Strategies For Managing Quality In Event Management

Total Quality Management for event management

Total Quality Management (TQM) is the a continuous process, which is utilized for minimizing and eliminating the faults in different processes of organization such as manufacturing, operations, production and supply chain processes. In addition to this, it enhances the customer experience towards company’s goods and services. The process of TQM includes the efforts, which are made by a company to create an atmosphere in which it can enhance the capability to provide the products and services to people with higher quality (Dale, 2015). The major purpose of this report is to discuss the importance and role of top quality management in an event sector organization, i.e. MGN events. It includes different tools of total quality management such as bench marking, six sigma tools and Kaizen model.

Some origins of Total Quality Management can be found from early 1920s in the form of principles of scientific management. After that, in the era of 1930s, Walter Shewhart had given different models and methods for statistical evaluation and quality control. Furthermore, there were several authors, who have introduced their theories on quality management process and techniques. For instance, Edwards Deming has introduced the 14 points theory on TQM. Due to this, Deming was popular as father of quality control. After the execution of total quality management in United States’ industry, it has spread over the various sectors all over the world like Korea, Japan, and Europe (MGN Events, 2016). Now, it has accepted as universal mantra for improving the performance of business operations and activities.

Event sector is the one of the industries of the UK economy that is growing with a significant rate in the country. This industry includes various event companies, which plan and manage weddings, parties and other business events. MGN events is an organization that is operating its business in UK event industry, MGN events is one of the leading corporate events and private party management firm in the United Kingdom with its clients all over the world. This organization is attaining growth and success by offering unique and memorable experience and providing quality and superior services to its clients. The organization has started its business in the year 2008 and became limited in the year 2011. In this sector, management and control of quality is very important, so it is significant to analyze the total quality product and management for this event organization (Britain for Events, 2011).

The importance of Total Product Concept (TPC)

Total Product Concept (TPC) is one of the important concepts of TQM, which was founded by Theodore Levitt in 1980. TPC is a significant tool of total quality management that states different criteria of products. It enables the company and sales department to understand how to enhance its promotion and sell the services or products. According to the Total Product Concept, each and every organization should consider its goods and services on three different levels such as core product, expected product and augmented product (Homburg, Schwemmle and Kuehnl, 2015).

In context of MGN Events Organization, the core product is concluding an event without any issue or technical hurdle. For instance, conducting an event is the core product, which should include proper event arrangements and preparations, venue location and management, food preparation, seating facility, decoration as per the event etc. The expected product includes the basis components and features that people consider when they purchase product or service in the market (Dudovskiy, 2012). In the case of MGN Events, expected products are such as event services with hygiene, service quality, affordable prices, customer friendly event managers and staff, economic packages including different event services etc. Moreover, augmented product is the criteria, under which all the features of product are considered, which are not included in the fundamental functionality of the organization. Looking at the competitive business environment, MGN Events comprises of various extra features in its services such as offers and discounts, VIP entry, audio visual services, transport services, hotel and accommodation services etc. Thus, MGN Events is considering its different criteria of Total Product Concept and managing them to provide effective quality services (MGN Events, 2018). This particular concept enables the organization to distinguish one product from another.

Kaizen Theory is a model of total quality management that aims to resolve the problem by the utilization of existing resources of organization. This theory can assist an organization to make continuous improvement in the quality to meet the expectations and satisfaction level of customers. The philosophy of Kaizen states that all the members of the company should work for the continuous improvement of the organizational operations and individuals at each and every level of organization assist the process of improvement (Balasubramanyam, 2012). This concept needs the establishment of clear goals and objectives. It is matter of positive attitude with the emphasis on what should be practiced than what can be practiced. The concept of Kaizen is one of the core values of event sector organizations. For the event sector organizations, no process and activity can be perfect, but it can be enhanced by using different activities. There are different principles, which can support the continuous improvement at MGN Events Organization. It has given 5S, which are used by MGN Events to improve its business operations and processes (Wilson, 2015). These 5S are stated below;

Kaizen Model for continuous improvement

Sorting

To make continuous improvement in the processes, the organization needs to eliminate the unwanted things and include the things, which are required. MGN Events Organization has to include necessary things in the service delivery and remove unnecessary items. The company should eliminate the items, which are not used now and they should avoid the outdated themes for events. It can focus on a single firm that can supply all the required materials like food, utensils, decoration items rather than buying from different suppliers (Jones, 2014).

Straighten

All of the above unwanted things have a different place of their own. MGN Events can position the things in an effective way that they can be used whenever they will be required. For example, if any client demands for an old theme decoration, then it should try to arrange the event accordingly. It should have contact and better relationships with different suppliers of goods. In this way, MGN Events can manage the things, which are not necessary for the organizational processes (Goetsch, and Davis, 2014).

