer satisfaction method for the identification of some interventions aimed at improving the quality of a complex of public residential housing localized in Ponticelli, the second most populated district in the outskirts of the metropolitan city of Naples, in the Campania Region (Italy). Following a synthetic introduction of the theme and the explanation of the object of evaluation, the article discusses the methodology and the results, focalizing on some intervention hypotheses verified in terms of economic sustainability.

47 CFR 69.408 - All other customer services expenses in Account 6620.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false All other customer services expenses in Account... CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) ACCESS CHARGES Apportionment of Expenses § 69.408 All other customer services expenses in Account 6620. All other customer services expenses shall be apportioned among the Interexchange...

New Strategies in the New Millennium: Servant Leadership As Enhancer of Service Climate and Customer Service Performance

PubMed Central

Linuesa-Langreo, Jorge; Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo; Elche-Hortelano, Dioni

2017-01-01

In a world in which customers are increasingly looking for solutions to their own concerns on how to make a better globalized world, new organizational strategies are emerging to approach the customer in the current third millennium. Servant leadership, which involves putting employees’ needs first and serving the broader society, is emerging as a new strategic mechanism to approach the customer in line with the new social values-driven Marketing 3.0 era. Yet research has ignored the role and the various mechanisms servant leadership might utilize to improve customer service performance of their service units. Spanning 185 hotels located in Spain, a sample of 247 service units –in close contact with customers– was used to investigate whether servant leadership enhances customer service performance through shaping a service climate within the service unit. Results revealed that service climate mediates the positive influence of servant leadership on customer service performance. Managers can use these findings to note the value of leading the service unit in a servant friendly direction, which is better aligned with the new aspirations of customers today. PMID:28559873

Progress Made on a Plan To Integrate Planning, Budgeting, Assessment and Quality Principles To Achieve Institutional Improvement. First Year Report. AIR 1996 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Susan R.; And Others

This paper describes first year implementation efforts of Southwest Texas (SWT) State University to develop a system to integrate planning, budgeting, assessment, and quality to improve the delivery of education and other services to all the institution's customers. The document addresses the common situation when an organization already has…

47 CFR 32.6623 - Customer services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Customer services. 32.6623 Section 32.6623... FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions for Expense Accounts § 32.6623 Customer services. (a) This account shall include costs incurred in establishing and servicing customer accounts. This...

7 CFR 46.31 - Duties of shippers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... responsibilities to their customers depend upon their contracts to sell, consign or joint account produce with... received on joint account, the quantity, quality, and kind of produce, the purchase price or joint account...

Application of ISO 9000 Standards to Education and Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van den Berghe, Wouter

1998-01-01

ISO 9000 certification has the advantages of a measurable framework for quality efforts, continuous improvement, and better customer service. Drawbacks for education and training providers include volume of paperwork, ongoing cost, risk of a growing bureaucracy, and the difficulty of making changes quickly. (SK)

Measuring market share of petrol stations using conditional probability approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, Shamshuritawati; Lwee, Xue Yin

2017-05-01

Oil and gas production is the strength of Malaysia's growth over past decades. It is one of the most strategic economic branches in the world. Since the oil industry is essential for the economic growth of a country, only a few undertakings have been achieved to establish. It is a very risky business. Therefore the dealer must have some information in hand before setting up a new business plan. Understanding the current business situation is an important strategy to avoid risky ventures. In this study, the aim is to deliver a very simple but essential way to identify the market share based on customer's choice factors. This approach is presented to encourage the non-statisticians to use it easily in helping their business performance. From this study, the most important factors differ from one station to another station. The results show that the factors of customer's choice for BHPetrol, Caltex, PETRON, PETRONAS and SHELL are site location, service quality, service quality, size of the petrol station, and brand image, respectively.

Developing collective customer knowledge and service climate: The interaction between service-oriented high-performance work systems and service leadership.

PubMed

Jiang, Kaifeng; Chuang, Chih-Hsun; Chiao, Yu-Ching

2015-07-01

This study theorized and examined the influence of the interaction between Service-Oriented high-performance work systems (HPWSs) and service leadership on collective customer knowledge and service climate. Using a sample of 569 employees and 142 managers in footwear retail stores, we found that Service-Oriented HPWSs and service leadership reduced the influences of one another on collective customer knowledge and service climate, such that the positive influence of service leadership on collective customer knowledge and service climate was stronger when Service-Oriented HPWSs were lower than when they were higher or the positive influence of Service-Oriented HPWSs on collective customer knowledge and service climate was stronger when service leadership was lower than when it was higher. We further proposed and found that collective customer knowledge and service climate were positively related to objective financial outcomes through service performance. Implications for the literature and managerial practices are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Applying Fourth Generation Management to Access Services: Reinventing Customer Service and Process Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasty, Douglas F.

2004-01-01

Are librarians doing all they can to ensure that customer services are delivered with the customer in mind? Librarians are great at helping, but we sometimes need help with identifying customers, defining their needs, developing services, and reviewing the processes behind the services. Fourth Generation Management provides new insight for…

Bespoke program design for school-aged therapy disability service delivery.

PubMed

Weatherill, Pamela; Bahn, Susanne; Cooper, Trudi

2012-01-01

This article uses the evaluation of a school-aged therapy service for children with disabilities in Western Australia to investigate models of service delivery. The current literature on family-centered practice, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, and 4 models of service are reviewed. The models include the life needs model, the relational goal-orientated model of optimal service delivery to children and families, the quality of life model, and the collaborative model of service delivery. Analysis of the data is presented together with a bespoke model of service delivery for children with disabilities, arguing that local contexts benefit from custom-made service design.

How to get the customer service your practice deserves.

PubMed

Cavallo, Nancy

2009-01-01

What is good customer service, and how can office managers and others who deal with medical supply distributors get the customer service they deserve? This article covers the basics of good customer service, including examples of companies known for putting the customer first-Nordstrom, Disney, Johnson &Johnson, and VaxServe. Helpful tips on what to look for in a distributor include personalized service, cost considerations, dedication, knowledge, experience, helpfulness, openness, reliability, and compatibility.

Fulfilment of administrative and professional organisational obligations and nurses' customer-oriented behaviours.

PubMed

Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul

2016-07-01

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between the perceived quality of organisational exchange and nurses' customer-oriented behaviours. Hospitals face increasing competitive market conditions. Registered nurses interact closely with patients and therefore play an important front-office role towards patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Registered nurses (n = 151) of a Belgian hospital received a questionnaire to assess the fulfilment of administrative and professional organisational obligations and their customer-oriented behaviours. We found a positive relationship between psychological contract fulfilment and nurses' customer-oriented behaviours. More precisely administrative and professional psychological contract fulfilment relates significantly to nurses' service delivery and external representation. In case of internal influence only administrative psychological contract fulfilment was significantly related. Nurses' perceptions of the fulfilment of administrative and professional obligations are important to their customer-oriented behaviours. Nurse managers must be aware of the impact of fulfilling both administrative and professional obligations of registered nurses in order to optimise their customer-oriented behaviours. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

78 FR 14359 - Verizon Business Networks Services, Inc., Specialist-Tech Customer Service, Philadelphia, PA...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-05

... Business Networks Services, Inc., Specialist-Tech Customer Service, Philadelphia, PA; Verizon Business Networks Services, Inc., Specialist-Tech Customer Service, Tampa, Florida; Amended Certification Regarding... Business Networks Services, Inc., Order Management Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Verizon...

Total quality management in orthodontic practice.

