1.5.

Customer Satisfaction
ask
customers if
they like the
new product

fix it,
improving,
make
changes

assess
progress

sell the
improved
product

a. Definitions
Customer satisfaction is a post-purchase evaluation of a service offering (Oh, 2000, Bolton and
Drew 1991).
Customer satisfaction as a state of mind in which the customers needs, wants, and expectations
throughout the product of service life haven been met or exceeded, resulting in future repurchase
and loyalty (Anton, 1996)
b. Understanding customer needs:
Identify customers:
o Internal customers: staffs, co-workers
o External customers: children, parents, retailers, super market, supply chain
How to understand customers need:
o To understand what customers need, firstly Mattel must listen to their customers
by Call, Email, Writing letter or Visit them to find out if they are happy with
products quality and price.
o Using database or CRM tools to have information about customer behavior and
preferences, so that Mattel can improve customer satisfaction and retention.
Basically, Children usually love toys which same as characters in cartoon, eyescatching color; parents always want the safety toys for their children
o Conduct survey to know what customers think and what they expect in a product
o A product must meet the need of customers about design, safety, quality,
warrantybefore produced
o Whenever receive feedback from customers, take time to stay in their place
because they want to be acknowledged for taking time to comment about the
product or service.
b. Customer focus:

Identify what product provides for which customers. For example, Barbie dolls for girls,
Cars for boys, or the parents want safety toys for their children.
Put employees in touch with customers: by phone, mail or visit customers home
Empowerment: company give staffs the power to make decision because they directly
meet and contact with customers, they know and understand customers better than the
managements

c. Communicating with customers:

Phuong Nga commercial services company has been an exclusive distributor of Mattel in
Vietnam since 2007, in the time of total recall. Mattel still communicate with Phuong Nga Co.
for some reasons:

Vietnam is a new and potential market. Additionally, Phuong Nga Co. is located in Ho
Chi Minh City, where the people have high income and generous spending.
Phuong Nga Co. have over 10 years experience distribution toys, so they have the trust
and loyalty of customers.
Phuong Nga Co. have more over 50 distribution stores and 1 showroom to show and sell
toys in HCM city. In HN, they do not have any showroom, but they have more over 30
distribution stores, such as: Funny land Vincom center, Fahasha system, Tuti Mart

1.6. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS:

a. Definition:
A quality philosophy that assumes further improvements are always possible and that processes
should be continuously re-evaluated and improvements implemented
b. The 5 S process
Want to achieve continuous improvement of your organization business processes to boost the
productivity. It defines the route in which Mattel should follow to establish a continuously
improving business processes:
-

Sort (organization) needs separate needed items from unneeded and eliminate the latter
Set in order (orderliness) - keep needed items in the correct place to allow easy and fast
retrieval
Shine (cleanliness) - keep the workspace swept and clean
Standardize (standardized cleanup) - creates a consistent approach with which tasks and
procedures are done
Sustain (discipline) - habit to maintain established processes
c. Using Jurans Trilogy:
Through survey of feedback of customer about quality of product/ service, behavior of staff,
etc, Mattel gather these information to improve the process better

Mattel has attempted to provide "Firewalled laboratories" in the CPSIA (Consumer Product
Safety Improvement Act) to test and improve the safety of products
Improving product quality by testing probably cut from selecting raw materials to production
to make the best product to the consumer.