AtlantiCare and the “Voice of the Customer” Essay

Introduction located in southeastern New Jersey, AtlantiC ar is a not-for-profit cheek that provides slap-up and chronic health care service in the following force fields cancer, trauma, cardiac care, stroke, behavioral health, urgent care, hospice, home care, family medicine, occupational medicine, child care, early learning, and kick care for the homeless. Beca utilize of the nature of the services it provides feature is essential at AtlantiCare, and the organization delivers it. In fact, AtlantiCare applies the principles of derive quality so comprehensively and consistently that the organization has received the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National lineament Award. At the upshot of AtlantiCares quality course of studyme is a butt against the organization calls the share of the Customer. This is a five-phase process used to make the organizations patients partners in its continual-improvement efforts. utter of the Customer identifies patient requirements and then m akes sure that AtlantiCares services contact these requirements. The companys customer focus does not stop with remote customers. It also includes informal customers-employees (Goetsh & Davis, 2011). Total quality is not a concept anymore in day to day operations at AtlantiCare. It is part of the management team work ethic and philosophy, and the rest of the nonprofit organization company staff. AtlantiCare applies the principles of total quality in such a flair that not only takes care of its customers, but also its cozy customers. By doing so, the company has achieved organizational excellence. The case that follows is slightly the steps taken by the administration at AtlantiCare and also the lessons learned by the executives and the staff to reach a world-class health care provider.QuestionsAtlantiCare has learned how to maintain the principles of in effect(p) chat in a Total Quality setting. If total quality is the engine, communication is the oil that keeps it run ning. Much of what total quality is all about depends on effective communication. Without it, total quality breaks down. Some of the key elements of the total quality concept are customer focus (internal and outer), total employee troth and empowerment, crownership, teamwork, decision making, problem prevention, problem solving, and conflict resolution (Goetsh & Davis, 2011). The core of the AtlantiCares Total Quality system is a process called the Voice of the Customer. This is a five-phase process used to make the organizations patients partners in its continual-improvement efforts. Voice of the Customer identifies patient requirements and then makes sure that AtlantiCares services satisfy these requirements. The part that AtlantiCare applies perfectly well is the focus in its internal and external customers.This approach has giving the nonprofit company the information infallible to fix its mistakes and to reengineer its process, so AtlantiCare keeps its customers satisfie d. Basically, what AtlantiCare does is to listen to all the stakeholders, following the principles of effective communication message received, message understood. To listen responsively, managers and employees must learn to simultaneously use their ears, eyes, brains, and hearts. Responsive listening can pay substantial dividends for managers in a total quality setting (Goetsh & Davis, 2011). PepsiCo and IKEA are among the top companies were state wants to work at. It is not only because these companies have a recognized ring or they are multinational companies. It is basically because these two companies also apply Total Quality programs where listening the suggestions and concerns of its employees and customers is a very big component. correspond to IKEA Welcome Inside 2012 report they in many markets we are the employer of choice, and up-to-the-minute results from our co-worker satisfaction survey, VOICE, show a very high take aim of satisfaction among our co-workers. The VOICE result also identifies areas where we can improve. IKEA is listening actively. They gainful assist to their employees. They are sensitive to the information they receive, and also they act in consequence. They are being creative by developing programs to help their employees to start out and develop. In 2012, PepsiCo was listed among the Top 25 Worlds Best multinational Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute (PepsiCo, 2012). PepsiCo is always looking for for talent and sustainability for them it means to invest in their associates to help them succeed providing a safe and inclusive workplace globally and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where they operate.In all of their markets, they are developing the talent of associates, preparing them to lead PepsiCo into the future. done PepsiCo University and online courses offered by their global functions, more than 8,000 of their associates completed more than 11,500 courses in 2012. T he headmaster development they offer to their associates enables them to develop the skills, capabilities and mindsets needed to drive sustainable financial performance and value creation. PepsiCo is combating the inhibitors of listening by providing to its employees with opportunities of professional development. finishIn order to have a Total Quality program that works effectively it is important to put at the core of the program the communication piece. Especially the information that is brought and communicated by the customers is the piece that has to have a mechanism that assures that it is inputted in to the Total Quality program. In the case of AtlantiCare, the nonprofit company has a system in place that voices the suggestions, complains, and demands of both customers external and internal. The core of the AtlantiCares Total Quality system is a process called the Voice of the Customer. This is a five-phase process used to make the organizations patients partners in its con tinual-improvement efforts. Voice of the Customer identifies patient requirements and then makes sure that AtlantiCares services satisfy these requirements. The part that AtlantiCare applies perfectly well is the focus in its internal and external customers.In the case of IKEA, the company has its own program called the VOICE. The VOICE result also identifies areas where we can improve. IKEA is listening actively. They paid attention to their employees. They are sensitive to the information they receive, and also they act in consequence. The area where this program could improve is in the external customer. According to this program they are only surveying the employees, but they are not taking in consideration the important information that the external customers have and can be used in the companys advantage. On the other hand, in 2012, PepsiCo was listed among the Top 25 Worlds Best Multinational Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute (PepsiCo, 2012), which means Pep siCo takes care of its internal customers.In all of their markets, they are developing the talent of associates, preparing them to lead PepsiCo into the future. Through PepsiCo University and online courses offered by their global functions, more than 8,000 of their associates completed more than 11,500 courses in 2012. PepsiCo provides for its employees professional developing opportunities and career growth, but they do not have a program in place that assures that its employees are providing information that could help the company. less(prenominal) say they are not putting communication at the core of its Total Quality program. Finally, both companies could learn something from AtlantiCare by implementing Total Quality programs that included their external customers. Especially in the case of IKEA that sells directly to the concluding consumer.ReferencesDavid L. Goetsch, Stanley B. Davis. (2011) Quality Management for Organizational Excellence Introduction to Total Quality, (7th Ed.) hurrying Saddle River, NJ Pearson Education IKEA Group (2012). Welcome inside 2012.Retrieved fromhttp//www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/pdf/yearly_summary/ys_welcome_inside_2012.pdf PepsiCo (2012). Annual Report.Retrieved fromhttp//www.pepsico.com/download/PEP_Annual_Report_2012.pdf