The impact of mass customization on the quality management system in a sales and marketing environment - a case study

Abstract

The introduction of a vehicle platform destined for world-wide export brought mass customisation to the South African subsidiary of a German luxury car manufacturer. This, together with a 29% head count reduction, a model range increase, stringent profitability targets and increased customer satisfaction demands, made the previous, unintegrated quality systems used in the Sales and Marketing Division obsolete. A quality management system (QMS) based on ISO 9002 was implemented. To solve some of the problems in the mass customisation process, the principles of customer satisfaction and the measurement of internal processes were used to make recommendations for operational improvements.

Die produksie van voertuie wat in groot volumes wêreldwyd uitgevoer word, het bou-volgens-bestelling na die Suid-Afrikaanse filiaal van ‘n Duitse luukse voertuigvervaardiger gebring. Tesame met ‘n 29% personeelvermindering, ‘n verhoging in die getal beskikbare modelle, streng winsgewendheidsdoelwitte en verhoogde kliëntetevredenheidvereistes, het dit die vorige, ongeïntegreerde kwaliteitstelsels in die Verkope-en-Bemarkingsafdeling in onbruik laat verval. ‘n Kwaliteitsbestuurstelsel gebaseer op ISO 9002 is geïmplementeer. Die beginsels van kliëntetevredenheid en die meting van falings in interne prosesse word gebruik om verbeteringsvoorstelle te doen om sodoende bedryfsbestuur te verbeter.