Introduction
In pursuit of excellence, many organizations have turned to exploring the various ways and means of improving on their product quality (Berger, 1997). This has hitherto made quality management to become a critical area of concern among many organizations. Quality is defined as fitness for use, conformance to the specification or free from defect (Lillrank & Kano, 1989).
A management team that is keen to achieve competitive excellence will pay much attention to quality since it is the primary source of customer satisfaction and subsequent loyalty (Kirkpatrick, 2001). A common way of ensuring that the quality of products is enhanced is the use of Continuous Improvement.
Continuous improvement is defined as the deliberate culture in an organization that is focused on reducing wastages and defects while improving on the quality of products (Bessant, Caffyn, & Gilbert, 1994). It is a quality management philosophy that has been applied by various large, medium and small size organizations to increase their efficiency in operations. This often results in more quality products that match standards and provide the customers with services and goods that are above their expectations (Kenneth, 2002).
A study of Airports reveals how Continuous Improvement offers insightful information on how they can improve on their service delivery, thus attracting and retaining customers. This would ensure that they achieve competitive excellence and high service quality which is a key factor in building a good reputation and customer loyalty.
The Critical to Quality characteristics of airports from the passenger perspective
Critical to quality (CTQ) are the priorities of customers that attribute a product being provided by the supplier. Customers are always the final bearers of the final products (Ishikawa, 1985). Therefore any service provided to the customer should always be up to the specifications needed by the customer or even exceed them (George, 2002).
Airports are major transit point for movements of goods and people travelling by airplanes. Airports are therefore as important as all other service organizations because customers who experience excellent service at the airports will always want to use the same airports in their subsequent travels.
Travelers are concerned about the various attributes that define an airports service quality. In the wake of increased and advanced security concerns such as terrorism, a current day traveler top priority is the security status of the airport and the general travel experience. Many instances have been reported where individuals have managed to check-in into planes undetected and cause security problems.
Customers therefore regard security as a critical factor to assessing the quality of the services offered at the airports. An airport security screening process that guarantees a secure travel always results in a customer satisfaction and subsequent quality approval.
Passengers also assess airport’s quality in terms of courtesy and the general reception experience. Airports with friendly staff and courteous staff will always ensure that the passengers get the impression of an environment where the customers concerns are met. This translates to a good rapport and eventually acts as a factor to consider when ranking the quality of services being delivered by the airport.
Efficiency in operations has also been an important attribute in Critical to Quality analysis (Bessant, Caffyn, & Gilbert, 1994). This is because there has been a growing concern among many passengers on the time wasted during check point and between check-in and take-off.
Airports that have managed to address this issue of efficiency are classified in the category that offers high quality service. Efficiency in airports includes hastened baggage handling, fastened security check-ups and reduced waiting time. These are key areas where customers regard to classify an airport as providing quality services.
Analysis of Changi Airport Singapore
Changi Airport has grown for a small airport in the early eighties to a modern day five-star airport with over one hundred airlines operating in it and handling over forty million passengers in a year. It has won numerous international awards, consistently ranking as a five-star Airport by the Skytrax. These numerous accolades have come not without a price as it has invested highly in various processes that have ensured that it remains a top ranked airport in the world.
To achieve the above named Critical to Quality (CTQ) attributes the airport has been able to provide impeccable terminal arrival areas. These include courteous staff, background music that is always soothing and an ambience that is always appealing to all the arriving and departing passengers. This has meant that first time arrivers to the airport experience an exemplary environment that ensures that they always want to travel via the same terminus in their subsequent travels.
The airport has also improved it baggage handling processes. A recent opening of terminus 3 that has advanced infrastructure has ensured that the passengers always have their luggage delivered into the arrival hall in real time. This has reduced the time that is usually wasted by travelers while waiting for their luggage once they arrive at the check-out points.
To achieve this, the airport constructed underground tunnels to hasten the baggage handling processes. The airport is one of the few international airports that have invested in infrastructure to efficiently handle the Airbus A380.
The airport also has employed efficient security check systems that ensure extensive screening is carried out on all travelers. Security is a major area of concern among many travel stakeholders. Changi’s Security screening systems include state of the Art technological systems that employ the most advanced screening methods.
The airport has put top notch security alert systems that include real time response ability in case of emergency. It has also contacted top security companies for specialized security check mechanisms and alarm response systems. This has increased the travelers’ confidence and has consequently resulted in the airport being consistently ranked as a five-star airport.
