Lesson 1-U6:

Service and
Quality
CRU 1 – CRUISE & MARITIME OPERATIONS
 Service and Quality

There are challenges when providing consistent high-quality

guest services, some of which stem from the rather nebulous
use of the word quality.
The term ‘quality’ presents a number of complexities. At a basic
level, complications arise when equating quality with the idea
that it refers to a form of utopian excellence (Tse, 1996).
Consider, for example, what quality means from the perspective
of an operational manager on board a cruise ship.

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 Service and Quality

Harris (1989) draws attention to the way that quality can

correlate to prestige, which in turn can relate to reputation,
admiration, luxury and, as a result, the price. This can be
clarified by comparing, for example, Silversea Cruises with
Marella Cruises. Quality can be the way the guest views the
service received against their perception of what was offered, or
it can be concerned only with ultimate guest satisfaction.

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 Service and Quality

This indicates that managers should pay some attention to

clarifying, in their own minds, what it is that they believe
quality to be, so they can create meaningful and relevant goals
and targets. The implications for operations are critical in
achieving the desired level of service together with the
appropriate standard of product to budget.

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 Service and Quality

Total quality management (TQM) or total quality control (TQC)

was adopted to create continuous improvement, by key
consultants from the United States. Their approach to achieve
continuous improvement was to identify best practice, ensure it
was established as best practice and train the workers to
achieve that best practice.
Tse (1996) charts the progress of TQM as a management (and
staff) philosophy within production-oriented companies
through to its adoption by service companies.

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 Service and Quality

She lists the five guiding principles as:

1. ‘commit to quality,
2. focus on guest satisfaction,
3. assess organisational culture,
4. empower employees and
5. teams and measure quality efforts’
(Tse, 1996) TQM can establish a particular approach for
managers that are well suited for service organisations.

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 Service and Quality

Kaizen is the word attributed to this process of continuous

development, taken from a Japanese term for steadfast day-by-
day betterment. The word has entered the vocabulary of
successful companies who have absorbed the kaizen approach
into normal business practice (Wright, 2001).
Kaizen helps employees learn how to complete their tasks in
the most effective way and then how to standardize practices so
everyone in the workplace can take advantage of the improved
process.

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 Service and Quality

5S is a framework from Kaizen that works to improve processes

through organizational means. Having a work bench or
workspace that is organized in a logical way is an excellent
foundation for the rest of the facility to operate smoothly.
5S offers a series of steps a manager or employee can through
to organize the space. These are 5 steps all beginning with ‘S’
and are: sort, straighten, shine, standardize, and sustain.

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holded
medium Visual paradigm online
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 Service and Quality

Quality for Products and Services

Industry observers state that there are fundamental difference

between products and services that are important when
designing standards and establishing quality thresholds
(Harrington & Lenehan, 1998).

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 Service and Quality

The problem can arise because, over time, the elements (e.g.
people or processes) involved in a service can change, thus
jeopardising both the actual service quality and the
understanding of guests’ needs. A TQM approach stresses the
need to continually appraise both aspects and to invest in
training so as to ensure the consistent management of quality
continuously. In this way, a cruise company can focus on
identifying what guests want and then aim to provide that
within a defined budget.

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 Service and Quality

Defining Products and Services

Product Service
A thing/object/device A deed/performance/effort
Tangible Intangible
Stands alone as an item Requires people to take part
Customer not involved Customer fully or partially involved
Standardised Heterogeneous – different every time
Can be stored Perishable

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 Service and Quality

Defining Products and Services

Product Service
Can be tested prior to sale Cannot be sampled prior to sale
Production often separated from Production and consumption often occur
consumption or usage simultaneously
Product purchase involves variable Service encounter is a moment of truth
opportunity for reflection

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 THANKS!
Any questions?

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