Quality Management in Business - Coursework Example

Quality Management in Business Table of Contents Task 4 Overview 4 Definitions Of Quality In Terms Of Business And Services Provision 4 Illustration Of the Role of Quality Control and Quality Assurance in Inspection and Assurance Processes 4 Discussion Of The Range Of Approaches That Can Be Taken To Improve Quality Management 5 Achievement Of The Appropriate Solutions By Applying The Two Approaches 5 Explanation Of the Similarities and Differences between the Different Methods Or Approaches 6 Task 2 7 Overview 7 A Discussion of Customer Satisfaction 7 Explanation Of the Meaning of Continuous Improvement 7 illustration Of the Type of Added Values to Be Gained By Using A Process Of Continuous Improvement 8 Description Of the Types of Information Made Available To Customers and the Importance Given To Effective Marketing 9 Portrayal Of The Evidences of Convergent/Lateral/Creative Thinking Skill Approaches 9 Task 3 10 Overview 10 Explanation Of How Quality Management Can Be Measured 10 Evaluation Of the Benefits of User and Non-User Surveys in Determining Customer Needs 11 Critical Reflection 12 Quality Scheme To Encourage Participation By Under-Represented Groups 12 Understanding A Range Of Quality Controls And The Improvement Of Customer Service 13 Task 4 13 Overview 13 The Role Of Self -Assessment In An organizations Current State Of Health 14 An Evaluation Of The Importance Of Communication And Record Keeping 14 The Stages Of Staff Consultation For Effective Implementation Of A Quality Scheme 15 Proposal Of New Systems Or Modifications To Existing Systems For Improve Service Quality 15 Responsibility For Managing And organizing Activities 15 The Principles of Quality Management to Improve the Performance of an organization 16 References 17 Task 1 Overview In this particular task, several ideas have been presented for The Rose and Crown Hotel in order to improve the adverse situations faced by the hotel that comprised decreasing sales and rising customer complaints. Definitions Of Quality In Terms Of Business And Services Provision In production process, quality implies different standards based on which the different requirements of customers can be fulfilled efficiently. In terms of psychological aspect, quality focuses on judgemental evaluations that determine product or service excellence. The definition of quality in terms of business provision is defined as the approach of developed conformance to specification, performance, reliability, features, serviceability and durability of the finished goods. On the other hand, from the perspective of services provision, quality means tangibility, consistency, responsive to customer needs, atmosphere, courtesy, timeliness and promptness. Thus, it is suggested that in order to improve the performance of Rose and Crown hotel, it needs to take into concern varied quality management related approaches in its every operational department (Mok & et. al., 2013; Kusluvan, 2003). Illustration Of the Role of Quality Control and Quality Assurance in Inspection and Assurance Processes In terms of quality management, inspection and assurance have played a vital role. With the help of quality control, hospitality organisations like The Rose and Crown Hotel can identify several faults. Likewise, with proper quality control, such organisations can keep a track about their performance in the respective markets in terms of quality. As per the case provided, the Rose and Crown, an independent 3 star hotel faced certain problems that affected its overall performance at large (Kusluvan, 2003; Martin, 2002). Discussion Of The Range Of Approaches That Can Be Taken To Improve Quality Management In order to improve the present situation of Rose and Crown Hotel, the managerial team initially need to implement certain quality systems. Thus, in this regard, the hotel may adopt one of the approaches i.e. International Standard Organisation (ISO) based standards for improving quality management aspect. Justifiably, the standards based on ISO provide guidelines for establishing quality management system and focuses not only meeting customer requirements, but also improving overall performance in terms of quality. On the other hand, in order to improve internal communication between departmental staffs for improving quality management, Rose and Crown can implement the approach of Management Information System (MIS). This system will support the internal staff members of the hotel to enhance connectivity amid them at large. Specially mentioning, improved connectivity can generate more productivity amid the internal members at large. Thus, Rose and Crown can use the above discussed two approaches to quality management i.e. ISO standards and MIS for enhancing quality management (Mukherjee, 2006). Achievement Of The Appropriate Solutions By Applying The Two Approaches It is worth mentioning that various appropriate solutions can be derived by identifying and applying the aforesaid two approaches i.e. ISO standards and MIS. In this regard, one of such solutions can be ascertained as mitigating the diverse needs of the clients or the customers and gaining their satisfaction in terms of quality. In relation to the case of The Rose and Crown Hotel, it can be affirmed that the two approaches will prove to be quite beneficial in terms of raising sales and lessening customer complaints that were the major concerns of the hotel. With the applicability of such approaches, improved performance in the staff of the hotel can be apparently observed, which might result in raising their operational productivity by a considerable extent. Moreover, the application of such approaches will support the hotel to develop its communication procedure with every organizational member and develop customer satisfaction level at large. Accordingly, it is projected that the prime concerns of the hotel that entail decreased level of product sales and increase extent of customer complaints can be addressed as well as mitigated by the application of the above discussed two approaches at large (Kusluvan, 2003; Mauch, n.d.). Explanation Of the Similarities and Differences between the Different Methods