APPLYING QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT TO A UNIVERSITY SUPPORT SERVICE42 This case is based on an application of QFD at Tennessee specializes in copying, collating, and stapling or binding. Technological University to their Research Resources All three are proficient in most of the RRC functions. Center (RRC), an internal service system. Originally Jobs can be classified as student, teacher, or rush. created as a support facility for faculty and student Most jobs are single-task oriented and can be completed research, the RRC has grown to offer many more services, by one RRC professional. The professional may be including test preparation, manuscript preparation, dependent on student workers to process job orders resumes, flyers, brochures, faxing, copying, typing, and accurately and place them in the appropriate incoming computer applications. The RRC is staffed weekdays jobs bin. Some jobs, however, are dependent on the from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. with highly experienced other employees' functions. For instance, Candy types support personnel. Jody, the head coordinator of the the tests, and Marie makes the copies and packages the RRC, is proficient in specialty computer applications. final product. In these instances, Marie functions as an She has a workstation at her disposal loaded with word- internal customer. She becomes dependent on another processing, graphics, and desktop publishing software. professional employee to accomplish her job. Peripherals such as a laser printer, color printer, and a Students involved in scholarship and work study full-page scanner allow her to generate high-quality programs are also employed part time to support RRC output. Candy specializes in word processing, and Marie personnel. The RRC, functioning as a unit of the College FIGURE 7.31 RRC Old Layout Copier Copier Paper High- folder/ speed cutter/ duplicating binder machine Marie Study table Study table Student Candy Paper stock and materials Reference materials Service desk Study table Study table Student Jody Typing station Laser station Reprinted with permission from Quality Progress 1999 ASQ, www.asq.org of Business, is bound by the same regulations as other university offices. It has little control over the student employment selection process. The responsibilities of the students include taking work orders and assisting customers in low- tech functions, such as making copies and finding research materials. No formal training is provided. The student workers are briefly informed of the RRC's functions and told to be courteous to customers. When student workers have questions, they ask one of the professionals. The student workers are primarily used as an interface between RRC professionals and customers. A security issue is associated with some of the documents that the RRC processes. Some faculty members choose to have the RRC type and print their tests. In these instances, student workers cannot be involved in any process related to the test. The order is taken by one of the professionals, the job is executed, and the final product is locked in a file cabinet in a room be completed quickly, they may choose to wait at the where student workers are not allowed. Additionally, counter. Occasionally, a queue develops in front of the some student documents may not be handled by student service counter. workers. Project papers submitted for typing should not QFD was used to analyze where a concerted effort be viewed by a student worker who, by chance, may be might increase the RRC's quality level as perceived by the in the same class and have the same assignment. customer. Customer requirements were grouped along Because of limited space in the RRC, little the five dimensions of service quality (in rank order distinction can be made between back office and front of importance): reliability, responsiveness, assurance, office. A counter is set up to the right of the door as empathy, and tangibles. These categories were further customers walk in. All workers are stationed behind broken down into secondary requirements as shown in this counter. As customers need assistance, they are the House of Quality (Figure 7.32). met at the counter by student workers who assist them. If a customer requires a job, then the appropriate Questions for Discussion work-order forms are filled out. During this time, the 1. Do you agree with the relative importance of customer is in full view of the operations. Some frequent measures of the voice of the customer in Figure 7.32? customers prefer to relay their job orders directly to Explain why these rankings are reasonable, or the professionals. As a result of the customized nature provide counterarguments for a different ranking. of many of the jobs, this direct contact is sometimes 2. Using the relative importance ratings of the appropriate. Some customers, however, prefer to do customer attributes and setting a scale of 1 = weak, business with certain RRC representatives, which 3 = medium, and 5 = strong for the relationship means that RRC professionals occasionally have to leave matrix, compute a weighted score for each of the the work they are doing to serve the customer. technical requirements in Figure 7.32. Do your scores The area to the left of the counter is available for support the conclusions of the study in terms of the customer use (see Figure 7.31). Four large tables are key service components to deploy in the QFD process? centrally located for faculty members and students 3. What conclusions can you reach in terms of the key to use for study purposes. The waiting area is merely service components to deploy in the QFD process? the area between the counter and these tables. Service What other recommendations might you suggest lines are not structured, and service personnel attempt based on the information provided in this case? to serve customers on a first-come, first-served Propose an improved layout of the RRC and justify basis. When customers have work orders that can your proposal