How do you define quality in business? Is it the quality of your actual goods and services? Is it how you treat your staff and your customers? Or does it refer to your business practices? The truth is, it refers to all of these and more.
In the past we tended to refer to Quality Control; that clearly referred to the processes we put in place to check the quality of products once they had been manufactured. Today we talk about Quality Assurance, and that is quite different.
Quality Assurance refers to the entire process; it is designed to get things right the first time to reduce errors, wastage and poor customer service. It is measured in a completely different way to quality control.
Quality Management System Training
Some organisations question why they need a Quality Management System in Queensland. They feel that perhaps it doesn't apply to them because they are a small business, or only sell one product. The fact is, quality isn't to do with size, location, target market or the number of staff. Whether you employ one person or 100, quality should be at the heart of everything you do.
Of course, none of this happens overnight; you can't just wave a magic wand and transform your organisation. It takes time, money and commitment from your entire team. You need a tailor-made Quality Management System as well as Quality Management System training. And you need to understand that this is an ongoing commitment; the only way ISO management systems work is through continual assessment and improvement.
Quality is a Mindset
For decades, businesses believed that the focus was primarily on the finished product and of course, that is still important. But now organisations are realising that quality goes far beyond that. Quality is not just something you can see and touch but a culture within your business.
Our clients and customers don't just judge us on the actual item they buy; they look at the whole package, including customer service, after-care, the friendliness of the staff, even the vibe. Only when everything is balanced will they consider you a good business.
Customers Pay for Quality
How often have you heard someone say that they love the bread at the bakery down the road but they never shop there because the employees are rude? Or the employees are lovely but there's a bad vibe when the owner is there? Or perhaps the bakery looks messy, or the signage is poor, or the prices fluctuate. Whatever the reason, the bakery has lost not only that one customer but also her family and friends.
Round the corner is another bakery and "nothing is too much trouble for the staff there". Everything about the place says quality and, even though the prices are a bit higher, "I wouldn't shop anywhere else".
The fact is, consumers will pay more for not only quality goods, but a quality experience.
The best Quality Management System in Queensland remains ISO 9001:2015. Recently updated to reflect changes in the way Australia does business, it is a tool that every business can benefit from, regardless of size or industry.