PubMed

Atta, A E

1999-12-01

Quality is the buzz word for the new Millennium. Patients demand it, and we must serve it. Yet one must identify it. Quality is not imaging or public relations; it is a business process. This short article presents quality as a balance of three critical notions: core clinical competence, perceived values that our patients seek and want, and the cost of quality. Customer satisfaction is a variable that must be identified for each practice. In my practice, patients perceive quality as communication and time, be it treatment or waiting time. Time is a value and cost that must be managed effectively. Total quality management is a business function; it involves diagnosis, design, implementation, and measurement of the process, the people, and the service. Kazien is a function that reduces value services, eliminates waste, and manages time and cost in the process. Total quality management is a total commitment for continuous improvement.

Definition, willingness-to-pay, and ranking of quality attributes of U.S. pork as defined by importers in Asia and Mexico.

PubMed

Murphy, R G L; Howard, S T; Woerner, D R; Pendell, D L; Dixon, C L; Desimone, T L; Green, M D; Igo, J L; Tatum, J D; Belk, K E

2015-01-01

A survey was conducted from November 2009 to April 2010 to determine how importers of pork define 7 predetermined quality categories (food safety, customer service, eating quality, product specification, packaging, visual characteristics, and production history) and to estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) and establish best-worst (B/W) scaling (rank) for the 7 quality categories. Interviews were conducted in Hong Kong/China (n = 83), Japan (n = 48), Mexico (n = 70) and Russia (n = 54) with importers of U.S. pork or those who had purchased U.S. pork from distributors in the last 3 yr. Interviews used dynamic routing software and were structured such that economic factors for purchase were addressed first, allowing all responses to focus on quality. Questions about WTP and B/W were asked and then each respondent was asked to define what each quality category meant to them. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze frequency data. Over 70% of interviewees in Hong Kong/China, Japan, and Mexico responded that purchase price was influential in deciding whether or not to purchase imported pork. This number was lower in Russia, where respondents stated tariff rates were also important, indicating market access was a larger issue in Russia. Food safety was the most important quality category (price was not included as a part of quality) for imported pork followed by specifications. Respondents indicated some form of government inspection was how they defined food safety, whereas product size, weight, and subcutaneous fat were all included in the definition of specifications. Interviewees were more likely to pay premiums for customer service and less likely to pay premiums for packaging (P < 0.05). The premiums that were willing to be paid for guarantees of quality for imported pork variety meats were numerically lower than for whole muscle cuts or processed products. A guarantee associated with food safety of processed pork products was found to be the quality attribute for which importers would be willing to pay the highest premium. Production history was found to be the least important quality attribute for importers of all types of U.S. pork, except those in Japan. Exporters could increase profitability if a guarantee of customer service was made. Price, tariffs, and exchange rates are important to pork importers; these results indicated that if certain quality attributes could be guaranteed, exporters could increase profitability.

Proactive patient rounding to increase customer service and satisfaction on an orthopaedic unit.

PubMed

Tea, Christine; Ellison, Michael; Feghali, Fadia

2008-01-01

Customer service and patient satisfaction have become increasingly important in the healthcare industry. Given limited resources and a myriad of choices, on which facets of patient satisfaction should healthcare providers focus? An analysis of 40,000 observations across 4 hospitals found 1 important intervention: timely staff responsiveness. Using the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) quality methodology, the goal was set to improve staff responsiveness to orthopaedic patient needs and requests, thus improving patient satisfaction. A model to improve staff responsiveness was systematically developed and implemented. The I Care Rounding model places the emphasis on proactively meeting patient needs through hourly rounding, rather than caregivers providing care in a reactionary mode. After full implementation, positive improvement was demonstrated.

Co-operative bidding of SMEs in health care sector.

PubMed

Mezgár, István; Kovács, György; Bonfatti, Fabio

2002-01-01

Tendering become an important process for customers in the health care sector to select products and services from the market for the lowest price, with the highest quality and with the shortest delivery time. The number of SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) delivering products or services for the health care sector is increasing, but they have usually limited capital and expertise to participate in tenders. The paper introduces a possible solution for this problem, when SMEs form special groups, so called Smart Bidding Organisations (SBO), to prepare a bid for the tender jointly. The SBO appears for the customer (tender issuer) as a single enterprise and the bidding procedure will be faster and less expensive in this way.

Attitudes About Regulation Among Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing Customers

PubMed Central

Green, Robert C.; Kaufman, David

2013-01-01

Introduction: The first regulatory rulings by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing services are expected soon. As the process of regulating these and other genetic tests moves ahead, it is important to understand the preferences of DTC genetic testing customers about the regulation of these products. Methods: An online survey of customers of three DTC genetic testing companies was conducted 2–8 months after they had received their results. Participants were asked about the importance of regulating the companies selling DTC genetic tests. Results: Most of the 1,046 respondents responded that it would be important to have a nongovernmental (84%) or governmental agency (73%) monitor DTC companies' claims to ensure the consistency with scientific evidence. However, 66% also felt that it was important that DTC tests be available without governmental oversight. Nearly, all customers favored a policy to ensure that insurers and law enforcement officials could not access their information. Discussion: Although many DTC customers want access to genetic testing services without restrictions imposed by the government regulation, most also favor an organization operating alongside DTC companies that will ensure that the claims made by the companies are consistent with sound scientific evidence. This seeming contradiction may indicate that DTC customers want to ensure that they have unfettered access to high-quality information. Additionally, policies to help ensure privacy of data would be welcomed by customers, despite relatively high confidence in the companies. PMID:23560882

Attitudes about regulation among direct-to-consumer genetic testing customers.

PubMed

Bollinger, Juli Murphy; Green, Robert C; Kaufman, David

2013-05-01

The first regulatory rulings by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing services are expected soon. As the process of regulating these and other genetic tests moves ahead, it is important to understand the preferences of DTC genetic testing customers about the regulation of these products. An online survey of customers of three DTC genetic testing companies was conducted 2-8 months after they had received their results. Participants were asked about the importance of regulating the companies selling DTC genetic tests. Most of the 1,046 respondents responded that it would be important to have a nongovernmental (84%) or governmental agency (73%) monitor DTC companies' claims to ensure the consistency with scientific evidence. However, 66% also felt that it was important that DTC tests be available without governmental oversight. Nearly, all customers favored a policy to ensure that insurers and law enforcement officials could not access their information. Although many DTC customers want access to genetic testing services without restrictions imposed by the government regulation, most also favor an organization operating alongside DTC companies that will ensure that the claims made by the companies are consistent with sound scientific evidence. This seeming contradiction may indicate that DTC customers want to ensure that they have unfettered access to high-quality information. Additionally, policies to help ensure privacy of data would be welcomed by customers, despite relatively high confidence in the companies.

18 CFR 367.9100 - Account 910, Miscellaneous customer service and informational expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., Miscellaneous customer service and informational expenses. 367.9100 Section 367.9100 Conservation of Power and... Account 910, Miscellaneous customer service and informational expenses. (a) This account must include the cost of labor, materials used and expenses incurred in connection with customer service and...

Patients' perceptions of service quality dimensions: an empirical examination of health care in New Zealand.

