JIT IN SERVICES
People who think of JIT as applying only to manufacturing may not see how JIT could be applicable to service organizations. However, we have seen in this chapter that JIT is an all-encompassing philosophy that includes eliminating waste, improving quality, continuous improvement, increased responsiveness to customers, and increased speed of delivery. That philosophy is equally applicable to any organization, service or manufacturing.
Following are examples of JIT concepts seen in service firms.
Improved Quality
Service quality is often measured by intangible factors such as timeliness, service consistency, and courtesy. Building quality into the process of service delivery and implementing concepts such as quality at the source can significantly improve service quality dimensions. For example, McDonald's has become famous by building quality into the process and standardizing the service delivery system. Regardless of location, McDonald's customers receive the same product and service consistency.
Uniform Facility Loading
The challenge for service operations is synchronizing their production with demand. Many service firms have developed unique ways to level customer demand in order to provide better service responsiveness. For example, hotels and restaurants use ...
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