New service development using GAP-based QFD: a mobile telecommunication case

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a customer-oriented structural development approach. Along the gaps in the circle of service satisfaction, a new model of service quality function deployment (SQFD) has been established to develop new service. The purpose of this paper is to provide a new service development approach both in terms of academic model and practical application. A Chinese mobile telecommunication case study (tariff package design) has been employed to verify and revise the model. The findings are that, although a concise model is adopted unusual according the actual service situation, the GAP-based QFD model expands the investigative scope of GAP study from GAP 1 and/or GAP 5 to GAP 1 to GAP 5. It has also been found that it is a useful tool to develop new service using a reasonable and delicate combination of Kano model, SERVQUAL scales, and GAP circle, although several further directions are presented in the latter part of the study.