PubMed

Clemes, M D; Ozanne, L K; Laurensen, W L

2001-01-01

The 1984 liberalization of the New Zealand economy has resulted in a health care sector that has become very competitive (Zwier and Clarke, 1999). The private sector is now able to supply health care services and, as a result, a greater value is being placed on patient satisfaction (Zwier and Clarke, 1999). However, despite the increasing focus on customer satisfaction, research into health care patients' perceptions of the dimensions of service quality is scarce. This can be problematic, as quality of care is an essential issue in the strategic marketing of health care services (Turner and Pol, 1995). This study takes a step towards addressing this deficiency by identifying patients' perceptions of the dimensions of service quality in health care. The findings of this study are based on the empirical analysis of a sample of 389 respondents interviewed by telephone. The findings indicate that the service quality dimensions identified in this health care specific study differ in number and dimensional structure from the widely adopted service quality dimensions first identified by Parasuraman, Berry and Zeithaml (1988): reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibles. The service quality dimensions identified in this study were: reliability, tangibles, assurance, empathy, food, access, outcome, admission, discharge and responsiveness. In addition, health care patients perceive the service quality dimensions relating to the core product in health care delivery (for example, outcome and reliability) as more important than the service quality dimensions relating to the peripheral product in health care delivery (for example, food, access and tangibles). Finally, the results of this study suggest that patients with different geographic, demographic, and behavioristic characteristics have different needs and wants during health care delivery and therefore perceive different service quality dimensions as important.

Magnet status as a competitive strategy of hospital organizations: marketing a culture of excellence in nursing services.

PubMed

Tropello, Paula Grace Dunn

2003-01-01

With issues of patient safety, the nursing shortage, and managed care fiscal constraints, hospital organizations can strategically capture market share, while insuring best care practices, if they adopt the "Magnet Status" accreditation model. This quality indicator signifies to the consumer a culture of excellence in nursing services and fulfills the priority of customer satisfaction as a marketing strategy objective.

Commissary Services: AFSC 612XX and Civilian Equivalent

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-01

Customer Service, Wee-Serve Operations, Storeworker, Com- missary Operation Management , and System Verification. Because of this wide dispersion across the...PERSONNEL 86% 0 0 0 STOREWORKER 0 7% 5% 0 QUALITY ASSURANCE EVALUATORS 0 * * 0 TRAINING MANAGEMENT 0 * 2% COMMISSARY OPERATION MANAGEMENT 0 7% 46% 68% WEE...skill level members work in the Commissary Operation Management job, while smaller percentages work in the Senior Management job. Continued involvement of

An Analysis Of Personalized Learning Systems For Navy Training And Education Settings

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

of dedicated “schoolhouse” training and education among the services account for approximately $8.7 billion per year (Department of Defense [DOD...calls it customized learning) opportunities for the Air Force with the sole intent of reducing time-to- train , and thereby significantly reducing...technology to develop and distribute personalized, cost-effective, always available, high quality training and education to service members and DOD

Customer concerns regarding satellite servicing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rysavy, Gordon

1987-01-01

The organization of orbital servicing of satellites is discussed. Provision of servicing equipment; design interfaces between the satellite and the servicing equipment; and the economic viability of the concept are discussed. The proposed solution for satisfying customer concerns is for the servicing organizations to baseline an adequate inventory of servicing equipment with standard interfaces and established servicing costs. With this knowledge, the customer can conduct tradeoff studies and make programmatic decisions regarding servicing options. A dialog procedure between customers and servicing specialists is outlined.

Lean consumption.

PubMed

Womack, James P; Jones, Daniel T

2005-03-01

During the past 20 years, the real price of most consumer goods has fallen worldwide, the variety of goods and the range of sales channels offering them have continued to grow, and product quality has steadily improved. So why is consumption often so frustrating? It doesn't have to be--and shouldn't be--the authors say. They argue that it's time to apply lean thinking to the processes of consumption--to give consumers the full value they want from goods and services with the greatest efficiency and the least pain. Companies may think they save time and money by off-loading work to the consumer but, in fact, the opposite is true. By streamlining their systems for providing goods and services, and by making it easier for customers to buy and use those products and services, a growing number of companies are actually lowering costs while saving everyone time. In the process, these businesses are learning more about their customers, strengthening consumer loyalty, and attracting new customers who are defecting from less user-friendly competitors. The challenge lies with the retailers, service providers, manufacturers, and suppliers that are not used to looking at total cost from the standpoint of the consumer and even less accustomed to working with customers to optimize the consumption process. Lean consumption requires a fundamental shift in the way companies think about the relationship between provision and consumption, and the role their customers play in these processes. It also requires consumers to change the nature of their relationships with the companies they patronize. Lean production has clearly triumphed over similar obstacles in recent years to become the dominant global manufacturing model. Lean consumption, its logical companion, can't be far behind.

47 CFR 36.378 - Category 2-Customer services (revenue accounting).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Category 2-Customer services (revenue... Operating Expenses and Taxes Customer Operations Expenses § 36.378 Category 2—Customer services (revenue... expenses in Account 6620 directly assignable or allocable to the billing of customers and the accounting...

A three-model comparison of the relationship between quality, satisfaction and loyalty: an empirical study of the Chinese healthcare system.

PubMed

Lei, Ping; Jolibert, Alain

2012-11-30

Previous research has addressed the relationship between customer satisfaction, perceived quality and customer loyalty intentions in consumer markets. In this study, we test and compare three theoretical models of the quality-satisfaction-loyalty relationship in the Chinese healthcare system. This research focuses on hospital patients as participants in the process of healthcare procurement. Empirical data were obtained from six Chinese public hospitals in Shanghai. A total of 630 questionnaires were collected in two studies. Study 1 tested the research instruments, and Study 2 tested the three models. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the scales' construct validity by testing convergent and discriminant validity. A structural equation model (SEM) specified the distinctions between each construct. A comparison of the three theoretical models was conducted via AMOS analysis. The results of the SEM demonstrate that quality and satisfaction are distinct concepts and that the first model (satisfaction mediates quality and loyalty) is the most appropriate one in the context of the Chinese healthcare environment. In this study, we test and compare three theoretical models of the quality-satisfaction-loyalty relationship in the Chinese healthcare system. Findings show that perceived quality improvement does not lead directly to customer loyalty. The strategy of using quality improvement to maintain patient loyalty depends on the level of patient satisfaction. This implies that the measurement of patient experiences should include topics of importance for patients' satisfaction with health care services.

Nature and determinants of customer expectations of service recovery in health care.

PubMed

Dasu, S; Rao, J

1999-01-01

Service recovery refers to the service provider's response to a dissatisfied customer. This article proposes a model of customer expectations of service recovery in health care services. The model discusses two types of service recovery expectations: will and should. An exploratory study indicates that industry reputation and personal experiences drive customers' "will-expectations" of service recovery while "should-expectations" can be explained via norm, fairness, social contract and hospitality theories.

76 FR 34233 - Privacy Act of 1974; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-13

... 1974; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and... Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the... the Department of Homeland Security United States Citizenship and Immigration Services--001 Alien File...

Quality Management Builds Solid eTraining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Echard, Rachel D.; Berge, Zane L.

2008-01-01

History has shown effective training techniques can produce significant business results especially in customer service, product development, and capability in obtaining new skill sets. This linkage of training to business strategy has given many businesses the needed competitive edge in today's global market. In today's technology age,…

Apparel Merchandising Students Learn Customer Service Strategies while Conducting Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulins, V, Ann

2000-01-01

Apparel merchandising students participated in a cooperative research project in which they observed customer service techniques by posing as customers in retail stores. The project taught research processes, collaboration, and principles of customer service. (SK)

Service workers' chain reactions to daily customer mistreatment: Behavioral linkages, mechanisms, and boundary conditions.

