Introduction

Quality service is the key to attaining uncommon, unprecedented customer satisfaction—the kind of satisfaction marked by bragging customers and clients, repeat business, and increased market share and profitability. Bad quality service may be several things or it may be as simple as putting one poor sucker on the job to handle far too many customers. It may be that the person in charge of the service does not have the appropriate skills, attitude, or aptitude for the job. In any case, bad quality service is the result. Juran has observed that we are in the middle of a quality crisis and very few American companies have attained world-class class. Juran’s observations are quite appropriate and welcomed by everyone. This chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book.