Or Approaches In the sphere of quality management, there are varied methods available to improve business quality. By taking into concern the information provided about the adverse situations faced by The Rose and Crown Hotel, the approaches such as ISO standards and MIS find a wider applicability in the aforesaid context. It is worth mentioning that certain similarities as well as differences can be found between such approaches. In terms of similarity, it can be asserted that both these approaches tend to improve quality and connectivity between customers and the organisations. From the viewpoint of differences, it can be affirmed that ISO standards focus on raising as well as enhancing the quality standards, whereas, the MIS approach emphasizes developing connectivity amid top to bottom level employees (King & Cichy, 2006; Prideaux & et. al., 2006). Task 2 Overview In this particular task, a policy relating to customer service will be analysed, which is to be included in a staff induction training manual. A Discussion of Customer Satisfaction Every company produce products and/or services to satisfy its customers and attain maximum profit. In order to gain an in-depth understanding about the customer satisfaction level, feedbacks from the prospective customers are quite essential to gather. These feedbacks can be obtained by conducting formal surveys or face-to-face interviews. It is worth mentioning that as per the feedback review, companies tend to improvise their respective service quality aspect. With the help of employee involvement, companies often take the decision of making wider product and/or service improvement. In this similar context, as per the information provided, The Rose and Crown Hotel can conduct a survey or arrange an interview for obtaining a detailed understanding about the customer satisfaction level (King & Cichy, 2006). Explanation Of the Meaning of Continuous Improvement The term “continuous improvement” includes a process wherein companies constantly develop their overall operational process towards the attainment of desired business targets. Similarly, continuous improvement process is an on-going effort to improve products, services and processes for providing excellence and benefits to the customers. With the help of this approach i.e. continuous improvement, companies often evaluate and improve production process more efficiently, flexibly and effectively. One of the imperative elements of continuous improvement can be apparently observed as problem-solving method, which aids in developing the production process at large. Most importantly, continuous improvement process strengthens the partnership prevailing between suppliers and the companies. It is quite obvious that the suppliers require quality products, on-time delivery of the goods and 100% delivery of the same with utmost quality. These requirements of the suppliers are thus fulfilled by continuous improvement process, which eventually generates a long-term relationship with the suppliers. Thus, it can be affirmed that with the help of continuous improvement program, the staff members of The Rose and Crown Hotel can improve their respective performance level at large (Mukherjee, 2006). illustration Of the Type of Added Values to Be Gained By Using A Process Of Continuous Improvement The continuous improvement approach makes the production processes more effective, efficient and adaptable for employees as well as the customers. This process mainly controls the in-process performance by using the measures such as scrap reduction and save capital for next project. It can be often found that continuous improvement process makes workforce more advanced and sincerer. During this process, the personnel of The Rose and Crown Hotel can learn different lessons regarding the improvement in work style. This process might generate positive results for the hotel that can be measured in terms of raising operational productivity and most vitally saving capital in future. Thus, the above stated sorts of added values can be gained by using the procedure of continuous improvement, resulting in augmenting the customer satisfaction level at large (King & Cichy, 2006). Description Of the Types of Information Made Available To Customers and the Importance Given To Effective Marketing To make every product visible to prospective customers, companies of this modern day context have been following effective marketing practices or principles that generate better communication amid them. Conceptually, the act of transferring different information through verbal massages or non-signals is called communication. In general, companies often use verbal along with non-verbal communication for reaching their respective products and/or services to the customers. Identifiably, varied communication media like print and electronic contributes in providing information to the customers regarding any product and/or service. For instance, newspapers, banners and hoardings fall under the category of print media and television as well as online advertisements comes under electronic media. It will be vital to mention that The Rose and Crown Hotel may adopt the aforesaid tools for making its product and/or service related information available to prospective customers (Wood & Brotherton, 2008; Mukherjee, 2006). Portrayal Of The Evidences of Convergent/Lateral/Creative Thinking Skill Approaches Convergent thinking denotes the ability to provide correct answers to standard questions. On the other hand, lateral thinking refers to solving varied problems by logical reasoning. With the help of convergent thinking skill approach, a managerial head can give standard answers to employees. Conversely, creative thinking skill approach makes the production process more innovative and systematic. It can be asserted that continuous improvement process is a mixture of convergent and creative thinking skill approaches. Marketing process can also be duly considered as a combination of convergent and creative thinking skill mechanisms. New quality implementation falls under the approach of lateral thinking skill (King & Cichy, 2006). Task 3 Overview In this task 3, utmost focus will be laid on conducting wide research about various important factors including quality controls, measurement of quality management and user along with non-user surveys among others. Explanation Of How Quality Management Can Be Measured The aspect of quality management can be measured by the application of varied methods including ‘system documentation’, ‘benchmarking’, ‘statistical quality control’, ‘quality circle’, ‘six sigma’ and ‘total quality management.’ With the help of these techniques, the hospitality Organisation can measure its service quality by a considerable extent. In relation to the procedure of system documentation, the Hospitality organisation can evaluate its own business procedures with others. In this process, hospitality organisations also compare their respective services with chief business market competitors. Benchmarking helps in measuring the quality of hospitality organisations’ policies, products, programmes, strategies and compares with standard measurements or similar measurements of their peers. Notably, the method of benchmarking involves four key steps that aid in measuring the notion of quality management of the hospitality organisation (Mukherjee, 2006.). These steps include: Understanding in detail the existing business processes Analysing the business processes Implementing the steps necessary to close the performance gap The method of statistical quality control can be divided into three categories namely mean, standard deviation and the range. This process might support the hospitality organization towards measuring its past and present performance level in terms of quality (King & Cichy, 2006). With the help of quality circle measurement method, the quality management aspect of the hospitality organisation can also be measured at large. Justifiably, quality circle is a participative management technique within the framework of a company-wide quality system, wherein small teams of experienced employees voluntarily solve quality or performance related problems. Quality circles are an integral part of enterprise management. On the other hand, six-sigma approach helps companies to produce quality goods in a minimum price. In six-sigma process, products and/or services undergo through certain stages namely ‘define’, ‘measure’, ‘analyse’, ‘improve’ and ‘control.’ Finally, the conception of total quality management is regarded as a system, which encourages workforce to do its job in a better way (King & Cichy, 2006). Evaluation Of the Benefits of User and Non-User Surveys in Determining Customer Needs Survey is a system for collecting information about customer’s knowledge, attitude and behaviour for Hospitality Company. It can be apparently observed that survey is of two types such as user and non–user. Contextually, user satisfaction surveys are designed to measure the satisfaction levels user customer. With the help of conducting user survey, the hospitality based organisations can analyse the buying attitudes of the prospective customers and act accordingly. Conversely, non-user survey is regarded as a survey, which is carried to assess a sample of population who never used a specific product and/or service earlier (King & Cichy, 2006). Critical Reflection With the help of benchmarking procedure, I can evaluate my own work in future. The steps of benchmarking approach will certainly help me to evaluate my own work with other hotel personnel. The three basic steps such as understand, evaluate and implement will significantly help me in enhancing my performance in future. Therefore, if I perform well in future, my staff members and colleagues will also get motivated towards the attainment of predetermined organisational targets. Thus, it can be affirmed that benchmarking process is an effective way to evaluate own performance level (King & Cichy, 2006). Quality Scheme To Encourage Participation By Under-Represented Groups With the help of sig-sigma process, the hospitality organisation company can effectively improve its under-represented groups’ performance. Contextually, the six stages of Six sigma improve the performance of in-house employees as well as improved the quality of product or/and services. To achieve high performance level of under-represented groups, six-sigma can be regarded as one of the appropriate approaches. The varied facets of this approach can be determined as outlining the target processes, deciding what parameters need to be enumerated and identifying the gaps prevailing between actual and goal performance (King & Cichy, 2006). Complaints Procedures and Its Usage to Improve Quality A statement, which shows something unsatisfactory or unacceptable, is viewed as compliant. A customer can lodge or register its dissatisfaction about a product or service through a designed procedure. A complaint can encourage a hospitality organisation to improve its product and/or service quality at large. Nowadays, hospitality organisations desire to establish a team of representatives for handling the complaints of prospective customers. With the help of complaint procedure, hospitality organisations can raise satisfaction level of the customers in terms of providing them with quality products and/or services (King & Cichy, 2006). Understanding A Range Of Quality Controls And The Improvement Of Customer Service With the establishment of a strong complaint department, a hospitality organisation can improve its products and/or services. Complaint procedure is regarded as an effective format of quality control service, which encourages such organisations to obtain a brief idea about the behavioural attitudes of the customers towards their respective desired products and /or services. Thus, a wide variety of quality controls including total quality management, six-sigma and quality circle approach will eventually standardise the quality of the products and/or services, resulting in enhancing customer service at large (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2009; Claver-Cortes & et. al., n.d.). Task 4 Overview In this particular task, the conception of quality management systems will be discussed, which will be used as a training manual by the Holiday Inn London group of hotels for recovering the adverse