Improving the activities of the testing laboratory using quality management methods

Bridging the gap between customer expectation and reality regarding the service received is vital for customer satisfaction from the perspective of the TQM concept. In this regard, it is necessary to systematically study customer satisfaction and develop ways to improve the quality of services provided. There are various approaches and methods refl ected in the literature for analyzing and evaluating customer satisfaction used in the practice of organizations and allowing them to develop a further strategy for their development. The use of the Kano method, as one of the main methods for studying consumer satisfaction, is based on the formation of a list of possible attributes of a product or service. After conducting a study of the requirements and expectations of consumers, each property is analyzed from the functional and dysfunctional side. The aim of the work is to analyze customer satisfaction with the services of a testing laboratory using the Kano method to develop directions for its development. For this purpose, a questionnaire consisting of 20 pairs of questions was developed, on the basis of which a survey of respondents was conducted. After processing the survey results, consumer satisfaction and consumer dissatisfaction indices were calculated, and a map and diagram of consumer satisfaction and dissatisfaction were constructed. Originality of this study lies in the fact that for the fi rst time an approach has been proposed that allows testing laboratories to identify their development directions, based on indicators (attributes) of service quality that are of signifi cant importance to the consumer, and use them in forming a competitive strategy. The results of the Kano model and the customer satisfaction matrix show that the following attributes of service quality are of priority importance: testing by qualifi ed personnel who constantly improve their competence; the use of modern equipment for testing; expansion of the laboratory’s accreditation area to indicators and facilities that are of interest to customers; availability of free parking space; changing the laboratory’s operating mode; providing discounts to regular customers, etc. The use of the above attributes of service quality will allow the testing laboratory to reduce labor, fi nancial and time costs while achieving a higher quality of service, focusing on the indicators that have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction, and thereby ensure an increase in the competitiveness of the testing laboratory.