QUALITY

• What is Michelin star?

  a worldwide recognition of quality in the restaurant industry
• What is quality?

  features of a product that allow it to satisfy customers needs
• If you were buying a new car, what features would you consider?

  • physical appearance
  • reliability and durability
  • special features
  • suitability
  • repairs
  • customer service
• Why is quality important?

  • increased competition has forced firms to improve quality. customers do not need to buy products from businesses that fail to deliver quality
  • government legislation designed to protect customers has forced firms to improve quality. e.g. the production of food products has to be carried out in a hygienic environment and comply with health and safety legislation
  • faulty products are costly for a business. machinery that breaks down or constantly needs to be repaired will also be expensive. Late delivery and productivity that results from poor quality in production can harm a businesses reputation
• What is quality control?

  making sure that the quality of a product meets specified quality standards
• What are some examples of ensuring quality objectives?

  • satisfy customers needs
  • operate in a way they should
  • can be produced cost effectively
  • can be repaired easily
  • meet safety standards set down by legislation and independent bodies
• What is total quality management (TQM)?

  a managerial approach that focuses on quality and aims to improve the effectiveness, flexibility and competitiveness of the business
• What is quality assurance?

  working methods that take into account customers' wants when standardising quality - it often involves guaranteeing that quality standards are met
• What is total quality management (TQM) designed for?

  to prevent errors, such as poor quality products, from ever happening
• What are the features of total quality management (TQM)?

  • quality chains - every worker is a link in a chain and is both a customer and a supplier
  • everyone is involved
  • quality audits
  • teamwork
  • customer focused
  • zero defects - this aims to ensure that every product that is manufactured is free from defects
• What are some advantages of total quality management (TQM)?

  • the focus is on customer needs
  • quality improved in all aspects of business
  • waste and inefficiencies are removed
  • helps develop ways of measuring performance
  • improves communication and problem solving
• What are some disadvantages of total quality management (TQM)?

  • high training and implementation costs
  • will only work if everyone is committed
  • may be fragile (loss of products)
  • focus is on processes not product
• What are some benefits of the ISO 9000 certification?

  • it examines and improves systems, methods and procedures to lower costs
  • motivates staff and encourages them to get things right first time
  • defines key roles, responsibilities and authorities in a business
  • ensures orders are consistently delivered on time
  • highlights product or design problems and develops improvements
  • records and investigates all quality failure and customer complaints
  • shows customers that they are taking measures to improve quality
  • helps to identify staff training needs
• What is ISO 9000?

  a set of international standards for quality management systems and developed by the international organisation for standardisation. It focuses on guiding organisations in implementing and improving their quality management systems to ensure consistent quality and customer satisfaction
• What is the unique selling point (USP)?

  feature of a product that no other similar products have, used in advertising to try to persuade people to buy it