FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / Nos Ãltimos anos, observa-se o surgimento e a rÃpida disseminaÃÃo do serviÃo VoIP, integrando-se ao mercado atual junto à telefonia convencional e Ãs redes celulares. Por ser uma alternativa tecnolÃgica que contribui para minimizar ustos, assiste-se a uma preferÃncia crescente por fazer fegar a voz atravÃs das redes IP. O HSDPA, como sistema celular, permite a transmissÃo de dados em alta velocidade, aumenta a largura de banda da rede e abre novas possibilidades de serviÃos multimÃdia, como o VoIP que utiliza a transmissÃo em banda larga para telefones mÃveis. Exige-se, porÃm, um considerÃvel esforÃo de anÃlise deste serviÃo, pois o atraso inerente a esse sistema à um desafio para a garantia de qualidade de voz. Estes fatos justificam, conseqÃentemente, um esforÃo de anÃlise que se detenha sobre a qualidade de voz no VoIP sobre o HSDPA. Para avaliar a qualidade de voz, neste estudo aplica-se o mÃtodo MOS, que faz corresponder valores numÃricos a categorias como medidas de qualidade e inteligibilidade da voz transmitida, obtendo-se esses dados de forma objetiva e subjetiva. O processo de avaliaÃÃo dividiu-se em etapas de acordo com cada metodologia, seguindo recomendaÃÃes tÃcnicas e atravÃs de simulaÃÃes computacionais dinÃmicas. Na avaliaÃÃo objetiva, utilizou-se o algoritmo PESQ para obtenÃÃo do conceito MOS, enquanto que na avaliaÃÃo subjetiva, arquivos de voz com certo percentual de erro foram colocados em um endereÃo na Internet para escuta e atribuiÃÃo de nota MOS, baseada na percepÃÃo do usuÃrio ouvinte. Os resultados mostraram que os dois mÃtodos de avaliaÃÃo obtiveram conceitos de qualidade satisfatÃrios, que o QoS nas simulaÃÃes à estÃvel e positivo, que uma boa qualidade para os arquivos de voz e a provÃvel satisfaÃÃo dos usuÃrios do serviÃo VoIP sobre o sistema celular HSDPA à garantida para uma taxa de 2% de FER. Finalmente, mostra-se que a metodologia objetiva garante a obtenÃÃo de notas MOS aproximadas da subjetiva, evitando o Ãrduo trabalho de fazerem-se ouvir diversos arquivos de voz por uma quantidade significativa de usuÃrios para ser vÃlida estatisticamente. / In recent years, we can observe the development and fast dissemination of VoIP services, being integrated by the present market, beside conventional telephony and cellular networks. For being a technological alternative that contributes to minimize costs, we see an increasing preference for voice transmission through IP networks. HSDPA, as a cellular system, allows high speed data transmission,increases the network width of band and creates new possibilities for multimedia services, as VoIP that transmits in wideband to mobile telephones. The delay inherent to this system, however, is a challenge for the need to assure good quality of voice transmissions, demanding a considerable effort of analysis of this service.These facts justify a study that focus on the quality of voice in VoIP over HSDPA.To evaluate the voice quality, in this study, we applied MOS method that makes numerical values correspond to categories like quality and intelligibility of transmitted voice, getting these data through objective and subjective methodologies. The evaluation process was divided in fases according to the characteristics of each methodology and to technical recommendations, and was done through dynamic computational simulations. For objective evaluation process,algorithm PESQ was employed to obtain MOS concepts, whereas, for subjective evaluation, voice files with a percentage of error have been placed in Internet for listening and for the attribution of MOS concepts based in the perception of the listener. The results of this research show that both evaluation methods got satisfactory concepts of quality, that QoS is steady and positive in the simulations, that a good quality for the voice files and the probable satisfaction of the users of the VoIP service on cellular system HSDPA is guaranteed for 2% FER rate. Finally, it shows that MOS concepts produced by objective methodology were close enough to those given by subjective evaluation to dispense with the arduous work of making diverse voice files to be heard and subjectively evaluated by a statisticaly valid amount of users.