situation of losing profits due to the worldwide financial crisis. The Role Of Self -Assessment In An organizations Current State Of Health Self-assessment is a process whereby organisations assess the quality of their respective products and/or services by categorizing the same with the present industry or international standards. Moreover, self-assessment is a measure based on which organisations use for maintaining quality standards. Likewise, by taking into concern the current state of Hotel Holiday Inn, it can be suggested that the management team of the hotel may use self-assessment tool to get recover from the stated crisis. Notably, self-assessment tool include four techniques such as egg subjective, judging on current practices, comparison and benchmarking with the future. In Egg subjective stage, a subject access request where an organisation is indebted to supply information to the members regarding any product and/or service. Egg subjective approach is mainly based on quality circle concept. In the judging current practice, the managerial team can judge its present product and/or service situation against the industry or international standard. In the comparison phase, the hospitality organisation may compare its past performance with the present one. Moreover, the organization can also compare its quality and future set quality goals of past and present. At the last stage i.e. in benchmark phase, the organisation can measure its current performance gap and decide how changes can be implemented efficiently (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2009; Fitzsimmons & Fitzsimmons, 2000). An Evaluation Of The Importance Of Communication And Record Keeping In an organisation, communication and record keeping are deemed to be regarded as imperative tools that assist the organisations towards accomplishing their respective business targets. Justifiably, with the help of communication and record keeping aspects within an organisation, the workforce of such organisations becomes more systematic as well as productive. Proper communication helps the employees to become fully aware of their assigned tasks. In the context of hospitality organisations, mainly vertical and horizontal communication forms are developed for making better future interactions (Gaal, 2001; Claver-Cortes & et. al., n.d.). The Stages Of Staff Consultation For Effective Implementation Of A Quality Scheme Staff consultation is regarded as the process by which management teams and employees jointly examine and discuss issues of mutual concern about the improvement of service quality. Through proper planning and guideline, an organisation can effectively implement quality scheme for future. With the help of proper connectivity amid staff members, consultants can improve quality scheme at large (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2009). Proposal Of New Systems Or Modifications To Existing Systems For Improve Service Quality To improve the service quality of Hotel Holiday Inn, the management ream of this organisation can modify its staff consultation process and hourly update its records to know the process level. Hourly update of records can improve the level of communication with employees and thus better decisions can be taken for reaping varied significant benefits (Dodds, 2003; Claver-Cortes & et. al., n.d.). Responsibility For Managing And organizing Activities It will be vital to mention in this regard that to improve the present condition, the personnel attached with the Hotel Holiday Inn needs to be cooperative and thus can use six-sigma approach for better improvement of quality. With the help of continuous improvement process, the managerial team of the hotel can enhance its present performance in the market and offer better service to the prospective customers with affordable price (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2009; Chang & Kelly, 1999). The Principles of Quality Management to Improve the Performance of an organization By taking into concern the situation of Hotel Holiday Inn, as per the information provided, it can be affirmed that the hotel can improve its performance by remaining engaged in the procedure of staff consultation. Moreover, self-assessment tool will also assist the hotel to know its present goals along with objectives, resulting in improved performance of hotel personnel at large. Thus, Hotel Holiday Inn can effectively address and mitigate the adverse situation by adopting such approaches and attain maximum profitability (Camp, 1998; Claver-Cortes & et. al., n.d.). References Claver-Cortes, E. & et. al., No Date. Quality Management Environmental Management And Firm Performance in The Spanish Hotel Industry. University of Alicante, pp. 1-15. Camp, R. C., 1998. Global Cases in Benchmarking: Best Practices from Organizations around the World. Asq Quality Press. Chang, R.Y. & Kelly, P.K., 1999. Improving Through Benchmarking. Wiley. Dodds, B., 2003. Managing Customer Value: Essentials of Product Quality, Customer Service, and Price Decisions. University Press of America. Fitzsimmons, J. & Fitzsimmons, M. J., 2000. New Service Development: Creating Memorable Experiences. SAGE. Gaal, A., 2001. ISO 9001: 2000 for Small Business: Implementing Process-Approach Quality Management. CRC Press. Hayes, D. K. & Ninemeier, J. D., 2009. Human Resources Management in the Hospitality Industry. John Wiley & Sons. King, J. H. & Cichy, R. F., 2006. Managing For Quality in the Hospitality Industry. Pearson Prentice Hall. Kusluvan, S., 2003. Managing Employee Attitudes and Behaviours in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. Nova Publishers. Mok, C. & et. al., 2013. Service Quality Management in Hospitality Tourism and Leisure. Routledge. Martin, W. B., 2002. Quality Service: What Every Hospitality Manager Needs to Know. Prentice Hall. Mukherjee, P. N., 2006. Total Quality Management. Phi Learning Pvt. Ltd. Mauch, P. D., No Date. Service Quality Management. Dr Peter D Mauch. Prideaux, B. & et. al., 2006. Managing Tourism and Hospitality Services: Theory and International Applications. Cabi. Wood, R. C. & Brotherton, B., 2008. The SAGE Handbook of Hospitality Management. Sage. Read More