Total Quality Management - CII Institute of Logistics
Total Quality Management - CII Institute of Logistics
Total Quality Management - CII Institute of Logistics
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<strong>Total</strong> <strong>Quality</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />
1.8 Competitiveness<br />
A firm's competitive advantage lies in its ability to achieve market superiority. It is a)<br />
driven by customer wants and needs; b) makes a significant contribution to the success <strong>of</strong><br />
the organization; c) matches the organization’s unique resources with opportunities in the<br />
environment; d) is durable, lasting, and difficult for competitors to copy; e) provides a<br />
basis for further improvement; and f) provides direction and motivation to the entire<br />
organization. <strong>Quality</strong> supports a firm's competitive advantage by providing for more<br />
efficient use <strong>of</strong> resources and production methods within the company, thus producing<br />
products or services that are superior to those <strong>of</strong> competitors.<br />
Point to Ponder<br />
<strong>Quality</strong> is not a Competitive Edge. It is the Competitive Edge! It is worth remembering<br />
Dr. Deming’s chain reaction model, which emphatically declares that improvement in<br />
quality alone, will decrease the cost and that in turn will make a firm competitive in the<br />
market place.<br />
1.9 Enhancing Customer Value through TQM<br />
CRM is the Key<br />
A firm that is “market driven” would exhibit several customer-focused characteristics<br />
that a “marketing driven” compa ny might not have. In fact, it would be rare for a<br />
“marketing driven” firm to pay much attention to developing a customer relationship<br />
management (CRM) system. This attention to customer needs would be more typical <strong>of</strong><br />
a “market driven” firm. A CRM system requires that an organization establish effective<br />
strategies for listening to, and learning from, customers, as well as developing<br />
approaches to measure satisfaction relative to competitors. The system must also be<br />
designed to build relationships, in order to understand present and future customer<br />
needs, and keep pace with changing markets. The “marketing driven” firm may be<br />
<strong>CII</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Logistics</strong> 19<br />
Website: www.ciilogistics.com