Abstract
The improvement of service quality so as to enhance customer satisfaction has been widely mentioned over the past few decades. However, a creative and systematic way of achieving higher customer satisfaction in terms of service quality is rarely discussed. Recently, TRIZ, a Russian acronym which means “Theory of Inventive Problem Solving,” has been proven to be a well-structured and innovative way to solve problems in both technical and non-technical areas. In this study, a systematic model based on the TRIZ methodology is proposed to generate creative solutions for service quality improvement. This is done by examining first the determinants of service quality based on a comprehensive qualitative study in the electronic commerce sector. Then the correlation between the imprecise requirements from customers and the determinants of service quality is analyzed with Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment (QFD) in order to identify the critical determinants relating to customer satisfaction. After which, the corresponding TRIZ engineering parameters can be effectively applied in the TRIZ contradiction matrix to identify the inventive principles. A case study is illustrated to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in an e-commerce company, and its results are presented to show the applicability of the TRIZ methodology in the e-service sector.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chen S.M. (1996) Evaluating weapon systems using fuzzy arithmetic operations. Fuzzy Sets Syst. 77, 265–276
Cox F., Dale B.G. (2001) Service quality and e-commerce: an exploratory analysis. Manag. Serv. Qual. 11(2):121
Iwaarden J., Wiele T., Ball L., Millen R. (2003) Applying SERVQUAL to Web sites: an exploratory study. Int. J. Qual. Rel. Manage. 20(8):919–935
Kang G.D., James J. (2004) Service quality dimensions: an examination of Grönroos’s service quality model. Manag. Serv. Qual. 14(4):266–277
Li Y.N., Tan K.C., Xie M. (2003) Factor analysis of service quality dimension shifts in the information age. Manage. Auditing J. 18(4):297–302
Loebmann, A.: The TRIZ methodology- an always ongoing innovative cycle, TRIZ J. March Issue (2002)
Loiacono, E., Watson, R.T., Goodhue, D.: WEBQUAL: a measure of website quality. In: Evans, K., Scheer, L. (eds.) Marketing Educators’ Conference: Marketing Theory and Applications, vol. 13, pp. 432–437 (2002)
Madu C.N., Madu A.A. (2002) Dimensions of e-quality. Int. J. Quality Reliability Management 19(3):246–258
Mann D. (2002) Hands-on Systematic Innovation. CREAX Press, Belgium
Mann, D., Domb, E.: 40 inventive (Business) principles with examples. TRIZ J. September Issue (1999)
Parasuraman A., Zeithaml V.A., Malhotra A. (2005) E-S-QUAL A Multiple-item Scale for assessing electronic service quality. J. Serv. Res. 7(3):213–233
Rea, K.C.: TRIZ and software- 40 principle analogies, part 1. TRIZ J. September Issue (2001)
Retseptor, G.: 40 inventive principles in marketing, sales and advertising. TRIZ J. April Issue (2005)
Retseptor, G.: 40 inventive principles in quality management. TRIZ J. March Issue (2003)
Ribbink D., Riel A.C.R., Liljander V., Streukens S. (2004) Comfort your online customer: quality, trust and loyalty on the internet. Manag. Serv. Qual. 14(6):446–456
Ruyter K., Wetzels M., Kleijnen M. (2001) Customer adoption of e-service: an experimental study. Int. J. Serv. Ind. Manage. 12(2):184
Santos J. (2003) E-service quality: a model of virtual service quality dimensions. Manag. Serv. Qual. 13(3):233–246
Sohn S.Y., Choi I.S. (2001) Fuzzy QFD for supply chain management with reliability consideration. Rel. Eng. Syst. Safety 72, 327–334
Stauss B. (2002) The dimension of complaint satisfaction: process and outcome complaint satisfaction versus cold fact and warm act complaint satisfaction. Manag. Serv. Qual. 12(3):173–183
Surjadjaja H., Ghosh S., Antony J. (2003) Determining and assessing the determinants of e-service operations. Manag. Serv. Qual. 13(1):39–53
Szymanski D.M., Hise R.T. (2000) E-satisfaction: an initial examination. J. Retailing 76(3):309–322
Temponi C., Yen J., Tiao W.A. (1999) House of quality: a fuzzy logic-based requirements analysis. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 117, 340–354
Webb, A.: TRIZ: an inventive approach to invention. Eng. Manage. J. June, 117–124 (2002)
Wolfinbarger M., Gilly M.C. (2003) eTailQ: dimensionalizing, measuring and predicting etail quality. J. Retailing 79, 183–198
Yanashina H., Ito T., Kawada H. (2002) Innovative product development process by integrating QFD and TRIZ. Int. J. Prod. Res. 40(5):1031–1050
Yang Z., Jun M. (2002) Consumer perception of e-service quality: from internet purchaser and non-purchaser perspectives. J. Bus. Strateg. 19(1):19–41
Yoo B., Donthu N. (2001) Developing a scale to measure the perceived quality of an Internet shopping site (SITEQUAL). Q. J. Electron. Commer. 2(1):31–46
Zhang, J., Chai, K.H., Tan, K.C.: 40 inventive principles with applications in service operations management. TRIZ J. December Issue (2003)
Zeithaml V.A., Parasuraman A., Malhotra A. (2002) Service quality delivery through web sites: a critical review of extant knowledge. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 30(4):362–375
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Su, CT., Lin, CS. A case study on the application of Fuzzy QFD in TRIZ for service quality improvement. Qual Quant 42, 563–578 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-006-9058-y
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-006-9058-y