Quality control
Sony Corporation produces some of the high-quality electronic products in the market. Examples of products from this company include Televisions, Hi-Fi radio systems, mobile phones, laptops, and desktop computers as well as digital watches. The company has a strong commitment to quality management of its finished products so that it can be in a position to remain competitive in the electronic industry.
For a long time, electronic products from Sony Corporation have remained to be of high quality. In most instances, the company sells its products with warranty certificates. This implies that quality is assured at all times. Customers who buy products from Sony Corporation are guaranteed of quality. They are given a specific period such as six months when they can stay with the purchased product and return it to the selling agent in case any defects are noted.
According to a quality statement found on the company’s website, Sony Corporation is keen on maintaining satisfactory customer service. The company also strives to deliver high-quality products since it respects customer’s viewpoints. The company is continuously working towards building a robust quality management system.
As can be seen, products from Sony Corporation are of high quality largely because they are associated with a company that is well managed. For example, pertinent products that are sold by Sony Corporation undergo quality checks regularly. In case defects are noted, products that are already in the market are recalled back to the manufacturer. Several quality management organizations have been set up by the company.
The head office receives all sorts of quality-related information from Japan and across the globe. The technical specialists and the quality management teams are then allowed to act on all quality information within the shortest time possible.
Service issues
It is indeed true that several service problems may be experienced at the place of work. In particular, customer service in either the electronic or automotive industry can be cumbersome since consumers have a broad spectrum of choices when shopping. If a customer does not like a certain brand of product, there are still plenty of others that he or she can purchase. However, the main challenge is experienced when a dealer or seller argues with a customer to the extent of creating sharp differences. I experienced this service problem recently. I went to buy a wristwatch in a nearby electronics shop.
After shopping around the store for my best brand, it was my time to bargain the price because there were no fixed price tags for the items on the shelves. When I requested the price of the watch, the attendant at the shop sternly stared at me and responded ’20 dollars’. When I attempted to bargain, the shop attendant responded rudely to me saying ‘I cannot negotiate the price with you, either by the wristwatch or leave it on the shelf.’ This was a bitter service experience for me. This service failure can be categorized as poor responsiveness to customers.
In yet another service problem, I decided to use a private cab from a local transport company because they had advertised their services quite well. For instance, they promised safe and expedited transport services for their customers. However, I was finally disappointed when the cab took almost 4 hours to cover a trip that always took me 3 hours in a public transport system. This service failure could be categorized as poor reliability.
Comments to answers
Comments to answer 1. Communication with clients
This is yet another case of poor or lack of effective communication regarding financial transactions that are executed in the accounts of customers. However, it may be possible that the customer did not take the time to understand the terms of the one-dollar donation.
Regardless of the situation, it was the duty of the attendant to clearly explain to the customer that the one-dollar donation would be affected each time he or she purchases from the pharmacy outlet. A tangible service failure has a long-lasting impact. Also, donations to charitable organizations should be completely left to the customers to decide. It is highly unethical to use charitable organizations as business outfits where profits are made.
In this particular post, it is evident that ethical management practice is lacking because the supervisor or manager at the pharmacy has failed to control such unethical acts. It is crucial to mention that before any unique transaction is carried out, a customer should be informed in advance.
Comments to Answer 2. Customer service issues
The worst service problem that a customer can experience is a lack of communication with a service provider. I indeed agree with the above post because the service problem experienced was occasioned by the total failure of Comcast customer care representatives. Surprisingly, the company claims to be working 24 hours per day while it cannot receive a phone call and solve a simple connectivity problem.
When such service problems are experienced frequently by customers, an organization may end up losing its clients. Customers can only be retained when there are consistency and service delivery of high quality. In the above post, the customer has gone through two service problems in the past with the same company. It is perhaps necessary for the customer care department to be overhauled and replaced with a more able staff that can handle all aspects of customer service delivery.
Comments to Answer 3. Disruptions to customer service
Service failure is a common occurrence in most organizations that handle a large number of customers or volume of sales. However, customer care representatives must inform customers of any failures that an organization is experiencing and the corrective actions being taken. In the above post, the customer was called back and informed of the pending balance in his or her account. When the issue was pursued by the customer, a correction was made and the small balance cleared from the account.
Even though it took a while before the issue could be resolved, the customer was not supposed to be angry because a $0.10 balance is not a small amount for an organization that transacts thousands of dollars per day. If such an organization keeps on clearing such small amounts incorrectly, the net loss over a given trading period can be enormous. That is why the management needed to take time and establish the reason for the service failure
Comments to Answer 4. Effective management
It is indeed true that effective management has enabled Starbucks to maintain market leadership. In most instances, customer service is the backbone of marketing in any organization. Satisfied customers are highly likely to come back for additional services. We understand that for any business organization to grow, the management should have the right competencies that can attract and retain customers. From the above post, it appears that customer service quality at Starbucks is highly reputable.
However, this does not imply that the organization does not experience management loopholes in the course of its operations. Also, it is imperative to mention that customer service quality can be improved at Starbucks if quality managers are placed in strategic departments or positions where they can fully interact with customers. Such a strategy will enable quality managers to understand the needs of clients at any given time.