The Concept of Quality Flashcards
All 17 cards in this deck
What is meant by 'quality' in business?
The standard of a product or service — how well it is made, the materials used, its durability and functionality, and its post-sales support.
What is post-sales service?
Support given to customers after purchase, such as technical assistance or complaint handling; faults should be dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Give two ways a business providing a service can demonstrate quality to customers.
Clean facilities and polite employees.
Give two consequences for a business of poor quality goods.
A poor quality reputation leading to fewer customers and lost sales, and the cost of product recalls and returns.
Give three benefits to a business of maintaining quality.
Additional sales, an improved image/reputation, and the ability to charge a higher price.
True or false? A reputation for good quality can give a business a competitive advantage.
True. Good quality attracts customers and makes business growth more likely.
What is quality control?
Inspecting products and services at the end of production to ensure customers receive high-standard goods.
What is quality assurance?
Carrying out quality checks at specific stages during production to identify faults before the end of the manufacturing process.
Give two ways a business can measure quality or identify quality problems.
Customer questionnaires and factory inspections; returns rates and customer complaints can also be monitored.
True or false? Faults found by quality control at the end of production are cheaper to put right than faults found earlier.
False. Fixing faults at the end of production is more expensive than finding them earlier in the process.
Why are inspections a cost of maintaining quality?
Extra employees are needed to check products before they go to customers.
Why is staff training a cost of maintaining quality?
Employees have to be trained, and paid for, so they can complete the job to the required standard.
What is total quality management (TQM)?
An approach where quality is the responsibility of all employees, who prevent errors by checking their own work against standards, creating a culture of quality.
Give two advantages to a business of using TQM to maintain consistent quality.
Faults are corrected before they pass to the next stage, so they do not become more costly; and employees monitoring their own work improves motivation and efficiency.
Give two drawbacks of introducing TQM.
It can be difficult to introduce, and it only works if all employees believe in it.
What quality issue can arise when a growing business outsources work to another business?
Outsourced work must be regularly monitored and inspected to meet the main business's standards; low-quality suppliers risk late deliveries and unsatisfactory products.
How must a franchise maintain consistent quality across all of its outlets?
By using rigorous policies and regular inspections of every outlet to keep service levels consistent.