CATEGORY: EDUCATIONAL
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By S. Gordon

There is a big difference between what quality ‘is’ and what quality ‘means’. When you say quality ‘is’ you are giving a definition of quality, for example quality is the extent to which products, services, relationships are free from defects, constraints, and items which do not add value for customers, and this definition does not change. When you say what quality ‘means’, it is one of a number of practical interpretations of your definitions of quality.

Quality can mean any of the following:

- being polite on the phone, for e.g. the way in which you greet customers when
answering the phone
- getting things right first time, every time
- aiming for zero defects
- being flexible and responsive to change
- delivering on time and in full
- tackling the source, not the symptoms of the problem, by analyzing the problem first
before deciding on a course of action
- admitting your most valuable resource is your people
- having a cost effective, workable quality system
- measuring the progress of quality improvement
- solving the problem by discussions and not conflict
- never having to say sorry, remember the saying “one ounce of prevention is better
that a pound of cure”, try preventing a problem rather than apologizing or making
excuses when it occurs
- improving your own performance, through self improvement, remember practice
brings improvement
- cooperating and not confronting.

Quality does not mean just making things for the top of the market. Quality means providing products and services that do what they are supposed to do. Quality is important for only two reasons – you care about your customers and the survival of your organization. If you don’t care, then don’t waste money and effort on quality improvement.

Some common misconceptions about quality are:-
1. higher quality costs
2. emphasis on quality leads to reduced productivity
3. quality is affected by the work culture of the labour force
4. quality can be assured by strict inspection

As one expert on quality remarked, “Quality is never an accident, but the result of an intelligent effort.” It is not achieved by doing different things; it is achieved by doing things differently. Put simply quality is doing the right things, right the first time on time all the time and always to the customer’s satisfaction.


For further information, email us at gdbs@spiceisle.com