Learning Unit 1 : Measurement of Customer Satisfaction

Measurement is very important. As quality guru Tom Peters remarks “what gets measured gets done”. However, it would be useful to bear in mind the following points. Measurement of service productivity and customer satisfaction is not mutually exclusive. Measurement should not be one-dimensional. Instead, a holistic or multi-indicator approach should be adopted.

Moreover, measurement systems are often established with a great deal of enthusiasm. Unfortunately, such fervor is not usually sustained. This happens because much data are collected but not used. When employees see that their efforts in designing measures and in monitoring efficiency and effectiveness are not translated into organizational changes, they loose interest in the measurement system. Customer satisfaction indices can give a general idea about which areas in a country, sector, industry or country needs improvement. Therefore, both national and corporate policy makers must consider thoroughly how information from such measurement systems can be used effectively in an overall improvement plan.