Expanding the Role of CSM in Total Quality

Customer satisfaction measurement (CSM) should be central to the total quality improvement process within service‐oriented firms. A normative framework is described that contains a sequence of ten research modules providing internal/external customer information for quality planning. The modules facilitate decision making according to the PDCA cycle of total quality management. The framework is based on the CSM/quality improvement practices of leading European and North American firms, methodologies developed in academic settings, and the general logic of survey research.