Our study about Kuwaiti organizations in this area suggests that there is a recursive relationship between the
environmental setting for service, the design of jobs, the people (who are involved in the operational processes)
and the processes (which involve people). Each diagnostic level is the key to learning more about the other. Each
is the key to the effectiveness of service (re)design.
Practical Approaches to Monitoring Service Quality
The promise of quality management is an improvement in both quality and productivity However many of the
attempts made in the Kuwait service sector to implement TQM procedures have viewed service processes
narrowly through "manufacturing" eyes, often without the active involvement of marketing managers or
disciplined customer service research. This is both surprising and disappointing, as both disciplines share the
identical goal of meeting customer requirements. The special challenge in the Kuwait service sector is that the
production and delivery of service occurs invariably at the same time and place. This gives rise to the "moments
of truth' referred to earlier, when the co-participants in the service relationship come together.
The external starting point for service quality improvement, therefore, is measuring and monitoring customer
requirements and perceived service performance, on an ongoing basis. This clearly is a marketing responsibility.
The challenge for services marketing is that service quality measurement must stay close to the customer, and yet
the customer's requirements are a moving target, with the customer entering and leaving the service interaction
zone(s) at will. The research approach taken in practice will depend on the specific service context being
examined. To set some context for discussion in this paper, a retail regional structure is used to illustrate the
potential for a triangulation of methods.
Now we can find out a multi-method and a monitoring approach to service quality is proposed. The sequence
moves logically from customer service research and a staff attitude survey (or climate monitor) to setting up a
range of "risk point” feedback systems. Last of all comes the selective introduction (and review) of internal
statistical performance standards. The six market monitors of service quality are defined below.
Customer Service Quality Bench Mark
First, a two-step qualitative/quantitative research study, which benchmarks the strength of particular customer
satisfactions and dissatisfactions in specified service contexts, is used for the supplier company and its main
competitors.
Qualitative customer service research provides managers with information on the service quality issues that
require attention. Quantitative research gives managers the customer priority order for action. Further quantitative
testing as to which service issues are critical from the point of view of staff (as well as customers) permits more
powerful diagnosis of overall results (described later in this section).
Paradoxically, no one person or department can uniquely implement the findings from these studies. The
customer service solution always is a mix of changes that cross departmental boundaries. What is required is a
diagnostic review of the critical service issues using interdepartmental teams for review of the major (chronic)
quality problems, thus achieving significant interdepartmental commitment to "breakthrough" improvement. The
diagnostic process can involve a review of both retail service center and "head office" service support issues.
Critical action in head office policy and/or systems areas often is overlooked unless a formal review process is
established.
Staff Climate Monitor
This survey is an empirical measure of branch/district/head office staff opinion about quality of customer service,
and also the quality of work life. These two elements impact on the quality of service experienced by the
customer. A comparative analysis between customer perceptions (see above) and staff perceptions is a powerful
additional step (Parasuraman et al. 2005).
Silent Shopper
The "silent shopper" is a survey measurement system based on the real shopping experience of customers. The
measurement is done by skilled market researchers who are also genuine customers. This ensures that the
shopping experience is as genuine as possible.