Importance of product quality

Corporate executives and consumers have in recent years adopted divergent views of product quality. Several recent surveys indicate how wide the quality perception gap is:

• Three out of five chief executives of the country’s largest 1,300 companies said in a 1981 survey that quality is improving; only 13% said it is declining.¹ Yet 49% of 7,000 consumers surveyed in a separate 1981 study said that the quality of U.S. products had declined in the past five years. In addition, 59% expected quality to stay down or decline further in the upcoming five years.

To ensure delivery of advertising claims, companies must build quality into their products or services. From a production perspective, this means a companywide commitment to eliminate errors at every stage of the product development process—product design, process design, and manufacturing. It also means working closely with suppliers to eliminate defects from all incoming parts.

The Production-Service Connection

Product performance and customer service are closely linked in any quality program; the greater the attention to product quality in production, the fewer the demands on the customer service operation to correct subsequent problems. Office equipment manufacturers, for example, are designing products to have fewer manual and more automatic controls. Not only are the products easier to operate and less susceptible to misuse but they also require little maintenance and have internal troubleshooting systems to aid in problem identification. The up-front investment in quality minimizes the need for customer service

Besides its usual functions, customer service can act as an early warning system to detect product quality problems. Customer surveys measuring product performance can also help spot quality control or design difficulties. And of course detecting defects early spares later embarrassment and headaches.

Why does Product Quality Affects Your Brand

Almost everyone would agree that the quality of a product is important, but not everyone has the same idea of what constitutes high quality. For example, some people consider a product high-quality if it’s luxurious or durable, whereas others may value efficiency or ease of use.

Regardless of the definition, product quality affects companies’ purchasing decisions and profitability. Read on to learn what constitutes product quality, why quality is important and how to improve the quality of your products.

What constitutes product quality?

Product quality describes a product’s capability to meet user standards. Here are some questions to consider when evaluating a product’s quality:

• Does it solve a problem?

No product would exist if it weren’t solving or improving something. The extent to which it fixes the intended problem helps to determine its quality.

• Is it easy to use?

A high-quality product shouldn’t be complicated to use. Customers shouldn’t have to spend too much time trying to figure out how to assemble or work it.

 

• Is it polished?

Colors, dimensions, fonts (if applicable) and other elements of design should be in alignment. The product shouldn’t appear cheap in any way.

 

• Is it efficient?

The product should not only get the job done but do so efficiently. In other words, it should deliver quickly and require minimal effort from the consumer.

 

• Is it tailored to your customers?

The product should be tailored specifically to users’ needs, showing that you understand your customers and are willing to accept any recommendations they voice.

Six reasons product quality is important

Improving your product quality is paramount to your business’s bottom line. Here are six reasons product quality is important:

• It builds trust with your customers.

Most businesses won’t succeed if they can’t build customer trust; countless potential sales are lost when brands fail to make deeper connections with prospective buyers. By contrast, when you gain the confidence and loyalty of consumers, you have more freedom to make decisions such as raising prices. Ensuring high-quality products and services is one way to help you get consumers to appreciate and believe in what you have to offer.

Humanizing the company also can help customers connect with your brand. One way to do this is to create newsletters or social media posts that show updates and photos of what employees are working on. If customers begin to associate faces with your company, it will help them connect with your organization more than they would with a faceless corporate entity. Another way to build loyalty and appreciation is to establish a rewards program. Understanding the value of customer loyalty will be crucial when trying to establish repeat business.

• It fuels recommendations.

Most people trust recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising when making a purchase decision. This is why, when it comes to influencing consumers, nothing comes close to beating word of mouth.

Word-of-mouth recommendations can be a persuasive factor in both online and offline purchasing decisions. Friends and family want to know if someone similar to them had a good experience with a product. The higher-quality product a company has to offer, the better chance they’ll have at driving positive reviews, recommendations and shares between consumers.

Starting campaigns to get people buzzing about a product is a great way to spread recommendations by word of mouth. You can also respond to complaints or compliments online to show that you provide good customer service, which is another aspect of high product quality.

• It results in fewer customer complaints and returns.

Marketing studies have proved again and again that companies that produce high-quality products obtain more repeat business. Spending more time and money upfront perfecting a product before it hits the market will minimize customer complaints and returns.

It’s common for sellers of high-quality brands to spend more to persuade consumers to try their goods. The more successful companies are at pleasing customers during their initial experience with a product, the more likely they’ll be to see repeat purchases from those customers.

