Internal Customer-supplier Chains
Introduction:
Every employee in any organisation is expected to play a dual role as a provider of goods/services and as a customer. Expectations management is the process by which expectations can be satisfied or exceeded. The outcome of expectations management leads to enhanced consideration of quality (behaviour modification) and if this process is repeated, quality becomes a self-motivation outcome.
Implementing TQM:
Senior managers seeking to implement TQM have to consider the following points:
- Re-define customer /supplier relationships - change people’s attitudes from adversaries/ competitors to collaborators;
The following questions have to be considered and answered:
- In order for me to carry out my job efficiently, would I need to rely on anybody’s
- For others to carry out their jobs efficiently, do they need to rely on my help and help and contribution?
These two broad questions can be followed by more specific questions such as:
- How can I help you? What do you require from me?
- What happens to my output after you get it? Who takes ownership?
- How well have I satisfied your requirements? What is missing?
- How can I find out if all your requirements have been fully satisfied?
The line of questioning which is supposed to take place is a reflection on how value adding effort is propagated throughout the organisation. Other issues which must be addressed by senior managers considering the implementation of TQM include the following:
- Make goals and objectives common to everyone in the organisation through
- For team work to succeed, the mission statement has to be effectively communicated and explained to all concerned
- Goals and objectives are determined by a close participation and involvement
- Senior managers must champion the effort of establishing customer-supplier
- A concerted effort has to be conducted to change organisational culture so as to encourage communication and employee participation.
The process of establishing internal customer-supplier chains which can work effectively in a TQM environment can be suggested to include the following stages:
CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS, EXPECTATIONS FULFILMENT, BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION, MOTIVATION. Customer expectation has been defined as follows:
‘The sum total of anticipations a customer(s) or potential customer(s) may hove regarding a product or service.’
Expectations management is the process by which expectations can be satisfied or exceeded. The outcome of expectations management leads to enhanced consideration of quality (behaviour modification) and if this process is repeated, quality becomes a self-motivation outcome. Amongst the various internal customer expectations are the following:25 comparative value; adequate resources; responsiveness; reliability; flexibility; clear and adequate communication; accountability; empathy and understanding; interpersonal skills; etc.