Quality attributes describe different aspects of the experience, service, or products, and they are perceived different by the customer, and should be treated as such. There is a model to help you do just that. It’s called the Kano model. Named and developed by Dr. Noriaki Kano to model how customers perceive quality, it is based on the level of achievement on three types of attributes that impact customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
The three types are:
- Dissatisfiers – or basic quality attributes;
- Satisfiers – performance quality attributes;
- Delighters – or excitement quality attributes.
Here is a Kano model where the vertical scale is increasing satisfaction as you go higher up above the horizontal axis, and increasing dissatisfaction as you go further down the horizontal axis.
The horizontal scale shows the degree of execution from nonfulfillment on the left of the vertical axis to increasing fulfilment on the right of the vertical axis.
Dissatisfiers, or basic quality attributes. They must be present, otherwise customers will be dissatisfied. These attributes are essential must-haves or must-be’s. Addressing them will reduce or eliminate dissatisfaction but will not increase satisfaction. For example, nobody jumps for joy when they have a safe flight, or when there are clean towels in a hotel. It is a basic requirement.
However, not having a safe flight or not having clean, unused towels brings about dissatisfaction. That is why basic quality attributes are called dissatisfiers. Their presence does not increase satisfaction, but their absence results in dissatisfaction. Addressing dissatisfiers, or basic quality attributes, will reduce dissatisfaction. However, reducing dissatisfaction is not the same thing as increasing satisfaction, and this brings us to satisfiers.
Satisfiers, or performance quality attributes. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction levels vary according to the level of execution on these attributes. For example, with cars and trucks, better fuel economy or higher miles per gallon increases satisfaction and lower miles per gallon lowers satisfaction.
Finally, delighters, or excitement quality attributes. The absence of these attributes does not result in dissatisfaction, but their presence can lead to delight, or a wow reaction, where satisfaction shoots up exponentially. For example, getting free champagne during a flight in coach or economy class. Or a complimentary spa treatment during your hotel stay.
So what are the implications of the Kano model? Let’s discuss how they impact design projects, improvement projects, and day-to-day management. In design projects, dissatisfiers, or basic quality attributes are nonnegotiable and must all be addressed.
Performance quality attributes, or satisfiers, must be sufficient to achieve good customer satisfaction levels. And to increase market share, delighters must be present. For improvement projects, if the intent is a reduced customer dissatisfaction, focus on ensuring that all dissatisfiers, or basic quality attributes, are addressed. If the intent is to improve customer satisfaction, then improve on the satisfiers, or performance attributes, first before addressing any delighters.
For day-to-day operations, ensure that basic quality requirements are always met, satisifers, or performance quality levels, are maintained, and any delighters that are present remain present. So the next time you shop online, board a flight, or stay at a hotel, I hope there is no dissatisfaction. Instead, you can get some satisfaction and even be delighted.