What is quality?
Quality is a measure of how good and satisfying a product is to the consumer. The ISO standard explains quality as "the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs." Meaning that the quality of a product/service is defined in matter of the features it presents to the customer and the rate of satisfaction it is providing to its user/consumer. The quality depends not only on its features it depends on the following aspects: Good design (it’s looks and style), Good functionality (it does it’s intended job), Reliable (acceptable level/non breakdowns or failure), Consistency, Durability (how long it lasts or lasts as it should), Good after sales service, and the Value for money (price paid), all summing to the point of gaining the best customer experience and satisfaction.
Why is it so important today?
With Quality comes customer satisfaction hence customer loyalty to the company/supplier thus making a repetitive purchases and introduction of the products to their friends. Now in the modern market there is more competencies between companies, and it is mostly based on quality, according to the company’s product quality the company’s success is rated, due to the aspects the product’s quality brings to the company as mentioned above the customer loyalty, and gives a strong brand reputation, the retailers will be wanting to stock the product to sell more, the product will have ability to have a high price, and a fewer returns and replacements will reduce costs on the company, and all the above will return positive on the staff involved with the product. And now with the globalization of market and introduction of standards, quality is taken more into consideration.
Has it not always been important?
From studying the history of quality improvement, we notice that quality was based on one point that the product fulfills its duty. Craftsmen used to do/build what they...