Total Quality Management

Assignment 2
The Dimensions of Quality

Presented To
Professor: Dr. Salah Eldien Ismail

Presented By
Nour Elhoda Elsayed Fawaz
 The Dimensions of Quality in Production
Quality can be defined as the ability of a product to meet or exceed customer
expectations. As customer expectations are often changing, the definition of quality must
also change. we will define some of the dimensions that are used to describe what
quality means for consumers.

In 1987 David Garvin suggested that there are eight dimensions to quality.
These eight dimensions are performance, features, reliability, conformance,
durability, serviceability, aesthetics, and perceived quality.
There is one additional dimension to quality should be considered which is
consistency
1-Performance: This describes the main characteristics of the product. Generally, if
the performance is equal to the overall expectations or exceeds them, your product
will be considered of high quality. However, if the performance rating falls below the
customer’s expectations, your quality rating will suffer.
EX: For a car, performance would include characteristics like millage per gallon,
acceleration, handling, cruising speed etc.
For a smartphone, performance would include characteristics like clear phone
reception, data speed etc.

2-Aesthetics: This involves the characteristics of the product that are related to its
appearance, feel, smell, or taste (if applicable). Aesthetic and style choices are not
universal, so it will be impossible to meet everyone’s expectations for this dimension
of quality. EX: For a car, Aesthetics could be color, size, design etc.

3-Special Features: This dimension involves all of the additional features of the
product that supplement the basic functioning of the product. This is usually what
provides an additional dimension of appeal to the customer.
EX: For a car, features would include the built-in GPS, seat warmer, smartphone
integration etc. For a smartphone, features could include a high-resolution camera,
retina or fingerprint sensor.

4-Conformance: This describes how well the product meets the design
specifications and any industry standards and requirements. During the product design
process, the specifications are established along with the tolerated deviations
For example, when we talk about conformance in car, we mean that how the car
complies with the requirements defined by the customer& standards.

5-Reliability: This is how well you can depend on the performance of the product. If
the item has variability in its performance and you cannot reliably depend on it, it is
not of high quality. If the product (and the overall company) performance consistently
meets expectations, then it is considered of high quality.
EX: If you buy a new car, you do not expect the vehicle to break down frequently. The
most commonly used reliability measurements are the Mean Time to Failure (MTTF)
and Mean Time between Failures (MTBF)

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6-Durability: This is the product’s performance over time. A durable product is of
high quality when its performance does not decrease as it is being used. Customers are
typically more inclined to pay more for products that will last them a long time.
Example, how long will your car last?

7-Perceived Quality: This is how the customer perceived the standard of quality of
the product. An important note here is that perception is not always the same as
quality and the reputation of a company can greatly affect how the quality of items are
perceived. Ex: when you buy BMW you expect luxury and high performance.

8-Serviceability: This is how well your organization is able to handle service-related

issues such as customer complaints or product repairs. This can also include the ease
of repair of the product, which can be a determinant in whether the customer will buy
the product. EX: Are there maintenance centers available& how do they able to handle
service quickly?

9-Consistency: Finally, the last dimension of product quality is that the quality
doesn’t vary. This includes variation over time and for all products offered by the
company

Dimensions of Service Quality

SERVQUAL Model: refers to the five dimensions of service quality that measure
the customer’s expectations. Although the model developers initially proposed ten
service quality dimensions, many experts later finalized only five dimensions of
service quality: reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness. The
marketing students formed an acronym RATER from the first capital letter of every
dimension or component. However, after measuring the gaps, this model recommends
the most common causes of service quality problems.

Reliability: is an essential dimension of the Servqual model that confirms the

capacity to provide services exactly, on time, and credibly. Consistency is a critical
factor for providing assistance or product to the customers on time with error-free
conditions. You have to respect the commitment to give your service on time
accurately as you promised to them. EX: Do hospitals provide the service to patient
immediately without delay?

Assurance: means creating trust and credibility for the customers. It depends on the
employee’s technical knowledge, practical communication skills, courtesy, credibility,
competency, and professionalism. Therefore, these skills will help the organization
gain customer trust and credibility. The assurance dimension combines four factors:
competence, courtesy, credibility, and security.
Firstly, competence: means having the requisite skills and knowledge.
Courtesy: refers to the politeness, respect, consideration, and friendliness of staff.
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Credibility: is the trustworthiness, believability, and honesty of the staff.
Finally, security means freedom from danger, risk, or doubt.
Ex: Does hospital have a good reputation? Is there security system in hospital? Are the
telephone operator, nurse, doctors consistently polite with patient? Do the doctors in
hospital are professional?

Tangibles: represent the physical facilities, employees’ appearance, equipment,

machines, and information system. It focuses on facilitating materials and physical
facilities. Ex: Is the hospital maintains a clean environment, and staff follows the
appropriate dress code?

Empathy: means focusing on the customers attentively to ensure caring and

distinguishing service. It is an essential attitude in some countries in the world to serve
every customer individually. It is also a great process to satisfy customers
psychologically and increase confidence, trust, and loyalty. The company might lose
its customers due to the lack of empathy among the employees; therefore, they need to
ensure compassion. Empathy is a combination of the following factors:
Access: physical and social Ex: approachable and ease of contact.
Communication, keeping customers informed in a language they understand and
listening to them.
Understanding the customer: making an effort to get to know customers and their
specific needs.

Responsiveness: refers to the eagerness to assist customers with respect and provide
quick service to satisfy. This dimension focuses on the two essential factors, including
willingness and promptness. So, you have to ensure that the customer is getting their
service quickly without delay and make the customers feel that you are very interested
in helping them. Responsiveness will be defined by the length of time when customers
wait for the answer or solution. In short, responsiveness solves the customer problem
as soon as possible by providing expected information or replacing product.
EX: The employee keeps no customer in waiting serial and replaces the product
quickly before finishing the promised period.

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