Introduction
Quality planning is the process by which an organization lays down a sequence of steps that will be used to meet the organization’s objectives and activities. It is applied in designing a product or service that will meet customer, business, and operational needs. One of the most important steps in quality planning is the identification of customers and the discovery of their needs. Customers to an organization are the individuals who are affected either by the product or by the process that is used to produce the product. All organizations have both internal and external customers. Internal and external customers depend on an organization and its operations especially the goods or services that the organization offers. Internal and external customers to a healthcare organization are different from those in an academic institution which are different from those of a manufacturing organization. Internal customers include those elements inside the producing organization while external customers include those who are outside the producing organization. Discovering the needs of both internal and external customers helps an organization to offer quality goods and services that provide customer satisfaction (Rose 44). This paper will seek to identify customers to the wireless headphones offered by Motorola and the secondary school education and analyze the needs of each customer.
The Motorola Wireless Headphones
Motorola is one of the most popular multinational companies that manufacture electronics and telecommunications products. The organization offers wireless headphones to its customers. Motorola S9 is one of these wireless headphones that have attracted many customers. It is a lightweight headphone that integrates wireless mobile calls and music.
External Customers
Motorola S9 has several external customers who are outside the organization. One of these external customers is the end-user for whom the product is designed (Gupta 128). The end users are external customers because they are outside the organization and they are not directly involved in the production of the product. The suppliers of the product in the different parts where it is sold are also external. These are intermediaries who are not directly involved in the production of the product but are hired purposely for the transport of the product. Wholesalers receive the headphones from the suppliers and distribute them to the retailers. The retailers then offer the products for sale to customers. These two are external customers because they are outside the organization and are not involved in the production of the product. All these customers are external because they are outside the company and are not directly involved in running the organization.
Each of these groups of external customers has its own needs. Users of the Motorokr S9 need headphones that are stable and offer comfort. The headphones should also be wireless meaning that they can connect to the phone directly without the use of the cable. The headphones should also allow them to pause or mute the music in case of an incoming call. The suppliers need the product packed in a manner that cannot get destroyed during transportation. The product should also be packed in boxes of different sizes depending on the needs of the wholesalers. The wholesalers want the product to be available throughout the year so that there will not come a time when retailers will ask for it and lack it. The retailers just like the manufacturers need the product to be available throughout the year so that the customers can always have the product whenever they need it. The needs of each group are therefore different from the needs of other groups.
The product is designed in a way that it offers high comfort and stability to the customer. The product is very light and is worn behind the head (Motorola 2). It is used with mobile phones that have the Bluetooth feature so that there are no cables connected between the mobile phone and the headphone. The headphones have music and call control so that a user can control the phone from them. The speakers have a circumference of about 13mm that allows them to fit well on the ear. The product is well packed in small boxes that are then packed in cartons. This way, the suppliers can supply them securely and conveniently. The organization also manufactures the product in plenty so that there is no time when there are deficits in stores. This satisfies the wholesalers and retailers. The headphones provide comfort to the customers who use them.
Internal Customers
The main internal customers of the product are the employees (Gupta 128). Some individuals are directly involved in the production of the product from the design to the final product. These include managers, program coordinators, maintenance workers, regular employees such as those in the accounting department and the human resource department, and others. Employees are the individuals who are directly involved in the production of the product and are therefore the major internal customers.
Different categories of employees have different needs. The managers and program coordinators need employees who are cooperative and able to follow instructions. Regular employees need a stress-free environment that allows them to explore and innovate. They also want fair treatment when it comes to promotions. The needs of each of these customers are different from the needs of the others.
To ensure that high-quality employees are hired, the organization’s human resource department recruits employees according to their qualifications and performance. The employees are also given quality training and orientation regularly to keep up with the changing trends. The organization also has a motivation program for employees who contribute greatly to the profits of the organization. The employees work in teams and under little supervision. Promotions in the organization are based on the performance of the individuals which is based on the performance program. The human resource department plays a major role in ensuring that the quality of employees in the organization is high.
Education in Chorlton High School
Chorlton High School is situated in Manchester and offers education to students approximately between eleven and sixteen years. To enhance quality planning, the school groups its customers into internal and external customers. The needs of each category of customers are stipulated so that the steps taken can provide customer satisfaction.
External Customers
Chorlton high school has different categories of external customers. The employer is the first category of external customers. This is because he is involved indirectly in giving the service to students. The universities and colleges where the students join after completing their secondary education are external employers because they are outside the institution and are not involved in giving the service to students (Frazier 86). The parents are not involved in providing the service but support their children. The government is also an external partner because it is part of the institution but involved in the running of the school. There are different categories of external customers to Chorlton high school.
Each group of customers has its own needs. Employers expect the teachers to give their best to the students so that the students perform well. The universities and colleges expect the students who join them to have the basic knowledge required from high school. The parents need their children to perform and the government needs a good fairing of the teachers and the students. All these groups of customers have their needs.
Teachers employed in the school have the right qualifications and are dedicated to helping the students perform. This provides satisfaction to the employer and the parents. The whole syllabus is covered in detail so that the students have the necessary knowledge to catch up with secondary education.
Internal Customers
The institution has several internal customers who are involved in providing the service to the students (Frazier 86). Teachers are directly involved in teaching the students. The students are internal because they are directly involved in receiving the service. The school board ensures that the school program is efficient and all the individuals involved in the program are comfortable. Central office administrators ensure that programs are well laid down and followed by the teachers and the students.
Teachers need resources such as textbooks and files. The students also need resources and the teachers to explain concepts clearly. The central office administrators need cooperation between teachers and students. The school board needs the government to provide the necessary resources to the school.
The central office administrators and the school board ensure that funds are spent properly so that the teachers and students have the necessary resources. Teachers whose subjects perform well and students who perform well in different subjects are rewarded to encourage them to continue working hard and challenge others. The school board and the central office administrator hold regular meetings to determine and budget for the needs of the teachers and the students. Examinations are also set regularly to determine the understanding of the students.
Conclusion
Quality planning especially the determination of internal and external customers to an organization is a vital aspect that helps the organization determine their needs and work towards ensuring customer satisfaction. Internal customers include those elements inside the producing organization while external customers include those who are outside the producing organization. The Motorola S9 is a Motorola wireless headphone that is well designed to ensure that the needs of the customers are met. The Motorola Company did quality research to determine the external and internal customers of the product. They also determined the needs of the customers before designing the product. The customers required headphones that were wireless, stable, and comfortable. This led to the design of the headphones that are light in weight and worn at the back of the head. This satisfied many customers and increased sales in the organization. Chorlton High School offers quality education to students in Manchester. Identification of customers and their needs ensures that the needs of these customers are met throughout. The management together with the school board ensures that the needs of the teachers and the students who are key to the performance in the school are always met. This helped improve performance providing satisfaction to all types of customers.
Works Cited
Frazier, Andy. A Roadmap for Quality Transformation in Education. London: CRC Press, 2000. Print.
Gupta, Praveen. The Six Stigma Performance Handbook: A Statistical Guide to Optimizing Results. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.
Motorola, Motorokr S9. 2009. Web.
Rose, Kenneth. Project Quality Management: Why, What, and How. New Jersey: J. Rose Publishing, Inc, 2005. Print.