Best Western is the worldâs largest hotel brand with over 4,000 affiliated hotels worldwide. Quality assurance is of prime importance in order to build and maintain brand equity. To be able to manage quality one must measure it. The paper describes how a method using wireless internet developed by QuestMan/NUI has been used for guest satisfaction research at ten hotels affiliated with Best Western Hotels in Sweden. The purpose of the study was to try out new technology and new methodology in a full-scale field test thus evaluating it for wider use within the Best Western organisation.
Quality in marketing and opinion research is difficult to define, as it means different things to different people. To some, it means carrying out research studies in accordance with current best practice, using methodologies which are âstate of the artâ. To others, it means running studies according to certain pre-defined technical standards that have been accepted by the (local) market research community.
This paper describes the key elements of Custom Research Inc.'s quality management system and the role technology has played in Custom Research's continuous improvement, a system which has been recognized by its success in United Statesâ national and state quality recognition programs. The paper presents a case history, in specific terms, of what one company has done to achieve significant, measurable quality improvements, which have translated into business and financial success, too. These improvements and the approaches that provided them are real life, proven practices-not just theory. Moreover, the practices outlined are ones any research firm or company research department could adopt for its use.
This paper describes the motivating factors of a large and a small sized research firm in becoming ISO 9000 certified. It provides a short introduction of the basic aim, requirements and misunderstandings about the ISO 9000 standard. Different ways of implementation of such a system are illustrated by the example of Infratest Burke. But what are the benefits of an ISO 9000 certification? Is it really worthwhile to spend a lot of money just to become certified? Meanwhile, the quality systems of both companies have been implemented for some years. The authors illustrate and discuss the experience they have made with their ISO 9000 quality system after certification. The paper gives an insight into different impacts of the quality system on the internal organization and the workflow. These examples show how ISO 9000 assists a continuous improvement and optimization process. They demonstrate that the ISO 9000 standard can be an important vehicle for a quality focused management.
This paper will focus on the research aspects. Programmatic organization development as a method will only be dealt with briefly. Measurement by using the Mystery Shopping principle to its utter limits - for the front office - and retrospective self reporting - for the back office - will be described and some results will be presented. Also pitfalls and aspects where research might be improved will be discussed.
In a competitive environment, quality of service in voice telephony plays an increasingly important role both from a policy point of view and from a strategic point of view. Measuring, comparing and informing on quality of service will, therefore, become a standard activity by telecommunications operators and their regulators. Following a broad overview on the influence of liberalisation on quality of service, the paper reviews some of the main sources of information about quality of service for voice telephony (ITU, OECD, NRAs, telecommunication operators, etc.) and the methodological difficulties associated with an international comparison of quality of service. The paper will conclude with a comparison of currently published quality of service reports by telecommunications operators and provide some suggestions as to how these reports can help with strategic and tactical issues.
This paper describes a computer system having quality of service data available the moment decision makers need it. To manage Quality of Service, France Telecom uses a customized system which provides decision makers with statistical information and performance indicators to evaluate quality performance, diagnose dysfunctions, analyze cause and effect relations, set forecasting goals and plan actions. This automized statistical information system contains monthly Quality of Service data related to different layers of management (regions, business units, exploitation units) during a four year period. The historical data is saved for other specific applications. The Quality of Service information system is put on line for different types of telecommunication users: executives, top managers, middle managers, front-line managers, experts and consultants.
This paper describes the actionability of a range of Customer Satisfaction measurement techniques which have been developed specifically to provide data which can genuinely sustain quality of service improvement programmes.
The objective of this paper is to discuss the challenge of the Total Quality Programmes for the market researcher. The philosophy of quality managing started to develop in Brazil in the late 1980's, following the track of world-wide trends. The implementation of Total Quality Programmes in Brazil, which started as another fashion managing and went through the necessary adjustments, currently represents a philosophy of action, as well as a necessary and possible alternative vis-a-vis the global economy process, the rising of trading groups, the opening of imports and the present stage of development of the country. We will analyse the needs, opportunities and threats the Total Quality Programmes present for the market researcher and the consequent requirements of information and researches. We will also discuss the broadening of quality research programmes to QIS - Quality Information System: a continuous monitoring of all the aspects concerning the quality of the organisation, its products and services. We analyse the different methodologies and techniques as a quality answer of the market researchers to the needs resulting from the implementation of the Total Quality Programmes in Brazil. As a consequence, the strengthening of the role and function of the professional in that new market niche.
This paper deals with "Satisfied Clients", a methodology for the measurement and improvement of client satisfaction. This methodology has been developed by Stork NV, the Netherlands, and has been applied with success at different Stork companies. The quality measurement provides a realistic picture of what clients really think and the results are seen within the operating company as providing more clarity and insight. The experience with the survey, so fare, is that there is tendency within a company to have a far more rose-tinted view of matters than can be justified on the basis of clients' expressed opinions.
This paper examines the ways in which various media have been used to communicate the findings from a customer satisfaction tracking study - Customer Perception and Satisfaction Index (CPSI). CPSI is a continuous postal self-completion survey conducted by Royal Mail, the UK postal administration. The paper falls into five sections. The first part describes in some detail the background to, and mechanics of the survey, and the way in which it fits in to Royal Mail's Total Quality Programme. The second section examines the ways in which the research is used. The paper progresses by demonstrating the reasons why communication is particularly important in surveys of this nature, prior to showing how CPSI findings are communicated to the end user. The final section of the paper summarises the lessons that the authors have learned over the past three years of running CPSI.
The age old complaint of suppliers is that "clients won't pay for quality"; of clients, that "suppliers never define what they mean by quality, so you might just as well buy on price". What can both clients and suppliers do to remedy this Push-Me-Pull-You situation? Obviously strict quality control needs time and hence costs more money, but recent experience as a consultant, has convinced me that quality is still a neglected isssue, particularly as regards client service which, for many clients, is as important as the quality of the work itself. We shall start this paper with some examples of poor client service from suppliers. We then look at some of the ways in which clients make it difficult for suppliers to conduct top quality research and, finally, at ways in which both sides can work together to improve things. Quality and client service depend on good communications and attention to detail. These are needed on both client and supplier side, but surely, the onus is on the providers of the services to do their utmost to ensure customer satisfaction.