Utility Computing is one of the most discussed business models in the context of Cloud Computing. Service providers are more and more pushed into the role of utilities by their customer's expectations. Subsequently, the demand for predictable service availability and pay-per-use pricing models increases. Furthermore, for providers, a new opportunity to optimise resource usage offers arises, resulting from new virtualisation techniques. In this context, the control of service quality and profit depends on a deep understanding of the representation of the relationship between business and technique. This research analyses the relationship between the business model of Utility Computing and Service-oriented Computing architectures hosted in Cloud environments. The relations are clarified in detail for the entire service life cycle and throughout all architectural layers. Based on the elaborated relations, an approach to a delivery framework is evolved, in order to enable the optimisation of the relation attributes, while the service implementation passes through business planning, development, and operations. Related work from academic literature does not cover the collected requirements on service offers in this context. This finding is revealed by a critical review of approaches in the fields of Cloud Computing, Grid Computing, and Application Clusters. The related work is analysed regarding appropriate provision architectures and quality assurance approaches. The main concepts of the delivery framework are evaluated based on a simulation model. To demonstrate the ability of the framework to model complex pay-per-use service cascades in Cloud environments, several experiments have been conducted. First outcomes proof that the contributions of this research undoubtedly enable the optimisation of service quality and profit in Cloud-based Service-oriented Computing architectures.

In spite of the rapid growth and internalization of banking services in particular, managers first need to correctly identify the antecedents of what the local consumer perceives as service quality and its link to service climate, thus the strengths of this relationship would be beneficial as a global competitive tool. Although significant studies had been done regarding issues and factors contributing to service quality and service climate in the banking industry, very little has been published regarding the connection between perceptions of these dimensions. The purpose of this study is to describe an accomplished research to determine whether Malaysian local bank customers’ perceptions of service quality and its dimensions relate to employees’ perceptions of service climate and its dimensions; and to ascertain whether various background elements’ reported differences influence the relationships between the dimensions of service quality and service climate. This study encapsulated two phases of survey with open-ended and close-ended questionnaires consecutively. The researcher employed the Profile Accumulation Technique in the first phase and from the respondents’ results, close-ended questionnaires were constructed with responses from four local banks in Malaysia, corroborated together with previous scholars’ findings. Several analyses were carried out such as demographic, reliability, validity, performance, non-parametric and parametric tests and elaboration analysis. The main findings produced nine dimensions of service quality (Automated Teller Machine; corporate image; customer interaction and customer service; online and phone banking; physical feature and facilities; products and services; rates and charges; management and staff) and eleven dimensions of service climate (benefit, bonus, reward and salary; corporate image; customer service; facilities; organization; department and branch; management; organization output; products and services; workforce; myself). There were significant relationships between service quality and service climate dimensions. Respondents’ characteristics influenced the strength of the relationships between dimensions, service quality and service climate. Consequently, the results offered significant implications for participating banks to improve quality in their environment concerning their employees and customers; using customer-oriented processes and training programs within an increasingly diverse marketplace. Economic development, the political situation, socio-cultural system and the level of sector maturity do need to be considered by managers and policy makers so as to investigate their influence on service quality and service climate.

Counterproductive employee behaviors are inevitable, unpredictable, and widespread in the U.S. retail industry. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore U.S. midlevel retail leadership strategies used to prevent and correct employee behaviors that sabotage quality service encounters. Gilbert's behavior engineering model, which links employee behaviors to performance, was the framework used in this study. The data-collection process comprised 7 semistructured interviews with midlevel retail leaders, online company documentation, and researcher observations and assisted in achieving methodological triangulation. Member checking ensured the accuracy of participant responses, while Moustakas' modified van Kaam method was used to guide the data analysis process. Making the customer service experience special, employee rudeness and bad attitudes, and leading by example were the primary emergent themes. The participants revealed key behavior intervention and corrective strategies prior to termination consisted of only 2 steps: coaching or 1-on-1 discussions and formal training. The findings of this study may contribute to retail business practices by expanding existing leadership strategies to engineer employee behaviors that produce consistent quality service encounters, empower employees, improve consumer satisfaction, and increase retail profitability and competitiveness. Resultant retailers' profitability and consumer satisfaction may contribute to social change by directly impacting the U.S. gross domestic product, local communal tax base, and reinforce human civility throughout the retail industry.

