Product & Service Design - Customer Service

Background:

Interaction with the customer often affects process performance adversely. But a service, by its very nature, implies that some interaction and customization is needed. Recognizing that the customer's unique desires tend to play havoc with a process, the more the manager designs the process to accommodate these special requirement, the more effective and efficient the process will be.

Questions for Thought:

1. Is the customer always right? Can you think of examples when a customer isn't always right?I

2. Is there a balance between customer interaction and mass production? How do fast food establishments deal with this balance?

3. What is the responsibility of a manager and a firm for designing products and services that accommodate customers idiosyncrasies or special requirements?

4. The video clip of Michael Douglas in Falling Down is humorous but also vary scary. What if any processes could be put in place to ameliorate a situation like this?