Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Umfrage / Español: Encuesta / Português: Pesquisa / Français: Sondage / Italiano: Indagine

Survey in the context of quality management refers to a systematic process of collecting data and feedback from customers, employees, or other stakeholders about a product, service, or process. Surveys are designed to gather insights that can be analyzed to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to quality management practices and outcomes.

Description

In quality management, surveys are a vital tool for understanding customer needs, expectations, and perceptions of quality. They enable organizations to measure satisfaction, identify areas for improvement, and track changes in attitudes over time. Surveys can be conducted through various methods, including online questionnaires, telephone interviews, and face-to-face interactions, depending on the target audience and objectives.

Application Areas

Surveys are employed across various domains within quality management to support continuous improvement, including:

• Customer Satisfaction: Gauging customer reactions to products and services to identify areas for enhancement.
• Employee Feedback: Understanding employee perspectives on internal processes, training, and workplace environment.
• Process Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of operational processes and identifying bottlenecks or areas for optimization.
• Product Development: Collecting user input during product development stages to align with customer needs and expectations.

Well-Known Examples

A common example of surveys in quality management is the use of Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys. These surveys ask customers a single question: "How likely are you to recommend our product/service to a friend or colleague?" Based on their responses, customers are categorized as promoters, passives, or detractors. This feedback provides a clear indicator of customer loyalty and satisfaction and offers actionable insights for improving quality and service.

Treatment and Risks

The design and implementation of surveys must be carefully managed to ensure that the data collected is relevant, reliable, and actionable. Poorly designed surveys can lead to misleading results, respondent fatigue, and low response rates. To mitigate these risks, quality management practices include the development of clear, concise, and relevant survey questions, the use of appropriate sampling methods, and the assurance of respondent anonymity and confidentiality where necessary.

Similar Terms or Synonyms

In the quality management context, related terms to survey include questionnaire, feedback form, and assessment.

Weblinks

• space-glossary.com: 'Survey' in the space-glossary.com
• allerwelt-lexikon.de: 'Umfrage' in the allerwelt-lexikon.de (German)

Summary

Surveys in quality management are a powerful method for gathering data on customer and stakeholder perceptions of quality. They provide critical insights that can guide strategic decisions, improve customer satisfaction, and foster continuous improvement in products, services, and processes. By effectively designing and implementing surveys, organizations can enhance their quality management practices and achieve better outcomes.

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