Didėjant konkurencijai ir siekiant geriau patenkinti klientų poreikius, darbuotojų žinios ir gebėjimai tampa svarbi paslaugų organizacijos konkurencinio pranašumo prielaida. Tai pasakytina apie visas paslaugų organizacijas. Šios darbo tikslas - išanalizuoti UAB „Čilija“ personalo įgūdžių ugdymą klientų aptarnavimo srityje. Buvo nagrinėjama organizacijos kultūra, jos įtaka darbuotojams, aptarnavimo kultūra bei organizacijos ir aptarnavimo kultūrų ryšys, taip pat analizuojama šių kultūrų vaidmuo klientų aptarnavimo kultūros formavimui ir valdymui. Išaiškėjo, aptarnavimo kultūra labai priklauso ne tik nuo pačios organizacijos, bet ir nuo jos kultūros. Tai yra labai svarbu, nes nuo organizacijos kultūros priklauso ir darbuotojų požiūris į klientus ir aptarnavimą. Tyrimo metu išaiškėjo, jog darbuotojai nori dalyvauti įvairiuose mokymo seminaruose, nes tam yra sąlygos, tačiau kokybiškai aptarnauti daugelį darbuotojų trukdo tai, jog mažai skatinamas komandinis darbas, vadovybės mažai bendrauja ir dalijasi informacija su darbuotojais. Todėl daugelis darbuotojų aiškina, jog jų darbas nepatinka. Tai, žinoma, atsiliepia ir klientų aptarnavimo kokybei. / With growth of competition and trying to satisfy better the client’s needs, the knowledge and capabilities of workers become an important presupposition of competitive advantage of services’ organization. It can be applied to all services’ organizations. The aim of this graduation paper is – to analyze the development of LSC “Čilija” personnel skills in the sphere of client servicing. The culture of organization, its influence to the workers, the culture of service and the relations between organization and service cultures were discussed, also the role of these cultures to the formation and management of client servicing culture was analyzed. It was found out, that servicing culture to a great extent depends not only on organization itself, but also on its culture. It’s very important, because on the culture of organization, the workers view to clients and service depends. During the research, it was figured out, that workers wish to take part in educational seminars, because there are conditions for it, but willing to service qualitatively, the majority of workers face with problem - the team-work is stimulated very poorly, the heads communicate with each other and share the information with workers very poorly. Therefore a lot of workers explain that they don’t like their work. This fact, certainly, affects the quality of client servicing.

The goal of the thesis is to assess the quality policy in connection to customer satisfaction in a selected organization through the ISO 9001 standard. The Jihočeské tiskárny (South Bohemian Printing Works) was established in the Fifties after the nationalization and grouping of local Czech and German printing works. During the privatization in the Nineties, Jihočeské tiskárny a.s. were established as a part of the Passauer Neuer Presse Verlag Group. In 2004, Obchodní tiskárny became the majoritary shareholder of JČT, and since 2006 JČT has been part of the printing OTK Group. The process and the system of assessment of customer satisfaction in Jihočeská tiskárny, a.s. is integral part of the company system of quality management. It is a part of the process of Creation and examination of contract in accordance with the company directive Q {--} S 7/1 Creation and examination of contract. The questionnaire that constitutes one of the annexes to the above stated directive (under the name of F 07 {--} Q 009 Questionnaire, as annex No. 9 to the directive) has several parts: assessment of order quality, assessment of satisfaction with order prices, assessment of satisfaction with service conditions provided to the customers, assessment of satisfaction with deliveries and logistic services. The evaluation of customer satisfaction from the point of view of product quality showed where there are problems that must be solved. The causes of most frequently reclaimed or criticized products and defects consist in mixture of products (particularly labels). The causes of displays of dissatisfaction with product prices and with price and payment conditions can be seen in insufficient work with clients and customers. That means particularly approximation of needs, technologies, input materials, principles and rules needed for production to all customers during mutual negotiations. The assessment of satisfaction with service needs and satisfaction with deliveries and logistic services brought not only identification of remarks and critique but also characteristic of causes. The whole process of assessment of customer satisfaction and the very evaluation of customer satisfaction in Jihočeské tiskárny, a.s. depends on the approach to solution of a whole complex of all operations performed and to actions to ascertain specific client satisfaction in the relevant period.

