Business Revision Guide: 4.2

• Quality is a product fit for purpose
• Quality assurance is the whole business checking the product throughout production
• Quality control is checking the product at the end of production to ensure it meets the required standards.
• Returns are goods customers have brought back to the business after they have bought them
• Recalls are when the products are brought back to be repaired or replaced
• Quality control advantages:

  • help to prevent faulty goods and services being sold
  • not disruptive to production
  • may benefit reputation
  • increase sales
• Quality control disadvantages:

  • does not prevent waste
  • inspecting costs money
  • doesn't encourage all workers to be responsible
• Quality assurance advantages:

  • less wastage
  • workers may feel valued
  • better reputation
• Quality assurance disadvantages:

  • may disrupt production
  • may be costly to train workers
  • workers may worry about the extra responsibility
• The importance of providing quality goods and services:

  • it avoids waste, reduce costs
  • it avoids recalls, reduce costs
  • affect the reputation and sales of a business - if a customer receives poor quality products, they may buy from a competitor
  • continue to buy from them in the future