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IN THIS ISSUE
WHAT’S THE PL AN FOR 2015?
NOTE FROM THE CHAIR
PAGE 1
2015 WORLD CONFERENCE
ON QUALITY AND
IMPROVEMENT
PAGE 3
24 TH ANNUAL SERVICE
QUALITY CONFERENCE
PAGE 4
DO YOU HAVE A QUALITY
STORY TO SHARE?
PAGE 4
UPDATE YOUR LIBRARY
PAGE 5
VOLUME 22
ISSU E 1
SPRING 2015
Each January, the
Service Quality Division
deploys its business plan
for the year. Strategic
planning and business
planning are important
functions of the officers
and leadership team
in an all-day meeting
to evaluate the current
year’s performance
and strategize/plan
for the upcoming year.
It enables the officers
and leadership team to
review the successes,
challenges, member
value, and develop a
vision for the future.
COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE
A SERVICE QUALIT Y DIVISION PUBLICATION
What’s the
Plan for 2015?
Note From the Chair
What’s the Plan for 2015? – Note From the Chair
continued from page 1
SQD officers and the leadership team begin
planning early in August to set the business
plan and budget for the upcoming year. Several
things go into the yearly direction of the
division; among those are:
• Voice of the customer feedback, from both
the SQD and ASQ surveys
• Lessons-learned meetings following the
annual business meeting luncheon in
May at the World Conference on Quality
and Improvement and the annual SQD
Conference in September
• Objectives from ASQ as a whole,
communicated each year
• Resources and budget
Once the basic plan and budget are established,
the details are placed in a scorecard template for
tracking performance throughout the year. The
scorecard allows for the plan to be responsive to
changing factors and yet maintain the strategic
focus of the division. Feedback at monthly
teleconference meetings from the leadership
team and officers, in addition to special sessions
by officers, provides detailed discussion of
plans, objectives, and budgets. An annual audit
of the previous year’s budget is performed
and reported to ASQ to ensure not only fiscal
responsibility but to ensure that member value
is guiding the business plan.
In this edition of Competitive Advantage, you
will find an overview of our business plan
objectives for 2015. We will discuss our progress
and updates at the 69th World Conference on
Quality and Improvement. Please feel free to
join us at our annual business meeting on May
4, 2015, in Nashville, TN.
Service Quality Division’s
2015 Strategic Objectives
1. Improve Member Programs
a. 24th Annual Service Quality Conference
For the past 23 years we have been
very fortunate to offer our members a
great networking opportunity, where
they can gather knowledge and tools to
help them in their day-to-day lives. The
division is committed to continuing this
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SPRING 2015
b. Scholarships
Each year the division offers
scholarships to our members or those
who are sponsored by our members. For
2015, we hope to increase the number
of scholarships being awarded. For
details about the application process and
deadlines, please go to asq.org/service/
about/scholarships-service.html.
c. Awards
• Member value
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tradition, providing a program that will
focus on “Showcasing Service Quality.”
We hope to see more of our members in
attendance, so we encourage you to join
us in Orlando, FL, September 28 – 29.
For details, visit our website at asq.org/
conferences/service-quality/index.html.
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Similar to our scholarships, the division
is looking to increase the number of
individuals recognized through our
awards program. There are a number of
awards offered, so if you know someone
deserving of recognition, refer to our
website for more information (asq.org/
service/about/awards-service.html).
d. Education
From an education perspective, there are
two key initiatives the team focuses on.
The first is webinars, which are available
free of charge to our members. The second
is the Service Quality Body of Knowledge
(SQBoK) framework. For each of these
areas, the division is looking at ways to
improve the content and relevancy for our
members. Both of these will continue in
their current state, but if you’re interested
in getting involved, or have suggestions
for how to improve these, please reach out
to us at [email protected].
2. Strengthen Communication Channels
a. Website Refresh
As you may be aware, ASQ is making a
fairly significant investment in improving
its website technologies. While the
division relies on this enhancement, we
have also recognized an opportunity
to update our content while we wait
for the new enhanced features. So for
2015, the team will be reviewing all
information currently available, and will
ASQ.ORG/SERVICE
be updating the content accordingly.