This document discusses the concept of drivers implemented within the context of the REMPLI (Real-Time Energy Management over Power line and Internet, see section 1.8.) network. The process image approach and the tunnelling approach are presented and reasoning is given why the tunnelling approach is preferred. Each of the drivers implemented is associated with a specific metering protocol. This document further discusses the general architecture of such a driver structure. The generic software architecture serves as a framework for integrating serial communication based metering protocols over packet-orientated remote networks and meters, by tunnelling the protocol data units to the remote meters. Principally each Protocol Driver consists of three parts, one part situated at the Application Server, one at the Access Point and one at the Node. This document then gives a description of the general driver structure within the REMPLI network and briefly explains the functions of all the modules contained within the driver structure. An example is used to show how these modules, which make up the software architecture of the Protocol Driver, are used to send an application generated request from the Application Server to the Metering Equipment and sending the response back from the remote Metering Equipment to the Application Server. This dissertation further discusses the need for address translation within the REMPLI network and the need to restrict access to meters by using these addresses and an access control list. This document also discusses the need for a “Keep-alive” signalling scheme, if supported by the underlying protocol and gives a general concept as to how it should be implemented. The role of an Optimization Module is also discussed for low bandwidth networks by means of an M-Bus example. Finally the M-Bus protocol driver implementation is discussed. The results achieved are presented, showing that the driver architecture can successfully be used to tunnel the M-Bus protocol to remote meters, provided the underlying network conforms to the quality of service requirements determined by the implemented metering protocol. The work proposed in this document started off as part of the REMPLI project by the REMPLI team but was completed independently. / Dissertation (MEng (Computer Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-04T18:31:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandre David Medeiros-1.pdf: 2241104 bytes, checksum: 2474b0cdd4a080e937967b0552c2b175 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-06-23 / The telecommunications services quality, as well as several other products in the telecommunications area, is strongly linked to the suppliers services levels quality. These services levels can, however, be measured andevaluated by objective criteria and from a service level agreement between service supplier and customer, this agreement is called SLA. In this study a methodology is proposed for the elaboration of the SLA documentation model, that takes care the business model necessity.This methodology is structuralized in the politics and processes of service quality described by the international norms and standards like Management Forum, ITU, IETF and ITIL. The modeling of the SLA documentation was applied in a practical case of multi-service networks, based in IP networks, resulting in the system specification of the quality service level to be contracted with services supplier. The application of this methodology resulted in improvements for both sides, regarding the reduction in operational costs, the correction of processes and procedures, and a high reliability and transparency in the commercial relation. / A qualidade dos servi?os de telecomunica??es, assim como a de v?rios outros produtos da ?rea de telecomunica??es, est? fortemente ligada aos n?veis de qualidade de servi?os prestados pelos fornecedores. Esses n?veis de servi?os podem, no entanto, ser medidos e avaliados por meio de fatores e crit?rios objetivos, a partir de um N?vel de Servi?o acordado entre o provedor do servi?o e o cliente, chamado de SLA. Neste estudo ? proposta uma metodologia para elabora??o de modelo de documenta??o SLA. Essa metodologia est? estruturada na pol?tica e nos processos de qualidade de servi?o descritos nas normas e padr?es internacionais do TeleManagement Forum, ITU ,IETF e ITIL. A modelagem da documenta??o SLA foi aplicada em um caso pr?tico de rede de multiservi?os, baseada em redes IP, resultando na especifica??o do sistema de n?vel de qualidade de servi?o a ser contratado do provedor de servi?os. Na aplica??o dessa metodologia obteve-se ganhos para ambos os lados, com refer?ncia a redu??o de custo operacional, na corre??o de processos e procedimentos e uma alta confiabilidade e transpar?ncia na rela??o comercial.

This Thesis is about improvement Quality Service from the perspective of the customer satisfaction. This is motivated in a service company that has some problems measuring customer satisfaction in a quality of service. We believe that customer satisfaction is related with the quality of service, and measuring can be used like a advantage for Quality improvement. To archive this we present some theoretical background about Quality, some tools for quality improvement, some tools for measuring customer satisfaction. Our empirical findings are focused on how our case company tried to use these approaches. During the analysis we compare these information and we’ll see if there is a correlation between the different authors and how the company works. We’ll see that they work very well with TQM, Six Sigma, they use some approaches of SERVQUAL and CSM. Also we’ll apply QFD that relates the customer needs and expectations, and the Service Characteristics, identified previously. The results are based both in SERVQUAL and QFD. For instance, the lack of communication between the customers and company is the main gap regarding how to measure the customer satisfaction. Some tips about how to measure the customer satisfaction and other recommendations are given at the end. The conclusions are the benefits that we obtain from combining the SERVQUAL and QFD method, because we believe that both work very well together due to it becomes a powerful tool that is telling if the customer is satisfied or not. Aside it is telling us where we should act to improve the quality of service and therefore the customer satisfaction. The work presented is based on the interview with our contact person. Several observations were made regarding the measurement method that they are using. / Den här uppsatsen handlar om förbättring av servicekvalitet sett utifrån ett konsumenttillfredsställelseperspektiv. Detta är motiverat i ett tjänsteföretag som har problem med att mäta konsumenttillfredställelse i form av servicekvalitet. Vi tror att konsumenttillfredställelse är relaterat till kvaliteten på servicen, och att en mätning av denna kan användas som en fördel för kvalitetsförbättring. För att åstadkomma detta presenterar vi en teoretisk bakgrund om kvalitet, en del verktyg för kvalitetsförbättring samt en del verktyg för att mäta konsumenttillfredställelse. Vårt empiriska underlag är fokuserat på hur vårt exempelföretag har gått tillväga i arbetet med dessa verktyg. I analysdelen jämför vi informationen för att se om det existerar en korrelation mellan de olika författarna och hur företaget arbetar. Vi noterar att de arbetar väl med TQM, Six Sigma och att de använder en del av aspekterna i SERVQUAL och CSM. Dessutom kommer vi att applicera QFD som relaterar konsumenternas behov och förväntningar till serviceegenskaper, som tidigare identifierats. Resultatet är baserat både på SERVQUAL och CSM. Exempelvis är bristen på kommunikation mellan konsumenterna och företaget det främsta gapet beträffande mätningen av konsumenttillfredställelse. Rekommendationer angående mätningen av konsumenttillfredställelse och andra förslag ges i slutet av uppsatsen. Slutsatserna är de fördelar som vi fått fram genom att kombinera metoderna SERVQUAL och QFD, två metoder som fungerar bra tillsammans och blir ett kraftfullt verktyg, som kan ge svar på om konsumenten är tillfredsställd eller ej. Dessutom visar det hur vi ska agera för att förbättra servicekvaliteten, och därmed konsumenternas tillfredställelse. Uppsatsen är baserad på intervjun med vår kontaktperson. Flertalet observationer har genomförts av den mätmetod som företaget använder sig av.

