Delight beyond satisfaction

Through his vast knowledge and experience, Noriaki Kano—a world-famous quality guru, distinguished professor at the University in Tokyo, lecturer, writer and consultant—has developed a customer satisfaction theory best known as the Kano model. His rudimentary classification differentiates between basic and advanced attributes relating to the concepts of quality as perceived by customers. "There are many facts that need to be taken into account when discussing the proper attention to quality," he says. "In general, we could say that the trend is negative as today's senior managements frequently (only) consider the lowering of costs - wherever possible - and quality management often makes this list. Such an approach is highly dangerous and I believe that the organisations who abide by it have no chance of survival in the long run. I think that organisations should invest in the...