Again, if you have any suggestions on
what you’d like to see, please email us at
[email protected].
b. Social Media
In case you’re unaware, the division has
both a Twitter account (@asqsqd) and
LinkedIn group (ASQ Service Quality
Division) established. Our goal is to
increase awareness and participation in
these, so we can really get the service
quality discussions flowing. If you
haven’t yet done so, we would encourage
you to follow us, and feel free to start
a discussion, or jump in with your
thoughts on an existing thread. This is
a great way that we can all advance the
voice of service quality.
c. Surveys
Your feedback to the division is critical
to ensure we are continually improving
the value we provide. In the past,
any feedback you have provided has
been reviewed and incorporated into
our strategic planning activities. For
2015, we will be continuing these
activities, but are looking to improve
on our feedback process. Not only
will we incorporate your feedback,
but we’ll be looking at improving our
communications back to you on how
we’ve done that. We’ll be looking at how
to best manage this by reviewing all of
our communication channels, including
our newsletter, website, and our
conferences. More updates will follow
on this later in the year.
3. Increase Member Engagement
The division is always looking for fresh,
passionate talent to promote the idea of
service quality. We will be continuing to
recruit new volunteers for both special
projects and as part of the leadership
team. If you’re at WCQI or at the Service
Quality Conference, reach out to a
member of the division’s leadership team
for more information. Otherwise, feel
free to email us at asqservicequality@
gmail.com to let us know of your interest.
Jan Peace,
Division Chair 2014-2015
2015
DIVISION MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE
Chair Jan Peace
[email protected]
Chair-Elect Leia Patzernuk
[email protected]
TRANSFORMING THE WORLD THROUGH
INNOVATION, INSPIRATION, AND LEADERSHIP
2015 WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITY AND IMPROVEMENT
May 4 – 6, 2015 | Nashville, TN
Hope to See You There!
Let Quality and Innovation INSPIRE You
The influence quality has today is broader than in any other time in history. The ability it has to
transform organizations and communities continues to be demonstrated in a growing number
of ways. It is within this setting that the 2015 World Conference on Quality and Improvement
(WCQI) offers a forum of ideas and an international network of thought leaders, experts, and peers
who are eager to share their best practices, tested solutions, and proven results.
Secretary Robert Houle
[email protected]
Treasurer Alan A. Bruno
[email protected]
Immediate Past Chair
Lori Dellinger
[email protected]
Auditing Chair Arvind Tripathi
[email protected]
Awards Chair/Scholorship Chair
Holly R. Mensen
[email protected]
Stop by the SQD booth at WCQI—booth 740—to win some fun prizes and tweet us while you’re
there @ASQSQD.
Body of Knowledge Project Manager
Zubair Anwar
[email protected]
Join us for our members luncheon at WCQI to hear updates on what the community is doing:
Monday, May 4, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., in the Old Hickory Master Room. Please look for your
invitation soon to RSVP.
Conference Co-Chair Lori Dellinger
[email protected]
Don’t miss this workshop sponsored by the Service Quality Division:
Conference Co-Chair Keith Joy
[email protected]
A Voice of the Customer System to Drive Customer Experience
Monday, May 4, 12:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Primary Presenter: John Goodman, vice chair,
Customer Care Measurement & Consulting,
Alexandria, VA
Co-Presenter: Russ Fleming
Level: Intermediate
The voice of the customer (VoC) is often
limited to surveys and complaints. Companies
actually have much more data describing the
customer experience, such as operational data
and employee input. This session will help you
design a VoC process that draws on many more
data sources; quantifies the revenue and wordof-mouth impact of better quality in a way the
CFO and CMO will accept; packages the data
so it provokes action; and gains you a seat at
the executive table as the director of customer
experience. You will leave with six steps to
allow you to pilot test an enhanced, more
impactful VoC.
Learning Objectives:
• Create a business case for enhanced
investment in quality that the CFO and
CMO will accept.
• Make the company more preventive and
proactive using an end-to-end VoC process.
• Use eight key factors of an effective VoC
process to evaluate the current VoC and
identify priorities for improvement and
additional data sources.
• Move the quality function from tactical
quality focused on cost saving to strategic
customer experience that measurably
enhances revenue and word of mouth.
Learn more and register today at
asq.org/wcqi/index.aspx.
Education Chair Maria V. Stoletova
[email protected]
Internet Liaison Andy Entrekin
[email protected]
Marketing Chair Tania Salarvand
[email protected]
Membership Chair Ed Mathews
[email protected]
Publications Chair Polly LeBarron
[email protected]
Nominating Committee Chair
Lori Dellinger
[email protected]
Volunteer Coordinator Keith S. Joy
[email protected]
WCQI TPC Coordinator
Robert Houle
[email protected]
SPRING 2015
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24TH ANNUAL
SERVICE QUALITY CONFERENCE
We Listened ...
