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Case: Is Quality Good Marketing or Is Good Marketing Quality
1
Quality is important to the employees of a Fortune 500 leisure furniture manufacturer and
retailer. Franchise owners are required to operate their stores with a focus on high quality,
knowing that their license may be revoked if the corporation judges their quality to be
inadequate. Franchise owners recognize that commitment to quality begins with management
and filters down to all areas of the business. Managers believe that if they cut corners, their
employees are likely to do the same. They emphasize that things should be done correctly the
Quality efforts are made in all areas of the business in an attempt to achieve "Zero Unsatis-
fied Customers." The first thing a customer notices at each franchise store is its "curb appeal."
The parking lot is kept clean. An attractive sign displays the mission of the company, which
explains the company's commitment to satisfying customers through service, selection, and
value. When the customer enters the showroom, several displays of furniture are visible
immediately. These displays, called vignettes, are small room settings including, for example, a
sofa, on or two chairs, a coffee table, and an end table. Lamps and accessories are included in the
vignettes, although the store carries very few such items and most are not available for purchase.
Training and continuing education of a high quality sales staff is a company priority.
The salesperson must believe in the store's product and service quality and attempt to instill this
in customers' minds. The salesperson must attempt to understand customers' needs and to satisfy
1. Have you been shopping for furniture recently?
2. How long have you been shopping?
3. Where have you been shopping?
4. What piece or pieces have you seen that you like?
The second is who is the purchase-decision maker. (In many cases, this person is not present.)
The third area is timing. Does the customer need the merchandise by a certain date or for a
particular reason? The fourth piece of information is how much the customer wants to invest
The franchisor also emphasizes quality in warehousing. This includes handling of the
product from the point of receiving until its shipment from the warehouse. Furniture received at
the warehouse is inspected for defects, such as rips and scratches. If a defect cannot be repaired,
the unit is promptly shipped back to the manufacturer. The next step is to steam out any bumps
or creases that occurred in shipping. When furniture is delivered to a franchisee's showroom, the
vice president of merchandising is responsible for placing it in the showroom for proper price-
tagging.
For customer delivery the store rents professional-looking uniforms for its delivery
personnel. The delivery equipment is well-maintained, clean, and reliable. Trucks are cleaned
every day and repainted frequently. The trucks are on a tight maintenance schedule in order to
maximize reliability. Customers can request a guaranteed two-hour delivery window. Delivery
personnel call the day prior to the scheduled delivery to remind the customer of the time and to
Customers receive numerous guarantees, including lifetime parts warranties, seven-day
exchange privileges, and in-home consultations. Follow-up telephone calls ask customers about
their feelings toward all aspects of their experience with the purchase. They are asked about store
appearance, if the merchandise was in excellent condition when delivered, if it is sufficient to
Discussion Questions
1 Of what value in achieving quality are the actions this company takes in store appearance,
warehousing, delivery, and customer relations? Can you think of other aspects of quality that
have not been mentioned here?