PubMed

Chi, Nai-Wen; Yang, Jixia; Lin, Chia-Ying

2018-01-01

Drawing on the stressor-emotion model, we examine how customer mistreatment can evoke service workers' passive forms of deviant behaviors (i.e., work withdrawal behavior [WWB]) and negative impacts on their home life (i.e., work-family conflict [WFC]), and whether individuals' core self-evaluations and customer service training can buffer the negative effects of customer mistreatment. Using the experience sampling method, we collect daily data from 77 customer service employees for 10 consecutive working days, yielding 546 valid daily responses. The results show that daily customer mistreatment increases service workers' daily WWB and WFC through negative emotions. Furthermore, employees with high core self-evaluations and employees who received customer service training are less likely to experience negative emotions when faced with customer mistreatment, and thus are less likely to engage in WWB or provoke WFC. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluation of health care service quality in Poland with the use of SERVQUAL method at the specialist ambulatory health care center

PubMed Central

Manulik, Stanisław; Rosińczuk, Joanna; Karniej, Piotr

2016-01-01

Introduction Service quality and customer satisfaction are very important components of competitive advantage in the health care sector. The SERVQUAL method is widely used for assessing the quality expected by patients and the quality of actually provided services. Objectives The main purpose of this study was to determine if patients from state and private health care facilities differed in terms of their qualitative priorities and assessments of received services. Materials and methods The study included a total of 412 patients: 211 treated at a state facility and 201 treated at a private facility. Each of the respondents completed a 5-domain, 22-item SERVQUAL questionnaire. The actual quality of health care services in both types of facilities proved significantly lower than expected. Results All the patients gave the highest scores to the domains constituting the core aspects of health care services. The private facility respondents had the highest expectations with regard to equipment, and the state facility ones regarding contacts with the medical personnel. Conclusion Health care quality management should be oriented toward comprehensive optimization in all domains, rather than only within the domain identified as the qualitative priority for patients of a given facility. PMID:27536075

A call center primer.

PubMed

Durr, W

1998-01-01

Call centers are strategically and tactically important to many industries, including the healthcare industry. Call centers play a key role in acquiring and retaining customers. The ability to deliver high-quality and timely customer service without much expense is the basis for the proliferation and expansion of call centers. Call centers are unique blends of people and technology, where performance indicates combining appropriate technology tools with sound management practices built on key operational data. While the technology is fascinating, the people working in call centers and the skill of the management team ultimately make a difference to their companies.

Multi-trip vehicle routing and scheduling problem with time window in real life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sze, San-Nah; Chiew, Kang-Leng; Sze, Jeeu-Fong

2012-09-01

This paper studies a manpower scheduling problem with multiple maintenance operations and vehicle routing considerations. Service teams located at a common service centre are required to travel to different customer sites. All customers must be served within given time window, which are known in advance. The scheduling process must take into consideration complex constraints such as a meal break during the team's shift, multiple travelling trips, synchronisation of service teams and working shifts. The main objective of this study is to develop a heuristic that can generate high quality solution in short time for large problem instances. A Two-stage Scheduling Heuristic is developed for different variants of the problem. Empirical results show that the proposed solution performs effectively and efficiently. In addition, our proposed approximation algorithm is very flexible and can be easily adapted to different scheduling environments and operational requirements.

Business Architecture Development at Public Administration - Insights from Government EA Method Engineering Project in Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valtonen, Katariina; Leppänen, Mauri

Governments worldwide are concerned for efficient production of services to customers. To improve quality of services and to make service production more efficient, information and communication technology (ICT) is largely exploited in public administration (PA). Succeeding in this exploitation calls for large-scale planning which embraces issues from strategic to technological level. In this planning the notion of enterprise architecture (EA) is commonly applied. One of the sub-architectures of EA is business architecture (BA). BA planning is challenging in PA due to a large number of stakeholders, a wide set of customers, and solid and hierarchical structures of organizations. To support EA planning in Finland, a project to engineer a government EA (GEA) method was launched. In this chapter, we analyze the discussions and outputs of the project workshops and reflect emerged issues on current e-government literature. We bring forth insights into and suggestions for government BA and its development.

A model for consolidation of clinical microbiology laboratory services within a multihospital health-care system.

PubMed

Carter, Elliot; Stubbs, James R; Bennett, Betsy

2004-01-01

To determine the cost-effectiveness of consolidating clinical microbiology services in a three-hospital health-care network while maintaining high-quality laboratory services, a retrospective review of the total costs of maintaining separate clinical microbiology laboratories within our health-care system was compared to the cost of providing these services after consolidation. Turnaround times before and after consolidation were compared to assess efficiency of the consolidated services. Input of clinicians was also solicited to ensure that quality of services and customer satisfaction remained high. The results of the consolidation project show that the net fiscal saving because of consolidation of clinical microbiology services within our health-care system will be approximately 100,000 dollars per fiscal year. This value includes increased courier charges as well as personnel savings. Although fiscal savings are an integral part of any laboratory consolidation plan, the financial considerations must be balanced by quality of service. The response to consolidation from clinicians was decidedly mixed before implementation of the plan because of fear of increased turnaround times and limited access to laboratory information. The consolidation process, however, was smooth with few physician complaints. The consolidation of our clinical microbiology services illustrates that significant financial savings can be achieved without compromise of efficiency or quality of service.

19 CFR 103.11 - Specific Customs Service records subject to disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Department of the Treasury or of the United States Customs Service in matters administered by the United... contained therein is exempt from disclosure under § 103.12; (ii) Advisory committees on Customs matters... 19 Customs Duties 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Specific Customs Service records subject to...

19 CFR 103.11 - Specific Customs Service records subject to disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Department of the Treasury or of the United States Customs Service in matters administered by the United... contained therein is exempt from disclosure under § 103.12; (ii) Advisory committees on Customs matters... 19 Customs Duties 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Specific Customs Service records subject to...

19 CFR 103.11 - Specific Customs Service records subject to disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Department of the Treasury or of the United States Customs Service in matters administered by the United... contained therein is exempt from disclosure under § 103.12; (ii) Advisory committees on Customs matters... 19 Customs Duties 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Specific Customs Service records subject to...

19 CFR 103.11 - Specific Customs Service records subject to disclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Department of the Treasury or of the United States Customs Service in matters administered by the United... contained therein is exempt from disclosure under § 103.12; (ii) Advisory committees on Customs matters... 19 Customs Duties 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Specific Customs Service records subject to...

7 CFR 1212.32 - United States Customs Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false United States Customs Service. 1212.32 Section 1212... § 1212.32 United States Customs Service. “United States Customs Service” or “Customs” means the United States Customs and Border Protection, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security. Honey Packers and...

7 CFR 1212.32 - United States Customs Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false United States Customs Service. 1212.32 Section 1212... § 1212.32 United States Customs Service. “United States Customs Service” or “Customs” means the United States Customs and Border Protection, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security. Honey Packers and...

7 CFR 1212.32 - United States Customs Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false United States Customs Service. 1212.32 Section 1212... § 1212.32 United States Customs Service. “United States Customs Service” or “Customs” means the United States Customs and Border Protection, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security. Honey Packers and...

47 CFR 76.309 - Customer service obligations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Customer service obligations. 76.309 Section 76.309 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE General Operating Requirements § 76.309 Customer service...

47 CFR 76.309 - Customer service obligations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Customer service obligations. 76.309 Section 76.309 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE General Operating Requirements § 76.309 Customer service...