Now, It’s Up to You!
Thank you for taking the member survey last
year. In the nature of Service Quality, we take
your feedback to heart and want to do whatever
we can to make improvements and meet
your needs.
The results of our member surveys indicate
that you want SQD to offer more learning
and networking opportunities. Along with
webinars, the SQBoK, and events at WCQI, the
Annual SQD Conference is intended to do just
that—provide learning and networking. We are
building the program to include opportunities
for tutorials and workshops along with
networking events throughout. The theme of our
conference this year is Showcasing Service Quality:
Your Brand, Your Project, Your Success! The key
takeaway … it’s all about you. We are confident
that you will find the topics both interesting
and inspiring. We are also confident that you
will meet others, from all over the world, to
network with and discuss similar challenges
and experiences. And just imagine you … in
beautiful, sunny Orlando, FL, in September.
So SQD family members, we have listened
to what you want from your membership
involvement and we hope to deliver. You have
SQD LISTENS TO
THE VOICE OF
THE CUSTOMER
Thank you to everyone who participated in
either the Service Quality Division member
survey or the global ASQ Voice of the
Customer Survey. The division leadership
team heard our members very clearly
when you said that we have work to do in
providing meetings and publications that
are valuable to you.
A small team is already at work, but we
need more input from you to ensure we hit
the mark. A brief survey designed to help
us better understand your areas of focus
will be sent soon. We also encourage you
to submit any specific ideas or comments
to [email protected]. Expect
to hear much more on enhancing member
value throughout 2015!
time for the early-bird rate so: Save the date,
confirm attendance, and make travel plans.
Detailed program information is coming soon,
but if you need additional information from the
conference team for internal approvals, please
reach out to Keith Joy ([email protected]) or
Lori Dellinger ([email protected]).
Showcasing Service Quality:
Your Brand, Your Project,
Your Success!
September 28 – 29, 2015
Orlando, FL | Rosen Plaza Hotel
See you in Orlando!
DO YOU HAVE A QUALITY
STORY TO SHARE?
SQD IS SEEKING ARTICLES FOR FUTURE ISSUES
OF THIS NEWSLETTER!
We are looking for articles that explore the key concepts of quality and service and target
the interests of specific sectors and varying experience levels. We are particularly interested
in the following types of content:
• Case studies: Step-by-step descriptions and results of specific projects that you or your
organization completed.
• Perspectives pieces: Your own assessment, based on experience and/or research, of trends
and developments in quality.
• Tutorials: How-to discussions or illustrations for quality practitioners at any level
of experience.
• Human-interest features: Less technical discussions of your own role, experiences, or
insights about working in the quality profession.
Visit asq.org/service/interaction/submission-guidelines.html for more information.
Get Involved With the
Service Quality Division!
Follow the Service Quality Division
on Twitter (@ASQSQD) and join
the conversation on LinkedIn.
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SPRING 2015
I
ASQ.ORG/SERVICE
UPDATE YOUR LIBRARY
by Arvind Tripathi
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE: TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
THAT OVERCOMES DISAFFECTED PEOPLE, STUPID PROCESSES,
AND DERANGED CORPORATE CULTURES,
by Stephen J. Andriole
Publisher: CRC Press, Taylor &
Francis Group
List Price: US$57.55; $52.46 in
Kindle edition
Format: Hardcover; 209 pages
Publication Date: 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4398-7658-9
Introduction
According to the author, “costeffective technology management is
much more about people, personal
relationships, and corporate culture
than it is about the technology itself or
management best practices.”
Overview of Book’s
Structure
Chapter 1 looks at all of the people in
our professional lives. Insights in this
chapter are usually negative.
Chapter 2 is about organizational
politics, among other reporting,
governance, and power realities. This
chapter also does not paint a rosy
picture of the future of organizations,
but emphasizes the need to change.
Chapter 3 looks at new management
best practices, given constraints of
people, process, and cultures.
Chapter 4 explores outsourcing
and cloud computing. According
to the author, the new technology
delivery models represent the greatest
opportunity to save and make money
with technology in a long time.
The final chapter suggests what to
do tomorrow. It is a summary of all
previous chapters and the strong
views the author has about almost
everything. In addition, the book
also has an epilogue that once again
repeats its same message.
Highlights: What I liked!
