Strategic Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction

Strategic Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction

Strategic quality management is an extension of total quality management. Strategic management is "management that bases all actions, activities, and decisions on what is most likely - within an ethical framework - to ensure successful performance in the marketplace" (Goetsch & Davis, 2010). Strategic managing can play an important role in guiding managers in the right direction within an organization. The members of Team A will take a look at the strategic position, quality management approach, and customer satisfaction measurements within Starbucks.

Starbucks SWOT Analysis

Starbucks has many strong characteristics that allow it to compete in its market. The company has a loyal customer following. Customers return to the store for the coffee, environment, and friendly customer service. The store's design allows the customer to use the space just like an office or home. The store has music and wireless for customers to use. They are built from recycled product when available. The attention to detail and care for the environment has made many loyal customers for Starbucks.

Starbucks employees receive training on customer service. This allows the employee to feel confident about his or her ability to meet the needs of the customer. The training ensures every employee of Starbucks is trained the same way. That produces quality employees who can help other employees who might have issues in an area of customer service. It also keeps loyal customers returning to the store (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2011).

The company has a vast line of products. The company has coffee, tea, ice cream, ready-to-drink coffee drinks, and fresh pastries (Starbucks, 2011). This line of products allows the company to meet the needs of customers who visit their stores. The product line serves more than coffee drinkers. It also shows the ability for the company to diversify its product line and grow into a more competitive company. Starbucks recently purchased Evolution Fresh. Evolution Fresh is a juice company. The company adds a healthy line of products to the product line of Starbucks (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2011).

Starbucks has a weak presence in the international marketplace. Most of the company's stores are located in the United States. The company will need to increase that presence if it wants to expand outside the United States. Competing in the global market will allow Starbucks to grow its target audience. A larger target audience creates a larger profit for the company. China and Brazil present perfect opportunities for the expansion of Starbucks. The economies in both countries are growing. This will allow Starbucks to enter their markets in a growth stage. That will alleviate the challenges associated with a mature market that has several competitors.

Starbucks has to compete with other competitors, such as Dunkin' Donuts, McDonalds, Yum! Brands, and Nestle. These competitors provide a variety of products to their customers. Designing products that will assist them in the competition is necessary. Starbucks will need to devise a product line that differentiates Starbucks from its competitors.

Mission & Vision Statement

Within any corporation a mission and vision statement must be designed. Creating these statements allows for the corporation as well as the consumers to have an understanding of what purpose is trying to be attained, along with what direction is being sought after for future endeavors. Starbucks mission is all about the customer and the quality of the coffee. The effort that is put into the coffee originates with the growing process of the coffee bean itself. They are nurtured by the caretakers and then roasted with great care (Starbucks Corp., 2011). Starbucks also takes the initiative in creating quality living for those that assist in the care taking process in the country in which they are cultivated.

Customers are respected and highly favored, they are what make Starbucks a success, for that, they are served with generosity and catered to with professionalism. Their opinions are taken into consideration as they are made aware that their voice counts and truly makes a difference. The future that Starbucks is striving to attain is to remain delivering quality service to the customer in the neighborhoods in which they are serviced as well as delivering coffee that is of high standard and meets the customers' needs.

A quality management principle is a comprehensive and fundamental rule / belief, for leading and operating an organization, aimed at continually improving performance over the long term by focusing on customers while addressing the needs of all other stake holders (Global Quality Village, 2011). The principles that guide Starbucks in incorporating quality principles are encompassed of leadership, customer focus, employee involvement/ empowerment as well as communication