Quality function deployment (QFD) is a methodology
for capturing and translating the voice of the customer
(VOC) into engineering characteristics of products or
services. In addition, the process prioritizes and deploys
these customer-driven characteristics throughout the
product or service development to meet the VOC (that
is, customer needs, wants, and expectations). QFD
determines effective development targets for the prioritized
product and service characteristics. The QFD
process has been used and documented extensively in
product development. The service industry, however,
lacks in the application of this process. The purpose of
this paper is to show practitioners and researchers how
this process, in its entirety, can be used as a planning
process to link customer requirements and service
characteristics in the hospitality industry. A case study
was developed focusing on a specific hotel to illustrate
the application of the QFD process in a five-star hotel.
Key words: four-phase QFD, hospitality industry, quality
function deployment, service, SERVQUAL, total quality
management