This book does show the knowledge
and experience the author seems to
have in this field. It offers a dry sense
of humor that some readers may enjoy;
while others may find this author
too cynical.
The book has a few graphics and
templates demonstrating some major
points the author makes in the book.
This breaks the monotony of just
reading the text.
Who might benefit from
the book?
This book may be helpful to any leader
that may have a role in IT transition
and management for any industry.
Conclusion
Andriole wants us not to worry about
PCs, servers, networks, or digital
rights management. The author
emphasizes the importance of people,
processes, culture, and organizations
at multiple points in the book, and
the book does provide some of the
specifics of how to make a successful
technology transformation for
an organization.
About the Reviewer
Arvind Tripathi is a Lean Six Sigma
Master Black Belt and continuous
improvement coach at Flowserve
in Dallas, TX. He is a Project
Management Professional (PMP),
Lean and Six Sigma Master Black
Belt (MBB), and an ASQ Certified
Manager of Quality/Organizational
Excellence (CMQ/OE) with more
than 20 years of professional
experience in project and program
management. He is an ASQ Fellow.
Tripathi has delivered impressive
business results in aerospace,
automotive, chemicals, management
consulting, oil and gas, technology,
and service industries. He has an
MBA in finance from Wichita State
University, an MS in engineering
management from the University of
Oklahoma, and a BS in mechanical
engineering from India. He has
been active in ASQ, PMI, IIE, and
is a past Malcolm Baldrige National
Quality Award examiner. His email is:
[email protected].
VOLUNTEER
There are many opportunities
to volunteer for the Service
Quality Division. Please contact
Keith Joy at [email protected]
for more information.
SPRING 2015
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5
PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT
Competitive Advantage is a newsletter published by the Service Quality Division (SQD) of
ASQ. The Service Quality Division of ASQ does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in
Competitive Advantage by the managing editor, features editor, or contributors. Items and letters
are chosen for their general interest to division and Society members, but conclusions are those
of the individual writers.
Submission of Articles Considered for Publication in
Competitive Advantage and All Other Communications
Regarding Competitive Advantage
VISION
The ASQ Service Quality Division
will be the leading worldwide
provider of knowledge resulting in
the improvement of service quality
operational performance excellence.
Excluding CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Contact: Polly LeBarron, [email protected]
Communications Regarding the Service Quality Division
Contact: Jan Peace, [email protected]
Communications Regarding Change of Address and ASQ Membership
Contact: ASQ
600 North Plankinton Ave.
P.O. Box 3005
Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005, USA
Phone: 414-272-8575 or
800-248-1946 (USA only)
Fax: 414-272-1734
For additional information visit the ASQ website, www.asq.org.
Competitive Advantage is published quarterly with targeted publication dates at the
beginning of January, April, July, and October. The actual dates may vary to coincide with
division and Society events. The cut-off date for article submission is 35 calendar days prior
to above targeted publication dates.
Vision of Competitive Advantage: To be the highest value newsletter in the world on issues
pertaining to service quality.
Division website: asq.org/service.
You can advertise in COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
The following are the advertising rates for Competitive Advantage.
Single Issue
$425
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$ 65
$275 +
Four Issues
$1,500
$  800
$  450
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Call
Checks for payment should be made payable to ASQ, Service Quality Division,
and full payment is due on receipt of ad copy. The deadline for inclusion in
the next issue of Competitive Advantage is 35 calendar days prior to the listed
targeted publication months.
Editor: Polly LeBarron, [email protected].
6
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SPRING 2015
I
ASQ.ORG/SERVICE
MISSION
The ASQ Service Quality Division
addresses service quality globally
by providing a body of
knowledge to individuals,
organizations, and communities
through the creation, gathering,
and exchange of information.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Targeted Publication Dates
Size of Ad
Full Page
Half Page
Quarter Page
Business Card (1/8 Page)
Insert (Full Page)
VISION, MISSION,
AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES –
SERVICE QUALITY
DIVISION
• We exist to serve our customers,
and value their geographic and
occupational diversity.
• We strive for operational
excellence and continuous
improvement in our endeavors.
• We support ASQ and follow the
ASQ Code of Ethics.
SHARE YOUR
KNOWLEDGE
SQD is looking for volunteers to
record webinars on topics interesting
for the division members. If you
have written a paper, delivered a
presentation, or know about some
innovative, “best-in-class” service
industry practice, share your knowledge
with your fellow quality professionals.
Please contact Maria Stoletova at
[email protected] to discuss
webinar opportunities.