Total Quality Management

Total Quality Management

Customers judge the quality of a restaurant on whether or not the food, atmosphere, and customer service meet or exceed their expectations. This perception may include conformance to specifications, value, and psychological impressions, amongst other things. Dissatisfied customers at Subway in the Oakland Center have waited lengthy time periods before receiving their food, received sandwiches with overripe vegetables, and have encountered situations where the store was out of their favorite bread type. Although these customers judge the quality of the food and service received, they are actually judging the processes that have failed in the situations. Subway’s failed processes in these cases are a poor delivery speed, an inconsistent quality, and a lack of an efficient inventory process, which all lead to nonconformance to specifications.

Subway’s sandwiches simply intend to satisfy the customer’s hunger and to do so at an acceptable price relative to the quality and amount of food. Subs are offered in sizes of 3 inches (for children), 6 inches, and 12 inches long. Prices for the subs range from approximately $3.00 to $9.00 based on the type of sub, length, and demand. An additional $2.25 is added for a side and drink. Typically, the higher priced menu items are better choices and/or consist of a larger serving of food. Because the product achieves its main goal, it is considered to be of good value to customers visiting the food court of the Oakland Center each day. Customer satisfaction also depends on the feel of the environment and the looks of the space; our text calls it a psychological impression. Where most subways have a dining area, the one on Oakland University’s campus is limited to its line of food and cash register because it’s a part of the food court, which has a separate dining area. However, the brick wallpaper attempts to give off a homey feel and when all the food is stocked and neat, the customer gets a sense of freshness and healthiness. On the other hand, there are times when the line is messy and even worse, employees aren’t always the friendliest or most upbeat. Overall, customers are usually satisfied but there are certainly some areas that can directly impact their satisfaction level that need improving.

Total quality management at Subway relies heavily on the responsibilities of its employees and how well they are carried out. Workers must be sure to satisfy both their external and internal customers. Ultimately, there can only be good quality management if the external customers are pleased with the product and service received. However, a great deal of the satisfaction of external customers depends on the how well the internal customers are served. Unlike most other locations, the food court’s Subway has just one dishwasher, one employee who prepares all the food for each line, and one worker who bakes all the bread.