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To present a method for prioritising customer needs that was devised for a quality function deployment (QFD) project at a mass spectator event, due to the particular characteristics and constraints of this project. Standard methods for prioritising customer needs documented by several authors are reviewed, as well as their principal features and why they were not suitable for this particular QFD project. The devised method is presented together with an example extracted from this project. With the data available from the project, this method is briefly contrasted to a standard similar method. Presents the devised method as an effective solution for this particular QFD project. The method was useful for this particular QFD project due to the time and physical location constraints, but more research is needed in order to assess the real accuracy of this method compared to other documented practices. Sometimes standard practices may not be suitable for particular QFD applications, so methods should be adapted to the unique characteristics of specific QFD projects. This paper presents a review of documented practices for prioritising customer needs that was done for a particular QFD application, as well as a method that was devised because these standard practices were not effective enough for handling the constraints in the project. The process followed and results obtained may serve as a reference for QFD practitioners in the selection of a convenient method for prioritising customer needs.

To present a simple yet comprehensive customer complaint management system (CCMS) which includes tools and concepts from total quality management (TQM) and quality function deployment (QFD) proposed by the authors.

A comprehensive CCMS model based on the Deming cycle that integrates practice‐tested methodologies such as QFD, problem solving and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) was developed. In order to provide an example of the application, possibilities and limitations of our proposed CCMS model, a project developed for a major Latin American transportation company is presented.

Excellent service can only be achieved with a profound knowledge of evolving customer needs. Functional CCMS should be implemented in every company, regardless of its size, structure or products. QFD, FMEA and problem‐solving tools are very useful but, rather than the tools themselves, the fundamental element to develop a successful CCMS is the spirit of improvement towards total customer satisfaction energized by top management's leadership and commitment. A successfully implemented CCMS can change the perspective of complaint management and transform the process of answering complaints from a trivial activity to a more exciting process‐design and learning experience, renovating the spirit of continuous improvement towards service excellence.

The model may not be useful to some major companies that already have their own database systems for storing and analyzing customer complaints in real time. The results were only validated in a single project with its particular characteristics.

In a service economy, comprehensive systems for capturing, analyzing and translating customer complaints into adequate actions for focused improvement are required for competitiveness. Simple CCMS can be implemented without significant investment, in order to exploit customer complaints.

This paper presents a simple, yet comprehensive CCMS based on practice‐tested methodologies successfully implemented in an improvement project. Companies that do not have formal CCMS can find efficiency in the model because of its simplicity.