Plan A and Plan B: The Customer
A few months back, we heard a slogan: Zero Defects. That was at a national level.
More recently we have been hearing another term: Right To Service, in Maharashtra.
The two jingles have a common denominator – Customer. Zero defects in the eyes of the customer. And timely, defect free service as a right of citizens in Maharashtra.
Crucial to the success of either jingle is an understanding of what constitutes a defect? Is it a variance from an arbitrary standard set by the supplier of a product or service? Or is it a variance from the desired customer standard? In an autocratic, monopolist environment one can get away with the former. However, in a democratic, competitive environment, one needs the latter.
In my view, we need to not only conform to customer defined standards, but we need to also ‘proactively’ challenge these standards to earn a competitive edge. If there is an alternative, I would like to be enlightened.
One can carry on a discussion on this subject ad infinitum. However, I would, now and ultimately, anchor on to: Understanding stated and unstated customer needs, to set the standard. Since customer needs are a moving target, understanding the Voice Of Customers (or Citizens) should therefore be a core competency of any world-class organization.
In case all this is too demanding, I have a PLAN-B.
Focus on exporting 80% of your products and services to Japan.
Post World War II, Japan learnt that unless they exported 80% of their factory products to customers in the USA, they will not be able to improve their Quality of Products and Services at a revolutionary pace. Results abound.
Lesson Learned: Apart from citizens, even global customers have a Right To Service.
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Click here to buy his new book: Quality Fables–now available on Amazon Kindle
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