Shine

Shine is the process of keeping the things clean and tidy. By implementing above two processes, MGN Events organization can keep the things clear and it will avoid the clutter between processes and items. This cleanliness in the workplace environment will increase the productivity of event staff and overall organization.

Standardization

In addition to above practices, an organization needs to standardize the best practice to improve the quality of service delivery (Peratec Ltd, 2012). MGN Events should organize its all the processes in an effective and standardized manner. Disorganization and clutter will demolish all the efforts of the event organization, so it should be managed effectively.

Sustain

In this step, MGN Event needs to maintain an efficient and comfortable working environment by emphasizing on above 4S. It is the biggest challenge for the organization to sustain its effective service delivery and growth (Masterman, 2014). By developing effective policies and standards, MGN Events can give a commitment to the clients to provide effective services.

Six Sigma approach is a significant tool of total quality management that is also used for the development and improvement of processes. This tool is used for eliminating the errors and enhancing the quality of organizational products and services. An event organization can adopt Six Sigma tool to diminish and overcome the risks in any event. It includes various stages that are denoted by DMAIC. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.

The use of 5S principle for effective service delivery

Define

At this stage of six sigma tool, MGN Events Organization needs to identify different opportunities for enhancing a particular event. It comprises recognition of different issues, which may be related to the required resources, needs and expectations of customers and timeliness of any event. First this organization will understand the demands and expectations of clients, and then it will allocate the resources accordingly (Albliwi, Antony and Lim, 2015).

Measure

This step aims at measuring the risks, process capability and service capabilities of the organization. At this stage, MGN Events can measure the skills of staff that who can perform the given tasks in a particular event. It needs to identify the issues effectively and find out the solution to overcome those issues. It can eliminate the errors in the event conducted by MGN Events organization.

Analyze

This step of Six Sigma tool utilizes the gathered data to recognize and authenticate the cause-effect relationships. Under this step, MGN Events can understand the factors, which are required to consider. It can analyze the performance of organization past events. It can evaluate the root cause issues that it has confronted in the past conducted events. By this, event managers can understand the reasons behind event service failure (Furterer, 2016). It will assist the organization in identifying failure and making changes accordingly.

Improve

Under this stage, the organization can improve its existing service delivery process based on above analysis and problem identification. It can use different techniques such as error proofing, experiment designing etc. By identifying the solutions for the issues in events, MGN Events can enhance the processes by their implementation in practice. It can motivate the employees to perform well in the event preparation. Motivation will enhance the productivity and work efficiency of the staff in a particular event.

Control

This is the last stage of Six Sigma tool, under which MGN Events can analyze the errors in end stage. MGN Events can operate its processes effectively and remove the faults. In the case of this organization, it is important to monitor the behavior of people and processes in a particular event (Sandeepsoni, Kumar, Duhan, and Duhan, 2015).

In this way, MGN Events Organization can use Six Sigma Approach for enhancing the quality of event services.

Benchmarking is the process of analyzing the internal processes of organization then recognizing, understanding and implementing practices from other companies, which are considered best in the industry. In this process, top management of MGN will identify the best company in the industry.  There are various organizations in UK event industry such as Seven Events, Penguine Events, Square Meal etc. Top managers of MGN events will compare the processes and results with the outcomes of best company. It can contrast its services with Jack Morton organization, which is an international firm (Madsen, Slåtten, and Johanson, 2017). It can organized various events like Olympics, commonwealth games etc. Thus, benchmarking is one of the best total quality management techniques for an event management organization. It can assist MGN Events to experience an improvement in the performance and efficiency through better workplace relations, satisfaction of employees and customers, enhanced profits and revenues and significant growth in market share.

Using Six Sigma to diminish and overcome risks in events

Conclusion 

From the above report, it can be concluded that UK event sector is one of the major contributors in the economy of country. It is essential for the event organizations to manage and maintain the quality of event services. There are some quality concepts such as Total Product Concept, Six Sigma, Benchmarking and Kaizen, which can be used to improve the quality of process. MGN Events Organization can use different methods to provide quality services to its clients. Adoption of these tools will be beneficial for the company and its revenues. Thus, the organization should focus on enhancing quality for attracting more clients towards its event services.

Moreover, it is hereby recommended that MGN Events should use effective quality management tools to enhance its service delivery and to overcome the situations of service failure. Apart from other tools, the company should make major focus on Total Product Concept. With the help of this, the organization can provide effective quality services to the clients. The organization should choose an integrated approach of TQM and quality assurance, which have positive impact on processes and people of company. All the employees of event organization should have the knowledge about the quality assurance and management tools. They should able to understand the processes, which are adopted by organization, so that they can adopt the changes and give complete support by actively engaging in change management process.

References

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