47 CFR 76.309 - Customer service obligations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Customer service obligations. 76.309 Section 76.309 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE General Operating Requirements § 76.309 Customer service...

Improving consistency and quality of service delivery: implications for the addiction treatment field.

PubMed

Knott, Anne Marie; Corredoira, Rafael; Kimberly, John

2008-09-01

Addiction treatment providers face serious problems in delivering consistent, high-quality services over time. Among those providers with multiple treatment sites, there is also intersite variability. This is a serious problem in the addiction field, likely to be made worse as new technologies are introduced and/or as there is industry consolidation (Corredoira, R., Kimberly, J. (2006) Industry evolution through consolidation: Implications for addiction treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 31, 255-265.). Although serious, these problems in managing and monitoring to assure consistent service quality have been faced by many other industries. Here, we review evidence from research in other industries regarding three different forms of management (vertical integration, franchising, and licensing) across a chain of individual service providers. We show how each management form affects the level, consistency, and improvement of service delivery over time. In addition, we discuss how such performance advantages affect customer demand as well as regulatory endorsement of the consolidated firm and its approach.

5 CFR 3101.110 - Additional rules for United States Customs Service employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Customs Service employees. 3101.110 Section 3101.110 Administrative Personnel DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY... rules for United States Customs Service employees. The following rules apply to the employees of the United States Customs Service and are in addition to §§ 3101.101 through 3101.104: (a) Prohibition on...

5 CFR 3101.110 - Additional rules for United States Customs Service employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Customs Service employees. 3101.110 Section 3101.110 Administrative Personnel DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY... rules for United States Customs Service employees. The following rules apply to the employees of the United States Customs Service and are in addition to §§ 3101.101 through 3101.104: (a) Prohibition on...

5 CFR 3101.110 - Additional rules for United States Customs Service employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Customs Service employees. 3101.110 Section 3101.110 Administrative Personnel DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY... rules for United States Customs Service employees. The following rules apply to the employees of the United States Customs Service and are in addition to §§ 3101.101 through 3101.104: (a) Prohibition on...

5 CFR 3101.110 - Additional rules for United States Customs Service employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Customs Service employees. 3101.110 Section 3101.110 Administrative Personnel DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY... rules for United States Customs Service employees. The following rules apply to the employees of the United States Customs Service and are in addition to §§ 3101.101 through 3101.104: (a) Prohibition on...

5 CFR 3101.110 - Additional rules for United States Customs Service employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Customs Service employees. 3101.110 Section 3101.110 Administrative Personnel DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY... rules for United States Customs Service employees. The following rules apply to the employees of the United States Customs Service and are in addition to §§ 3101.101 through 3101.104: (a) Prohibition on...

7 CFR 1755.500 - RUS standard for service installations at customers access locations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false RUS standard for service installations at customers... customers access locations. (a) Sections 1755.501 through 1755.510 cover service installations at permanent or mobile home customer access locations. Sections 1755.501 through 1755.510 do not cover service...

47 CFR 76.1603 - Customer service-rate and service changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Customer service-rate and service changes. 76.1603 Section 76.1603 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1603 Customer service—rate and...

47 CFR 76.1603 - Customer service-rate and service changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Customer service-rate and service changes. 76.1603 Section 76.1603 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1603 Customer service—rate and...

47 CFR 76.1603 - Customer service-rate and service changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Customer service-rate and service changes. 76.1603 Section 76.1603 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1603 Customer service—rate and...

47 CFR 76.1603 - Customer service-rate and service changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Customer service-rate and service changes. 76.1603 Section 76.1603 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1603 Customer service—rate and...

47 CFR 76.1603 - Customer service-rate and service changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Customer service-rate and service changes. 76.1603 Section 76.1603 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1603 Customer service—rate and...

Space Mission Operations Ground Systems Integration Customer Service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Karl

2014-01-01

The facility, which is now the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, has provided continuous space mission and related services for the space industry since 1961, from Mercury Redstone through the International Space Station (ISS). Throughout the long history of the facility and mission support teams, the HOSC has developed a stellar customer support and service process. In this era, of cost cutting, and providing more capability and results with fewer resources, space missions are looking for the most efficient way to accomplish their objectives. One of the first services provided by the facility was fax transmission of documents to, then, Cape Canaveral in Florida. The headline in the Marshall Star, the newspaper for the newly formed Marshall Space Flight Center, read "Exact copies of Documents sent to Cape in 4 minutes." The customer was Dr. Wernher von Braun. Currently at the HOSC we are supporting, or have recently supported, missions ranging from simple ISS payloads requiring little more than "bentpipe" telemetry access, to a low cost free-flyer Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite (FASTSAT), to a full service ISS payload Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 2 (AMS2) supporting 24/7 operations at three operations centers around the world with an investment of over 2 billion dollars. The HOSC has more need and desire than ever to provide fast and efficient customer service to support these missions. Here we will outline how our customer-centric service approach reduces the cost of providing services, makes it faster and easier than ever for new customers to get started with HOSC services, and show what the future holds for our space mission operations customers. We will discuss our philosophy concerning our responsibility and accessibility to a mission customer as well as how we deal with the following issues: initial contact with a customer, reducing customer cost, changing regulations and security, and cultural differences, to ensure an efficient response to customer issues using a small Customer Service Team (CST) and adaptability, constant communication with customers, technical expertise and knowledge of services, and dedication to customer service. The HOSC Customer Support Team has implemented a variety of processes, and procedures that help to mitigate the potential problems that arise when integrating ground system services for a variety of complex missions and the lessons learned from this experience will lead the future of customer service in the space operations industry.

Patient satisfaction with quality of primary health care in Benghazi, Libya.

PubMed

Salam, Asharaf Abdul; Alshekteria, Amina Abdulla; Abd Alhadi, Hana; Ahmed, Mariam; Mohammed, Anees

2010-10-21

The Libyan National Health System (LNHS) is debated for the paradox of its performance versus impact. It has poor performance, but the national health statistics are good and competitive. There are concerted efforts to manage health care services and to regain the lost trust. A primary health care (PHC) system that focuses on preventive and promotive care is the core focus of LNHS efforts. To assess patient satisfaction with quality of PHC assessed in terms of (a) customer profile, (b) patient satisfaction, and (c) health care-seeking behavior. A sample of nine health centers and seven polyclinics from various locations in Benghazi, Libya were selected for gathering information by structured face-to-face interviews. A total of 310 beneficiaries were interviewed by using an Arabic translation of the Charleston Psychiatric Outpatient Satisfaction Scale. The beneficiaries appear to be quite satisfied with the quality of services. Geographical zone, marital status of beneficiary, and type of facility are satisfaction-related factors. There are preferences for facilities located within the City Centre over those located elsewhere. There is also an interaction effect of the geographical zone and the type of facility in creating differences in satisfaction. A customer-friendly facility concept that emphasizes reception, physician interaction, and cordiality shall add value. Polyclinics require more attention as does the Al Slawy area. A few utility services might also be considered.

Health care competition, strategic mission, and patient satisfaction: research model and propositions

PubMed Central

Rivers, Patrick A.; Glover, Saundra H.

