Defining quality in services?

September 2, 2013 / Steve Johnson

I really like the new curved shower curtains. They give you more room while in the shower and it doesn't feel so claustrophobic. But recently I've noticed something.

Can you see what's wrong with this installation?

Did you spot it? Yes, this curtain rod is installed upside down. The little dimple is supposed to be pointing up so it "grabs" the curtain loop and keeps the water from spilling out onto the floor. And I'd say about 50% of those I see in hotels are installed incorrectly. Clever idea. Poorly implemented.

I wonder how often the same is true for your product. You have spent a great deal of money and effort to build great products. But have they been installed and implemented correctly? Who verifies the acceptance criteria of your services.

Is that a job for product management?

What would your customer say?

I worked with a professional services team to define their installation and implementation assistance services as "products." We documented them and verified that the services were delivered to "spec."

After all, if the customer isn't happy, then our planning has somehow failed. Look beyond the device to the final service. Look at it from the customer's point of view.

And that's a job for product management.

Isn't it?