<p>This Thesis is about improvement Quality Service from the perspective of the customer satisfaction. This is motivated in a service company that has some problems measuring customer satisfaction in a quality of service. We believe that customer satisfaction is related with the quality of service, and measuring can be used like a advantage for Quality improvement. To archive this we present some theoretical background about Quality, some tools for quality improvement, some tools for measuring customer satisfaction. Our empirical findings are focused on how our case company tried to use these approaches. During the analysis we compare these information and we’ll see if there is a correlation between the different authors and how the company works. We’ll see that they work very well with TQM, Six Sigma, they use some approaches of SERVQUAL and CSM. Also we’ll apply QFD that relates the customer needs and expectations, and the Service Characteristics, identified previously. The results are based both in SERVQUAL and QFD. For instance, the lack of communication between the customers and company is the main gap regarding how to measure the customer satisfaction. Some tips about how to measure the customer satisfaction and other recommendations are given at the end. The conclusions are the benefits that we obtain from combining the SERVQUAL and QFD method, because we believe that both work very well together due to it becomes a powerful tool that is telling if the customer is satisfied or not. Aside it is telling us where we should act to improve the quality of service and therefore the customer satisfaction. The work presented is based on the interview with our contact person. Several observations were made regarding the measurement method that they are using.</p> / <p>Den här uppsatsen handlar om förbättring av servicekvalitet sett utifrån ett konsumenttillfredsställelseperspektiv. Detta är motiverat i ett tjänsteföretag som har problem med att mäta konsumenttillfredställelse i form av servicekvalitet. Vi tror att konsumenttillfredställelse är relaterat till kvaliteten på servicen, och att en mätning av denna kan användas som en fördel för kvalitetsförbättring. För att åstadkomma detta presenterar vi en teoretisk bakgrund om kvalitet, en del verktyg för kvalitetsförbättring samt en del verktyg för att mäta konsumenttillfredställelse. Vårt empiriska underlag är fokuserat på hur vårt exempelföretag har gått tillväga i arbetet med dessa verktyg. I analysdelen jämför vi informationen för att se om det existerar en korrelation mellan de olika författarna och hur företaget arbetar. Vi noterar att de arbetar väl med TQM, Six Sigma och att de använder en del av aspekterna i SERVQUAL och CSM. Dessutom kommer vi att applicera QFD som relaterar konsumenternas behov och förväntningar till serviceegenskaper, som tidigare identifierats. Resultatet är baserat både på SERVQUAL och CSM. Exempelvis är bristen på kommunikation mellan konsumenterna och företaget det främsta gapet beträffande mätningen av konsumenttillfredställelse. Rekommendationer angående mätningen av konsumenttillfredställelse och andra förslag ges i slutet av uppsatsen. Slutsatserna är de fördelar som vi fått fram genom att kombinera metoderna SERVQUAL och QFD, två metoder som fungerar bra tillsammans och blir ett kraftfullt verktyg, som kan ge svar på om konsumenten är tillfredsställd eller ej. Dessutom visar det hur vi ska agera för att förbättra servicekvaliteten, och därmed konsumenternas tillfredställelse. Uppsatsen är baserad på intervjun med vår kontaktperson. Flertalet observationer har genomförts av den mätmetod som företaget använder sig av.</p>