Contact with the customer is usually higher in a manufacturing process than in a service process.
The correct answer and explanation is :
The statement “Contact with the customer is usually higher in a manufacturing process than in a service process” is incorrect. Typically, customer contact is higher in a service process than in a manufacturing process.
Explanation:
In a manufacturing process, the production of goods often occurs in a controlled, standardized environment, with limited interaction between customers and the production process. Manufacturing focuses on the creation of tangible products, and while customers may influence the design or specifications of the product, they usually do not directly engage with the production process. Most manufacturing processes involve machines, workers, and production lines that are separate from customer interaction. The focus is primarily on efficiency, quality control, and output.
In contrast, a service process is typically centered around the delivery of intangible value to customers. Services are inherently customer-facing, and the level of customer interaction is usually much higher than in manufacturing. Service industries like healthcare, hospitality, education, and customer support all require direct engagement with customers. For example, a hotel receptionist, a doctor, or a customer service representative constantly interacts with customers during the service delivery. In fact, the customer often plays an active role in co-producing the service, which makes direct contact inevitable.
Customer interaction is crucial in services because it influences the perception of service quality. In services, the customer’s experience, feedback, and satisfaction are directly shaped by how they are treated and the quality of interaction they have with employees. This is in contrast to manufacturing, where the product is often completed before it reaches the customer, and interaction is less frequent or direct.
To summarize, in general, service processes involve greater customer contact compared to manufacturing processes, making the statement inaccurate.