Many companies say that their goal is to provide quality products or services. What actions might you expect from a company that intends quality to be more than a slogan or buzzword?

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Many companies say that their goal is to provide quality products or services. What actions might you expect from a company that intends quality to be more than a slogan or buzzword?
The Case: Quality at the Hotel Company XYZ
Company XYZ, the name alone evokes images of luxury and quality. As the first hotel company to
win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the company treats quality as if it is the heartbeat of
the company. This means a daily commitment to meeting customer expectations and making sure that
each hotel is free of any deficiency.
In the hotel industry, quality can be hard to quantify. Guests do not purchase a product when they
stay at the Company XYZ: They buy an experience. Thus, creating the right combination of elements to
make the experience stand out is the challenge and goal of every employee, from maintenance to
management.
Before applying for the Baldrige Award, company management undertook a rigorous self-
examination of its operations to measure and quantify quality. Nineteen processes were studied including
room service delivery, guest reservation and registration, message delivery, and breakfast service. This
period of self-study included statistical measurement of process workflows and cycle times for areas
ranging from room service delivery times and reservations to valet parking and housekeeping efficiency.
The results were used to develop performance benchmarks against which future activity could be
measured.
With specific, quantifiable targets in place, Company XYZ managers and employees now focus on
continuous improvement. The goal is 100% customer satisfaction: If a guest's experience does not meet
expectations, Company XYZ risks losing that guest to competition.
One way the company has put more meaning behind its quality efforts is to organize its employees
into "self-directed" work teams. Employee teams determine work schedules, what work needs to be
done, and what to do about quality problems in their own areas. In order that they can see the relationship
of their specific area to the overall goals, employees are also given the opportunity to take additional
training in hotel operations. Company XYZ believes that a more educated and informed employee is in a
better position to make decisions in the best interest of the organization
Transcribed Image Text:The Case: Quality at the Hotel Company XYZ Company XYZ, the name alone evokes images of luxury and quality. As the first hotel company to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the company treats quality as if it is the heartbeat of the company. This means a daily commitment to meeting customer expectations and making sure that each hotel is free of any deficiency. In the hotel industry, quality can be hard to quantify. Guests do not purchase a product when they stay at the Company XYZ: They buy an experience. Thus, creating the right combination of elements to make the experience stand out is the challenge and goal of every employee, from maintenance to management. Before applying for the Baldrige Award, company management undertook a rigorous self- examination of its operations to measure and quantify quality. Nineteen processes were studied including room service delivery, guest reservation and registration, message delivery, and breakfast service. This period of self-study included statistical measurement of process workflows and cycle times for areas ranging from room service delivery times and reservations to valet parking and housekeeping efficiency. The results were used to develop performance benchmarks against which future activity could be measured. With specific, quantifiable targets in place, Company XYZ managers and employees now focus on continuous improvement. The goal is 100% customer satisfaction: If a guest's experience does not meet expectations, Company XYZ risks losing that guest to competition. One way the company has put more meaning behind its quality efforts is to organize its employees into "self-directed" work teams. Employee teams determine work schedules, what work needs to be done, and what to do about quality problems in their own areas. In order that they can see the relationship of their specific area to the overall goals, employees are also given the opportunity to take additional training in hotel operations. Company XYZ believes that a more educated and informed employee is in a better position to make decisions in the best interest of the organization
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