Journal of Construction in Developing Countries (Dec 2006)

Challenges in Improving Customer Focus in Small-Sized House-building Companies in Brazil

  • Carlos T. Formoso,
  • Margaret S.S. Jobim

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 2
pp. 77 – 101

Abstract

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Some important changes in the business environment in several countries are forcing house-building companies to change their competitive strategies. This paper discusses a set of customer servicing practices, which have been adopted by small-sized house-building companies in Brazil that have been involved in quality management improvement programs, emphasizing customer satisfaction measurement. Such practices are referred to a model of the customer servicing process that integrates the main customer-interaction functions from product inception to building operation. Based on multiple case studies and also on a literature review, the main difficulties faced by this sector in terms of improving customer satisfaction are discussed and some improvement opportunities are pointed out.

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