Quality. Sometimes we feel an acute shortage of this parameter in a number of existing goods. We try not to buy them, but still have to, because the alternatives are very expensive. We all strive for quality products, but do not understand, but what is it? This parameter is a very important component, the multidimensionality of which is so hidden that some manufacturers are still not able to produce goods that fully meet the requirements of customers.
What is quality?
Before considering such a concept as a quality loop, you need to delve deeper into the meaning itself. This is best done through definition. Quality is an essential feature of a product whose consumer characteristics are fully consistent with the requirements and needs of other people. Based on this definition, what conclusion can be made? Quality is the product that fully meets the expectations of the consumer.
But this definition is somewhat simplified. In fact, the quality includes a much larger number of characteristics. For example, a person may like a certain product. But this does not mean that it is useful. Products that are full of food additives, including harmful ones, cannot be considered high-quality, even if they are tasty, and the end user is satisfied with them.
Based on this, it is possible to complicate the definition. Quality is a combination of medium subjective and objective requirements for a particular product, which determine its functionality, profitability and harmlessness. We came to the three main characteristics of a quality product. Why not study them in more detail before considering such a fairly easy concept as a quality loop?
Product Functionality
A function is a task that is performed by a specific object. In this case, the goods. It should be clearly understood what the goal of production. After all, it’s not primarily some non-inspired object that is sold, but the result that can be obtained. Let's give some examples to make it easier to understand the phenomenon of functionality.
From the very beginning we’ll take a regular cupcake. What functions does it perform? First of all, this is nutrition. A person uses muffins because he wants to get enough. However, this product can perform another function - pleasure. Since a cupcake is a sweet product, it is also intended to deliver joy to a person. That is, from this point of view, the cake that is both tasty and satisfying is quality.
Next, we redirect our eyes to mobile phones. There are also quality requirements, which, alas, many manufacturers do not fulfill. For example, a high-quality mobile phone should ring perfectly. This is its basic function. But at the same time, a modern smartphone has a number of important tasks. For example, it should not slow down. Functional can only be called a phone that will cope with its responsibilities perfectly. Alas, not every gadget is like that!
Profitability
This side of any quality product has two varieties. The first is financial profitability. That is, the product should justify the money spent on it. And the second type of profitability is comfort, or, as it has been fashionable to say recently, usability. If the cupcake is stale, then you can eat it.If it is sweet, you can even enjoy it to some extent. But these tasks will be realized much harder if it is stale.
In the case of mobile phones - everything is much easier to explain here. Each program has a number of functions assigned to it. And here it is very important to provide a person with the ability to access them in just a few clicks. Only geeks like to click on a huge variety of menus and buns in order to show off powerful functionality. Again, only one phone is the benchmark in this regard.
Take, for example, the camera application. There are a huge number of functions that are configured independently. The phone itself understands when and what setting needs to be turned on, and does it well. It is enough for a person to simply click on one button, and you won’t even have to edit the photo. This is really quality. Above all, cost-effectiveness means saving time.
And it can take so much time to edit a photo that if we add together the minutes that are spent on processing one photo, the result can be quite a long time. That is why this phone is the standard of quality.
Harmlessness
If the product is economical and fully meets the requirements of consumers, then this does not mean that it is of high quality. After all, it must meet not only subjective, but also objective parameters. One of them is harmlessness. The product must not cause direct or indirect harm to the environment or to consumers. If this happens, then we can’t say that this product is of high quality.
Standardization
Another important objective indicator that is not included in the definition is standardization. Compliance with standards is considered the most important objective indicator of quality. This is because norms, as a rule, are created not by one person, but by whole associations. Therefore, if the product meets the standards, then it is more likely to be considered quality.
The concept of a quality loop
The quality loop is a very popular topic that allows you to define the process of product management. This is a model that includes a huge number of points that each product must go through. The quality loop is based on interconnected actions that determine the quality of the goods. There are more than ten of these actions. The quality loop is a model on which the characteristics of the product depend on the process of implementing individual actions. Let's look at the main stages of the quality loop. What are they? The quality loop is a closed sequence of the following measures.
Sales and distribution of products
The quality and consumer characteristics depend on where the product is sold. It is possible that the product will not be bought simply because it is sold in a store with a poor reputation. In addition, the point of sale also includes the amount of products that will lie on the shelves in a supermarket or store. The quality loop is a very visual model that can show all the shortcomings of a certain product on the way to the consumer.
Technical Assistance
Any product must have technical assistance in its maintenance. This concept refers to the actions that accompany the operation of the product. For example, companies selling mobile phones can help set up some programs so that the smartphone can fully cope with its functions. The quality loop is a flexible model that can be adapted to any technical requirements.
Disposal after use
Surprisingly, this item also includes a loop of product quality. Why? Yes, because the product must be environmentally friendly and harmless.If it is disposed of incorrectly after the end of its work, then there is nothing surprising in the fact that it is called poor-quality. After all, the non-environmental friendliness of the product directly affects not only some abstract "ecology", but also the health of each individual citizen. Any products must be disposed of in accordance with the standards discussed earlier.
Exploitation
This item is also very important. Indeed, for the sake of operation, products are produced. This item is one of the most important elements that determines the quality loop. An example is very simple: why make a high-quality phone if no one will use it? If the product is designed for a sufficiently wide target audience, then there is a motivation to make quality products.
The loop of product quality on the example in this case is very simple: first of all, the product that can be used without complaints is quality. The same goes for services. The service quality loop contains the same items, with the exception of some.
Marketing
A quality product is one that is well served by professional marketers. Therefore, the quality loop is a closed sequence of the following measures: search for the market, its study and subsequent sale of the product that meets all consumer characteristics that are characteristic of the market. Marketing is the ability to inspire that low-quality products are the standard of quality, and vice versa. Only thanks to marketing, the task is realized to maximize the profitability of delivering a product. Marketing is the path that the quality loop moves. Product life cycle completely determined by marketing.
Design and development of technical requirements
The word "technical" in this case can easily be replaced by "production". This process is not easy for the reason that you need to understand what the market is. Only knowledge of the needs of people will lead to the desired result, while the development of technical requirements implies a process that will allow in the future to sell products.
Thus, this item is quite complicated. After all, to develop requirements for the production of goods is very difficult.
MTS
This abbreviation refers to "Logistics". What does such a complex term mean? This means that the production of goods must fully go according to the technical plan. And in order to comply with the deadlines, all material resources must be delivered to production workshops on time. A mobile phone is being produced - all the details must be in place immediately during its creation. This is what determines the quality of products. If the goods are poorly supplied materially, then there are two ways out: either wait (loss of time, which can be used by competitors), or use low-quality material components. In general, this is a very important point.
Other stages
You can also briefly list other elements of the quality loop. It is very important to understand them, since competent production is possible only when specific actions are carried out. Well, you should list these steps briefly:
- Preparation and development of the production process. It includes those points that should be considered when creating a certain kind of goods.
- Production. It must also be of high quality. If this item does not exist, then the product will not meet the basic requirements. It is important to understand this.
- Testing control. Any product must be tested for release in good quality. At the same time, control should also be established over the tests.
- Packaging and storage. This is the last, but not least, item that determines the qualitative characteristics of the product after its sale. The quality of the product depends on how the products are packaged.So you should not disdain this paragraph.
findings
Production of a quality product is a very difficult process. It is important to constantly ensure that the steps listed here are followed and fully comply with all the requirements that are put forward. Only in this case can we judge the quality of products, customer satisfaction and the success of the company that produces these goods.