2010-01-01

Purpose In all industries, competition among businesses has long been encouraged as a mechanism to increase value for patients. In other words, competition ensures the provision of better products and services to satisfy the needs of customers This paper aims to develop a model that can be used to empirically investigate a number of complex issues and relationships associated with competition in the health care industry. Design/methodology/approach A literature review was conducted. A total of 50 items of literature related to the subject were reviewed.. Various perspectives of competition, the nature of service quality, health system costs, and patient satisfaction in health care are examined Findings A model of the relationship among these variables is developed. The model depicts patient satisfaction as an outcome measure directly dependent on competition. Quality of care and health care systems costs, while also directly dependent on the strategic mission and goals, are considered as determinants of customer satisfaction as well. The model is discussed in the light of propositions for empirical research. Practical implications Empirical studies based on the model proposed in this paper should help identify areas with significant impact on patient satisfaction while maintaining high quality of service at lower costs in a competitive environment. Originality/value The authors develop a research model which included propositions to examine the complex issues of competition in the health care industry. PMID:19579575

Variables contributing to an excellent customer service management profile within the regulated electric utility industry: A comparison of self-concept with customer satisfaction for customer service management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, L.E.

1991-01-01

This research sought to address the relationship between self-concept and customer satisfaction: can customer satisfaction with a major electric utility be explained in terms of the self-reported, self-concept of the utility's managers The population to which the results of this study were generalized consisted of customer service managers in public electric utilities across the United States. In order to represent this population, a sample was selected consisting of customer service managers at a midwestern electric utility based in a large metropolitan area. Participants in this study were managers of four direct customer contact service organizations within six geographic division organizations.more » The methodology included comparisons of these four customer contact service organizations on twelve independent, self-concept variables and six customer satisfaction dependent variables using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Scheffe' tests, Chi-Square, and Stepwise multiple regression. The groups were found not to be significantly different and knowledge of the self-concept scores for managers will not increase the ability to predict customer satisfaction over no knowledge of self-concept scores.« less

Empirical research on Kano’s model and customer satisfaction

PubMed Central

Lin, Feng-Han; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Lee, Yu-Cheng; Hsiao, Cheng-Fu; Zhou, Jie; Wang, Jiangtao; Shang, Zhiwen

2017-01-01

Products are now developed based on what customers desire, and thus attractive quality creation has become crucial. In studies on customer satisfaction, methods for analyzing quality attributes and enhancing customer satisfaction have been proposed to facilitate product development. Although substantial studies have performed to assess the impact of the attributes on customer satisfaction, little research has been conducted that quantitatively calculate the odds of customer satisfaction for the Kano classification, fitting a nonlinear relationship between attribute-level performance and customer satisfaction. In the present study, the odds of customer satisfaction were determined to identify the classification of quality attributes, and took customer psychology into account to suggest how decision-makers should prioritize the allocation of resources. A novel method for quantitatively assessing quality attributes was proposed to determine classification criteria and fit the nonlinear relationship between quality attributes and customer satisfaction. Subsequently, a case study was conducted on bicycle user satisfaction to verify the novel method. The concept of customer satisfaction odds was integrated with the value function from prospect theory to understand quality attributes. The results of this study can serve as a reference for product designers to create attractive quality attributes in their products and thus enhance customer satisfaction. PMID:28873418

Empirical research on Kano's model and customer satisfaction.

PubMed

Lin, Feng-Han; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Lee, Yu-Cheng; Hsiao, Cheng-Fu; Zhou, Jie; Wang, Jiangtao; Shang, Zhiwen

2017-01-01

Products are now developed based on what customers desire, and thus attractive quality creation has become crucial. In studies on customer satisfaction, methods for analyzing quality attributes and enhancing customer satisfaction have been proposed to facilitate product development. Although substantial studies have performed to assess the impact of the attributes on customer satisfaction, little research has been conducted that quantitatively calculate the odds of customer satisfaction for the Kano classification, fitting a nonlinear relationship between attribute-level performance and customer satisfaction. In the present study, the odds of customer satisfaction were determined to identify the classification of quality attributes, and took customer psychology into account to suggest how decision-makers should prioritize the allocation of resources. A novel method for quantitatively assessing quality attributes was proposed to determine classification criteria and fit the nonlinear relationship between quality attributes and customer satisfaction. Subsequently, a case study was conducted on bicycle user satisfaction to verify the novel method. The concept of customer satisfaction odds was integrated with the value function from prospect theory to understand quality attributes. The results of this study can serve as a reference for product designers to create attractive quality attributes in their products and thus enhance customer satisfaction.

QFD-ANP Approach for the Conceptual Design of Research Vessels: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkata Subbaiah, Kambagowni; Yeshwanth Sai, Koneru; Suresh, Challa

2016-10-01

Conceptual design is a subset of concept art wherein a new idea of product is created instead of a visual representation which would directly be used in a final product. The purpose is to understand the needs of conceptual design which are being used in engineering designs and to clarify the current conceptual design practice. Quality function deployment (QFD) is a customer oriented design approach for developing new or improved products and services to enhance customer satisfaction. House of quality (HOQ) has been traditionally used as planning tool of QFD which translates customer requirements (CRs) into design requirements (DRs). Factor analysis is carried out in order to reduce the CR portions of HOQ. The analytical hierarchical process is employed to obtain the priority ratings of CR's which are used in constructing HOQ. This paper mainly discusses about the conceptual design of an oceanographic research vessel using analytical network process (ANP) technique. Finally the QFD-ANP integrated methodology helps to establish the importance ratings of DRs.

75 FR 5036 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-01

... identify areas where service levels differ from customer expectations. Affected Public: Individuals or...). Title: Customer Input--Patent and Trademark Customer Surveys. Form Number(s): None. Agency Approval... their opinions, suggestions, and comments about the USPTO's services, products, and customer service...

The feasibility and acceptability of screening for hypertension in private drug retail outlets: a pilot study in Mwanza region, Tanzania.

PubMed

Michael, Denna; Kezakubi, Dotto; Juma, Adinan; Todd, Jim; Reyburn, Hugh; Renju, Jenny

2016-09-01

Hypertension is a major contributor to ill health in sub-Saharan Africa. Developing countries need to increase access for screening. This study assesses the feasibility and acceptability of using private sector drug retail outlets to screen for hypertension in Mwanza region, Tanzania. A pilot study took place in eight drug retail outlets from August 2013 to February 2014. Customers ≥18 years were invited for screening. Socio-demographic characteristics, hypertension knowledge, hypertension screening and treatment history were collected. Subjects with systolic blood pressure over 140 mmHg were referred for follow up. Referral slips captured attendance. Mystery client visits and follow up phone calls were conducted to assess service quality. A total of 971 customers were screened, one person refused; 109 (11.2%) had blood pressure over 140/90 mmHg and were referred for ongoing assessment; 85/109 (78.0%) were newly diagnosed. Customers reported that the service was acceptable. Service providers were able to follow the protocol. Only 18/85 (21%) newly diagnosed participants visited the referral clinic within two weeks. Blood pressure screening was feasible and acceptable to customers of private drug retail outlets. However many who were referred failed to attend at a referral centre and further research is needed in this area. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

47 CFR 76.972 - Customer service standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Customer service standards. 76.972 Section 76.972 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Cable Rate Regulation § 76.972 Customer service standards. (a...

75 FR 4594 - Proposed Data Collection(s) Available for Public Comment and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-28

... surveys designed to determine the kinds and quality of services our beneficiaries, claimants, employers... of Information Collection Voluntary Customer Surveys in Accordance with E.O. 12862; OMB 3220-0192 In... surveys are limited to data collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions, and do not collect...

Using Knowledge Management to Revise Software-Testing Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nogeste, Kersti; Walker, Derek H. T.