Testing products with potential customers or a market research group can help to produce a great product. Most people in these groups will give brutally honest opinions, and companies can use that feedback to make improvements to their products.

• People care about aesthetics.

One dimension of quality is the aesthetics, or how a product looks, feels, sounds, tastes and smells.

• It produces a higher ROI.

Studies show a strong positive association between quality and profitability. In fact, high quality produces a higher return on investment (ROI) for any given market share. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, having fewer defects or field failures results in lower manufacturing and service costs, and as long as these gains exceed any increase in expenditures by the firm on defect prevention, profitability will improve. In addition, improvements in performance, features or other dimensions of quality lead to increased sales and larger market shares.

If a company has produced a quality product and has marketed it effectively, it’s time to see if you can cut costs without sacrificing quality.

 

• It allows you to grow.

If your product quality is lacking at first, don’t fret; that simply means there is room to grow, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. By listening to your customers’ complaints or recommendations, you’ll be telling them how much you value their input and satisfaction.

As you improve quality, you will strengthen your relationship with your customers. Willingness to grow is proof you care about more than just making money. Your brand will become stronger and more relatable, and you’ll find even more ways to expand into

 

The ultimate objective for any business is to make money. If you have a product that people will buy, then you’ve got a business. However, the businesses that make the most don’t focus on the profits alone. They also consider the quality of the products and services they offer because they know how important it is to their customers. But why does quality hold so much weight?

To answer that question, it’s important to look at the definition of quality as it pertains to customers. The standard definition of the word is “the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.” For customers, those requirements include the following:

• Longevity – how long the product performs its function
• Needs Fulfillment – whether or not the product fulfills a specific need or solves a specific problem for the customer
• Cost vs. Need – how much the product costs compared with how much the client wants or needs it
• Security – the safety level of the product, i.e. whether or not the customer feels comfortable using it
• Usability – the ease of use associated with the product
• Efficiency – the product’s ability to save the customer money, help the environment, or streamline a process

These are just a few of the many requirements that customers expect from any given product. Companies that fulfill this list often experience a multitude of benefits, but first they have to put in the effort.

Here are some of the reasons why creating a standard of quality with your products is so important for keeping customers:

Competition

In niche-specific companies, using quality products to beat the competition is essential. Because they’re focused on selling just a few products, they need something that can set their products apart from the competition. Overall, quality always sells better than other factors, like low pricing.

For example, EarthLite, a company that sells massage-related products, has built their company on a foundation of high quality products, marketing them as handmade with eco-friendly materials that are superior to what you might find elsewhere. As a result, they’ve managed to claim the number one spot in massage-related retail.

Customer Expectations

At first, your customers will appreciate quality. Then, as they tell more people about it and continue shopping, they’ll begin to expect such. After expectation comes a demand for quality products. And if you don’t deliver, your customer will leave.

When your company offers quality products every time, you can create a standard of satisfying customers in the retail spectrum. In return, you’ll receive loyalty and continued lead generation that allows your company to grow.

Business Reputation

Quality and your company’s reputation are more closely linked than many businesses realize. When your products don’t match the standard of quality that was promised, people will hear about it on social media, through review sites, on forums, and from their friends.

Nike is a great example of a company that links its brand reputation with the quality of their products. They’ve built their company on great marketing and products that stand the test of time. People know they can trust Nike and are willing to pay more because their products provide the quality they’ve come to expect.

Customer Loyalty

Customers always come back when a product is good, even if the price is high. A quality product creates unshakeable customer loyalty that generates increased leads. When customers find a product they trust, they return, make repeat purchases, and recommend the product or service to others.

Consider Apple’s success in selling more than 800 million devices to more than 130 million users in the last year alone. Those numbers show that customers have bought multiple products from the retailer, and they wouldn’t have that kind of success if people didn’t love the quality, even though their products are considerably more expensive than other options.

In the end, product quality is something companies should always emphasize. Creating quality products will continue to be the most important thing to customers. In a world where it’s hard to predict the demands of customers, this is an important concept to master.

Bhawins is a one stop for multiple solutions. We provide Product Failure Analysis.

Our services include a thorough consultation to identify gaps and possibilities, as well as a detailed report with a project strategy, timeframes, and cost analysis. Our customised programmes are made up of high-quality services that will assist you in rapidly and efficiently solving scientific difficulties.

Our scientific team will provide a detailed timeframe and instructions for resolving the issue. Our devoted staff will work with you to improve the quality of your product to meet current market demand and lead your business to success, whether you are a start-up or in need of a redevelopment of your product. We didn’t get there by ourselves, and you won’t either.