Comparison of Changi’s Airport performance with other airports
Changi airport has airport has consistently remained ahead of the pack when it comes to quality. The airport has been ranked among the best airports in the world and has grown from a small airport in the early eighties to become a five star airport within two decades. This has been enabled by the top management dedication to quality and a culture of excellence that has ensured that the passengers always receive services that are beyond their expectations.
It has separated the airport from other major airports of the world. While the other airports concentrate on offering the just required services, Changi airport has gone the extra mile to provide its first time passenger with an environment that will create a wow effect. This has been enabled by its ability to have friendly staffs that are always ready to serve and offer attention to detail.
Its recent construction of an underground tunnel has seen efficient operations more so when dealing with the A380 airbus. This has generated a huge positive rapport with the traveler. This is because not many other airports have undertaken infrastructural improvements to this extent that are aimed at improving the efficient operations at the check-in and check-out points.
The airport also tops other airports in their customer care and service delivery. On arrival, the environment that is created always presents a soothing effect to the passengers. With music playing in the background and an appealing ambience, the airport fails to compare to the other airports as it is way ahead of them.
The first time passengers that pass via Changi airport always receive an above average service that is rarely found in many other airports. This will remain as a major key competence n the airport that by the time other airports manage to successfully emulate it, it will have enjoyed a run of excellence for quite a long time.
Customer Dissatisfaction
The above model of customer service delight is helpful in identifying the innovative features to be employed in the Changi’s Airport new Terminus 4. According to Kano, the designers ought to put into consideration the must-be attributes are considered when coming up with the new products (Lillrank & Kano, 1989). The management of the airport therefore ought to ensure that these attributes are carefully considered to ensure that the customer’s expectations are met.
In addition the management ought to innovate features which are not even in the minds of the passengers. This will mean that the passengers will experience a completely new environment and a new and extra ordinary experience while at the airport. This is a key area in developing distinctive capabilities that will cause many competitors not copy with great deal of difficult of actually be unable to copy them (Edvinsson & Malone, 1997).
To ensure that the one dimensional attributes are captured in the new terminus 4, the airport management needs to capture the voice of the passengers. This is an important source of valuable information since quality is defined by the customer. The travelers’ views therefore ought to be put into careful consideration so as to incorporate their view. This will ensure that the expectations that they have on a high quality airport are well met.
The management also needs to carefully re-invention of the already existing termini. This will ensure that there is continuous improvement of the already existing facility and that the continuous improvement is a holistic approach being employed in all the operational areas of the airport.
Six Sigma as a tool for Continuous Improvement
The Six Sigma is an organized and systematic method for continuous improvement that relies on statistical approaches which reduce the defect level while increasing the productivity (George, 2002). This tool was introduced in the eighties and has been a cause of many companies’ turn around and subsequent success story.
This too once used by the Changi airport will ensure that the major areas that are susceptible to quality failure are addressed in advance. This tool is used in all the functional areas of the organization to ensure that the processes and procedures are followed to the latter. This results in almost zero defects in the products. Change airport would employ the six sigma tool in all the areas to ensure a strict and holistic approach towards implementing of the new terminus 4.
There are five steps that are involved in implementing the six sigma improvement tool. These steps are employed by the organization to ensure a systematic, monitored, and coordinated set of activities that ensure that the areas which are susceptible to product defects are keenly monitored (George, 2002). These steps are classified into these five processes; Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and control. All these activities are undertaken controllably to ensure that the continuous improvement process happens systematically reducing any form of potential defects.
In the first stage, the customers’ priorities are established and defined. This is usually an important part of Continuous Improvement since quality is majorly defined by the customer. The second step involves measuring the processes and the defects that arise from these processes.
This step would ensure that the airport procedures are mapped and potential quality compromise areas are identified. The processes are therefore analyzed such that the defect areas are identified. The fourth step in the most important where performance is improved to ensure that the causes of defects are removed (George, 2002). The final step; control is aimed at taking monitoring and evaluating the results of the whole process and serves as a feedback mechanism to the management.
Conclusion
Continuous improvement has become a key aspect of total quality management. As such Changi Airport ought to continue enhancing continuous improvement using the various available models such as the six sigma tools. This will ensure that the airport continues being at the epitome of quality service among the top airport brands in the world. The airport expansion program will also ensure that it keeps the pace of the economic growth of Singapore.
In the wake of increased tourist arrivals, change airport will undoubtedly remain a busy transit point in Asia. The management should therefore strive to ensure that it takes advantage of this valuable opportunity. An integrated analysis of the airports internal strengths and available opportunities will ensure a successful strategy formulation that will continue to push it to greater heights of quality excellence.
References
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