2006-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to use a knowledge management (KM) approach to effectively revise a utility retailer's software testing process. This paper presents a case study of how the utility organisation's customer services IT production support group improved their test planning skills through applying the American Productivity and Quality Center…

The Economics of Pricing and Customer Decision-Making. Research Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Debra J.

1996-01-01

Reviews two research articles. Gratton and Taylor, using economic analysis and market research, found that consumers of leisure experiences complained about price increases, but continued consuming. They recommend discounts for those in need and price increases focusing on service quality. Greenleaf and Lehmann identified 11 reasons why people…

Healthcare Leaders' Intention to Serve as Organizational Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aggarwal, Sushma Kumari

2014-01-01

Today's organizational leaders are expected to actively participate and facilitate learning. A highly engaged and knowledgeable workforce, inspired by leaders, may increase the quality of service, and aid in maintaining and attracting loyal employees and customers. These leaders are now being asked to serve as organizational teachers. However,…

Verizon Connects to Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstein, Margery

2011-01-01

A household name synonymous with modern telecommunications, Verizon's performance management innovations in 2010 kept pace with the growth of its brand. Many people probably are customers of the company's services. What's less known to the public is the consistent quality of Verizon's learning and development programs. A regular on the "Training"…

Improving Order Lead Time: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villarreal, Bernardo; Salido, Lucy

2009-01-01

A fundamental challenge of globally competing companies is to increase their level of customer satisfaction, by devising and implementing strategies aimed at providing better price, quality, and service. This paper describes the efforts of a Mexican company to achieve this goal, and in particular, with the need to decrease order lead time…

The Effects of Competition on Educational Outcomes. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belfield, Clive R.

Competition exists when vendors of a service are available to meet the demands of customers. In the education sector, parents and children are consumers, and schools and districts are the suppliers. Theoretically, more competition should translate into higher quality schooling and enhanced educational outcomes. This digest reviews the literature…

75 FR 12329 - Proposed Information Collections; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-15

... Burden Hours: One (1). Title: Marks on Equipment and Structures, and Marks and Labels on Containers of... containers of beer are necessary to inform consumers of container contents and to identify the brewer and... these questionnaires to keep track of its customer service quality and progress, as well as to identify...

Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of the Computerized Customer Information System (CCIS) at the Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-06-01

This document is a product of an ongoing program to assess the impacts of automated transit information system (ATIS) technology on the transit industry's efforts to improve the productivity and quality of telephone information/marketing services to ...

Predictive Systems for Customer Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayaraghavan, Ravi; Albert, Sam; Singh, Vinod Kumar; Kannan, Pallipuram V.

With the coming of age of web as a mainstream customer service channel, B2C companies have invested substantial resources in enhancing their web presence. Today customers can interact with a company, not only through the traditional phone channel but also through chat, email, SMS or web self-service. Each of these channels is best suited for some services and ill-matched for others. Customer service organizations today struggle with the challenge of delivering seamlessly integrated services through these different channels. This paper will evaluate some of the key challenges in multi-channel customer service. It will address the challenge of creating the right channel mix i.e. providing the right choice of channels for a given customer/behavior/issue profile. It will also provide strategies for optimizing the performance of a given channel in creating the right customer experience.

Markovian queue optimisation analysis with an unreliable server subject to working breakdowns and impatient customers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou, Cheng-Dar

2015-09-01

This study investigates an infinite capacity Markovian queue with a single unreliable service station, in which the customers may balk (do not enter) and renege (leave the queue after entering). The unreliable service station can be working breakdowns even if no customers are in the system. The matrix-analytic method is used to compute the steady-state probabilities for the number of customers, rate matrix and stability condition in the system. The single-objective model for cost and bi-objective model for cost and expected waiting time are derived in the system to fit in with practical applications. The particle swarm optimisation algorithm is implemented to find the optimal combinations of parameters in the pursuit of minimum cost. Two different approaches are used to identify the Pareto optimal set and compared: the epsilon-constraint method and non-dominate sorting genetic algorithm. Compared results allow using the traditional optimisation approach epsilon-constraint method, which is computationally faster and permits a direct sensitivity analysis of the solution under constraint or parameter perturbation. The Pareto front and non-dominated solutions set are obtained and illustrated. The decision makers can use these to improve their decision-making quality.

Guaranteeing patient satisfaction.

PubMed

Levin, R P

1994-04-01

Dental practice is about people and service. As the competition for patients increases, the successful practices will be the ones that focus increasingly on communication, relationship building and customer service. Quality care will be demonstrated through focusing on the total clinical and psychological aspects of patient satisfaction--and not just on technical parameters. Any practice can convert to a high level patient relations office if the commitment is truly there. These will be the leading practices of tomorrow.

Investigating Customers' Experiences with Their Financial Services Customer Education Programs as It Impacts Customer Loyalty to the Financial Firm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Islam, Kaliym A.

2017-01-01

The problem addressed in this study was that customer education programs are intended to strengthen customer loyalty; however, research on the effects of customer education on customer loyalty remains insufficient. This phenomenological study investigated how the lived experiences of customers' participating in financial services' customer…

Pricing the Services in Dynamic Environment: Agent Pricing Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Žagar, Drago; Rupčić, Slavko; Rimac-Drlje, Snježana

New Internet applications and services as well as new user demands open many new issues concerning dynamic management of quality of service and price for received service, respectively. The main goals of Internet service providers are to maximize profit and maintain a negotiated quality of service. From the users' perspective the main goal is to maximize ratio of received QoS and costs of service. However, achieving these objectives could become very complex if we know that Internet service users might during the session become highly dynamic and proactive. This connotes changes in user profile or network provider/s profile caused by high level of user mobility or variable level of user demands. This paper proposes a new agent based pricing architecture for serving the highly dynamic customers in context of dynamic user/network environment. The proposed architecture comprises main aspects and basic parameters that will enable objective and transparent assessment of the costs for the service those Internet users receive while dynamically change QoS demands and cost profile.

The service-driven service company.

PubMed

Schlesinger, L A; Heskett, J L

1991-01-01

For more than 40 years, service companies like McDonald's prospered with organizations designed according to the principles of traditional mass-production manufacturing. Today that model is obsolete. It inevitably degrades the quality of service a company can provide by setting in motion a cycle of failure that produces dissatisfied customers, unhappy employees, high turnover among both--and so lower profits and lower productivity overall. The cycle starts with human resource policies that minimize the contributions frontline workers can make: jobs are designed to be idiot-proof. Technology is used largely for monitoring and control. Pay is poor. Training is minimal. Performance expectations are abysmally low. Today companies like Taco Bell, Dayton Hudson, and ServiceMaster are reversing the cycle of failure by putting workers with customer contact first and designing the business system around them. As a result, they are developing a model that replaces the logic of industrialization with a new service-driven logic. This logic: Values investments in people as much as investments in technology--and sometimes more. Uses technology to support the efforts of workers on the front lines, not just to monitor or replace them. Makes recruitment and training crucial for everyone. Links compensation to performance for employees at every level. To justify these investments, the new logic draws on innovative data such as the incremental profits of loyal customers and the total costs of lost employees. Its benefits are becoming clear in higher profits and higher pay--results that competitors bound to the old industrial model will not be able to match.

Buffering the negative effects of employee surface acting: the moderating role of employee-customer relationship strength and personalized services.

