What is the customer satisfaction model?

Description

The customer satisfaction model from N. Kano is a

quality management and marketing technique that
can be used for measuring client happiness.

Kano's model of customer satisfaction distinguishes

six categories of quality attributes, from which the
first three actually influence customer satisfaction:

1. Basic Factors. (Dissatisfiers. Must have.) -

The minimum requirements which will cause
dissatisfaction if they are not fulfilled, but do
not cause customer satisfaction if they are
fulfilled (or are exceeded). The customer regards these as prerequisites and takes
these for granted. Basic factors establish a market entry 'threshold'.
2. Excitement Factors. (Satisfiers. Attractive.) - The factors that increase customer
satisfaction if delivered but do not cause dissatisfaction if they are not delivered.
These factors surprise the customer and generate 'delight'. Using these factors, a
company can really distinguish itself from its competitors in a positive way.
3. Performance Factors. The factors that cause satisfaction if the performance is
high, and they cause dissatisfaction if the performance is low. Here, the attribute
performance-overall satisfaction is linear and symmetric. Typically these factors
are directly connected to customers' explicit needs and desires and a company
should try to be competitive here.

The additional three attributes which Kano mentions are:

4. Indifferent attributes. The customer does not care about this feature.
5. Questionable attributes. It is unclear whether this attribute is expected by the
customer.
6. Reverse attributes. The reverse of this product feature was expected by the
customer.

Origin of the customer satisfaction model. History

The approach towards analyzing customer satisfaction was first published in an article by
KANO, N. SERAKU, N., TAKAHASHI, F. & TSUJI, S. (1984) Attractive quality and
must-be quality, Hinshitsu (Quality, the Journal of Japanese Society for Quality Control),
14, pp. 39-48.
Usage of the customer satisfaction model. Applications

Besides the obvious quality management and marketing usage, Kurt Matzler, Matthias
Fuchs and Astrid Schubert wonder in their article "Employee Satisfaction: Does Kano's
Model Apply?" (Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, November-December
2004) whether Kano's model on customer satisfaction factors is also relevant to describe
employee satisfaction. Since employees can be perceived as internal customers. They
reach the conclusion that Kano's theory is indeed useable for internal customers analysis
as well.

Steps in the customer satisfaction model. Process

Kano developed a questionnaire to identify the basic, performance and excitement factors
as well as the other three additional factors.

1. For each product feature a pair of questions is formulated to which the customer
can answer in one of five different ways.
2. The first question concerns the reaction of the customer if the product shows that
feature (functional question);
3. The second question concerns the reaction of the customer if the product does
NOT show this feature (dysfunctional question).
4. By combining the answers all attributes can be classified into the six factors.

Customer Satisfaction Model Forum

Recent User Comments
Rajkumar Emotions "According to Kano theory there are two -
Baral - Nep and components: EMOTIONS and ACTIONS. In 2
al Actions the service industry (banking, hotels), if the
exitement from experiencing the product
does not meet previous standards, then that
customer will be dissatified."
Sudip - Nep Valid for "Of course, Kano's theory can be applied to 1
al Products both PRODUCTS and SERVICES sectors."
and
Services
Rudy - Belg Assumptions "Note that the model by Kano is aimed at 0
ium of the Kano finding the average appreciation of certain
Model quality factors in a representative group at
a moment in time when the questionnaires
are collected.
There could be valuable customers with a
different profile as well. This may require a
seperate marketing effort.
You'd better make sure the interrogated
group is representative...
The classification of and the happiness
about certain attributes may change
dramatically, even in a short time period."
Maria Kano "Satisfaction is a multifunctional definition 12
Garcia Oversight that has two main components: Functional
S. - Perù and Emotional. The first one is related to
performance, and emotional to a perception
and correlated to a value proposition and
branding."
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