Mass customization and the introduction of a quality management system in a sales and marketing environment

Abstract

The introduction of a vehicle destined for world-wide export brought mass customization to BMW SA. This, together with a 29% headcount reduction, a model range increase, stringent profitability targets and increased customer satisfaction demands, made the previous, un-integrated quality systems used in the Sales&Marketing Division obsolete. A quality management system was required to provide structure to the processes supporting a product which was becoming more and more complex. The implementation of a quality management system is described. This system for the first time, described some of the procedures used in the mass customization process of the BMW SA Sales&Marketing Division. The quality management system is evaluated based on the principle that customer satisfaction and the failure of internal processes need to be measured. Various are identified and recommendations are made. Some of the recommendations described have already been implemented successfully. An integrated mass customization procedure was established. Recommendations regarding customer satisfaction are in the process of being implemented. The effectiveness of these recommendations will be evaluated by future customer satisfaction survey results.