PubMed

Wang, Karyn L; Groth, Markus

2014-03-01

The impact of emotional labor on customer outcomes is gaining considerable attention in the literature, with research suggesting that the authenticity of emotional displays may positively impact customer outcomes. However, research investigating the impact of more inauthentic emotions on service delivery outcomes is mixed (see Chi, Grandey, Diamond, & Krimmel, 2011). This study explores 2 potential reasons for why the service outcomes of inauthentic emotions are largely inconsistent: the impact of distinct surface acting strategies and the role of service delivery context. Drawing on social-functional theories of emotions, we surveyed 243 dyads of employees and customers from a wide variety of services to examine the links between employee surface acting and customer service satisfaction, and whether this relationship is moderated by relationship strength and service personalization. Our findings suggest that faking positive emotions has no bearing on service satisfaction, but suppressing negative emotions interacts with contextual factors to predict customers' service satisfaction, in line with social-functional theories of emotions. Specifically, customers who know the employee well are less sensitive to the negative effects of suppressed negative emotions, and customers in highly personalized service encounters are more sensitive to the negative effects of suppressed negative emotions. We conclude with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications.

An Investigation into Customer Service Policies and Practices within the Scottish College Library Sector: A Comparison between the Customer Service Exemplars from the Retail Sector with Current Scottish College Library Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paterson, Neil

2011-01-01

The aim of this research project was to investigate the customer care methods within the Scottish college library sector. The researcher sought to compare examples of the customer care and service policies and practices from the sector with exemplars of good customer service from the retail sector. A qualitative, grounded theory approach was…

The consumer: silent or intimate player in the quality revolution.

PubMed

Meisenheimer, C

1991-04-01

Nurses are an agency's frontline representative; their centrality to the development of realistic and positive perceptions of care received must be acknowledged by the agency's management staff. Nurses must be recognized, not just as employees, but as entrepreneurs selling a product; the product of nursing care is a satisfied client with positive outcomes. The satisfied client is a major "marketer" for the health care facility and nursing services. It has been reported that satisfied customers will relate their satisfaction to four or five other people; dissatisfied customers will elaborate their dissatisfaction to 9 or 10 other people. As public policy on health care resource allocation is drafted, clients and third-party payors must collaborate with providers. Because public consumption will provide the principal advantage in the competitive health care industry, decisions regarding quality, cost, and access must be based on a national database of information (in universally understandable language), including an analysis of nursing and medical interventions, health outcomes, and health expenditures. The new paradigm shift toward total quality management recognizes that quality is no longer simply an attribute of a product or service; it also measures a relationship. A balanced relationship, reflecting trust between nurses, employers, underwriters, physicians, and the client, allows every player to define quality dimensions, make judgments, and contribute to the quality of care delivered and received. The consumer must be an intimate player in this scenario, or the health care system will continue to falter.

39 CFR 501.18 - Customer information and authorization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Postal Service operates. (5) The customer is in possession of a Decertified Postage Evidencing System. (d... AND DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE EVIDENCING SYSTEMS § 501.18 Customer information and authorization. (a... Service to authorize a customer to use a Postage Evidencing System. Postal Service receipt and acceptance...

39 CFR 501.18 - Customer information and authorization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Postal Service operates. (5) The customer is in possession of a Decertified Postage Evidencing System. (d... AND DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE EVIDENCING SYSTEMS § 501.18 Customer information and authorization. (a... Service to authorize a customer to use a Postage Evidencing System. Postal Service receipt and acceptance...

39 CFR 501.18 - Customer information and authorization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Postal Service operates. (5) The customer is in possession of a Decertified Postage Evidencing System. (d... AND DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE EVIDENCING SYSTEMS § 501.18 Customer information and authorization. (a... Service to authorize a customer to use a Postage Evidencing System. Postal Service receipt and acceptance...

75 FR 45600 - Information Collection; Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-03

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection; Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management System (SCIMS) Record Changes AGENCY: Farm Service... Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management System (SCIMS) that contains the...

[Nursing care in practice: problems, perspectives, and need for systematization].

PubMed

de Andrade, Joseilze Santos; Vieira, Maria Jésia

2005-01-01

Descriptive and qualitative study carried out to subsidize the implementation process of Nursing systematization in a University Hospital. It was used questionnaires approaching activities, perception on Nursing and customer, knowledge and application of the Nursing process and problems which are consequence of non systemized assistance. Results identified that the nurses activities are based on the technique and on the service administration; that nursing was related to the help of the human beings' basic needs and holism, being the customer defined as the one that needs care; that the majority of nurses knew, in theory, the Nursing process, but did not apply it in practice. The most mentioned problems which were consequence of the non systemized assistance were the following: the quality assistance detriment, the service disorganization and the conflict of roles.

Overcoming barriers to effectiveness in a health care operational environment: building on the lessons of American industry.

PubMed

Zimmerer, L W; Zimmerer, T W; Yasin, M M

1999-01-01

Several of the manufacturing-based philosophies, techniques and tools, such as Total Quality Management (TQM), Continuous Improvement (CI), Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and Time-based Competition (TBC) have been successfully adapted for use within the service sector. Diverse service industries including airlines, insurance, food services and hospitality have increased customer satisfaction and performance through the use of the quality driven, manufacturing-based philosophies. This article explores the reasons for the limited success of TQM/CI, BPR, TBC and benchmarking within the health care industry. Sixteen barriers to change are identified, possible counter-measures to these barriers are outlined and two conceptual frameworks are offered as possible facilitators of change for the health care industry.

Customer and service profitability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ballaban, M.; Kelly, K.; Wisniewski, L.

1996-03-01

The rapid pace of competitive change in the generation sector has pushed electric utilities to rethink the concept of being obligated to serve all customers and with this change, the notion of measuring customer profitability is also being redefined. Traditionally, uniform services were provided to all customers. Rates were based on each customer classes` contribution to average costs, and consequently return was equally allocated across all customer segments. Profitability was defined strictly on an aggregate basis. The increasing demand for choice by electric customers will require electricity providers to redefine if not who they serve, than certainly how they providemore » differentiated services tailored to specific customer segments. Utilities are beginning to analyze the value, or profitability, of offering these services. Aggregate data no longer provides an accurate assessment of how resources should be allocated most efficiently. As services are unbundled, so too must costs be disaggregated to effectively measure the profitability of various options.« less

The Customer Comes First: Implementing a Customer Service Program at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayer, Jerrie; Llewellyn, Steven

2011-01-01

Library customers have more remote information choices than ever before, so we must ensure that when they do come to the library, they experience a welcoming environment, a high standard of service, and receive equitable levels of service across campus. Developing a customer service program was a logical next step to reinforce the ongoing…

Queueing system analysis of multi server model at XYZ insurance company in Tasikmalaya city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhajir, Ahmad; Binatari, Nikenasih

2017-08-01

Queueing theory or waiting line theory is a theory that deals with the queue process from the customer comes, queue to be served, served and left on service facilities. Queue occurs because of a mismatch between the numbers of customers that will be served with the available number of services, as an example at XYZ insurance company in Tasikmalaya. This research aims to determine the characteristics of the queue system which then to optimize the number of server in term of total cost. The result shows that the queue model can be represented by (M/M/4):(GD/∞/∞), where the arrivals are Poisson distributed while the service time is following exponential distribution. The probability of idle customer service is 2,39% of the working time, the average number of customer in the queue is 3 customers, the average number of customer in a system is 6 customers, the average time of a customer spent in the queue is 15,9979 minutes, the average time a customer spends in the system is 34,4141 minutes, and the average number of busy customer servicer is 3 server. The optimized number of customer service is 5 servers, and the operational cost has minimum cost at Rp 4.323.