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Business management, quality management, service quality and customer service in public sectors.

This case is most relevant to upper-level undergraduate business students taking quality management, strategy and service management courses. It is also relevant to practitioners working in similar positions. The case is based on primary and secondary data, and all materials mentioned were taken from real work environments.

In contemporary competitive markets, all entities face a growing challenge to retain customers by satisfying them. In this case study of Ajman Free Zone Authority (AFZA), which is a public entity which was started in 1988 with the aim of boosting industrial development in Ajman, it is seen that the entity (AFZA) recognized a competitive advantage by improving service quality. However, AFZA focused on implementing various service quality improvement initiatives for not only customers, but also for other stakeholders as well (e.g. employees, strategic partners, suppliers and society). AFZA sought to understand stakeholders' needs, which led to service excellence. The purpose of this case is to highlight how AFZA differentiated itself by using initiatives that focused on disparate stakeholders to achieve customer satisfaction. The concepts of service quality (SERVQUAL), total quality management (TQM) and continuous improvement offer insights into how to improve organizational performance. It highlights how AFZA used Stakeholder Theory to identify and then collaborate with stakeholders to attain best service quality outcomes. The case study is developed using both secondary and primary sources.

After reading and analysing this case study, the student will be able to identify stakeholders in a service-based entity; apply Deming's Cycle or SERVQUAL to suggest improvement programmes; describe relationships among all stakeholders; and describe initiatives that contribute to service excellence.

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