ABSTRACT
In complex and diverse service delivery environments, internal management issues, such as cultural change, diversity, customer relations, human resources, training, and process redesign, often frustrate the most disciplined attempts to achieve permanent quality improvements (QIs). Suppliers of goods and services to all types of markets — foreign or domestic, public or private, regulated or free — attempt to anticipate customer and employee needs, monitor progress, and demonstrate results to current and potential customers. Changes in the way services are delivered at the point of customer contact are critical for establishing quality control and sustaining continuous improvement. It is especially important for employees to recognize how their behavior represents the customer’s perception of the entire organization.
