24th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction - Boston, Massachusetts, USA - 2016

Impacts of Defects on Customer Satisfaction in Residential Buildings

Raphael Negri Milion1, Thais C. L. Alves2 & José Carlos Paliari3

1PhD Candidate, Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13.565-905, Brazil, +55 16 3351-9660, [email protected]
2Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA, +1 619-594-8289, [email protected]
3Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil, +55 16 3351 9660, [email protected]

Abstract

Impacts defects have on customer satisfaction are hard to quantify, but they should not be ignored because of poor understanding of the intangible costs related to quality may lead to poor decision-making. However, data about building defects and customer satisfaction surveys are not usually analyzed together. This study used a database of the technical assistance department in a Brazilian construction company and results from their customer satisfaction surveys. The study seeks to address the lack of in-depth analysis of issues concerning customer satisfaction and defects, and how they are related. By cross-analyzing data from the defects database and the customer satisfaction surveys, on a unit-by-unit basis, relationships between the occurrence of defects, the customer perception of these defects, and the impact they have in customer satisfaction were found. Results revealed that some customers can be dissatisfied with the building quality and are still satisfied with the project, which indicates that the overall satisfaction is a complex variable that is related to a number of features. Moreover, the occurrence of defects did not seem to impact the customer satisfaction negatively if defects were fixed under the warranty period, and the non-occurrence of defects had a positive impact on the customer satisfaction.

Keywords

Quality, defect, customer satisfaction, value, waste

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Reference

Milion, R. N. , Alves, T. C. L. & Paliari, J. C. 2016. Impacts of Defects on Customer Satisfaction in Residential Buildings, 24th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction , -. doi.org/

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