Is That Quality?

During my studies as a mechanical engineering student, I didn't really got a chance to learn too much about the concept of quality in the business world. That didn't change a lot when I graduated and transitioned into my professional career. In this article, I will explore how quality is perceived in different businesses and how it is controlled. 

There are many ways to define quality, but in general it can be thought of as the degree to which something meets or exceeds a certain standard. For businesses and organizations, quality is often thought of in terms of how well a product or service meets the needs and expectations of customers or clients.

Quality is important for businesses and organizations because it can have a direct impact on profitability and competitiveness. Happy customers are more likely to buy again and to recommend a business to others, while unhappy customers are more likely to take their business elsewhere. In a highly competitive marketplace, even a small advantage in terms of quality can make a big difference in terms of sales and market share.

Organizations strive to produce high quality products and services to satisfy their customers and stay competitive. There are various ways to measure and control quality, and it varies from industry to industry. In some businesses, quality is primarily focused on the products or services themselves, while in others it also considers factors such as customer and employee satisfaction.

There are many different tools and methods for measuring and controlling quality. Some businesses use formal quality management systems, such as ISO 9001, while others take a more informal approach. The key is to find what works best for your organization and ensure that quality is always a top priority.

I have been involved in several industries over the course of my career and quality can probably be seen as something that stands out among these industries. During my early days, I worked in the aerospace industry, where redundancy was a must as well as using the latest materials and technologies. Because of the safety implications in this business, quality means that components and systems will not fail. For this purpose, a redundant system like two sensors working for the same purpose is used to avoid failure. Weight reduction is also a very critical factor in this industry. Therefore, using materials like special alloys, such as Inconel, Hastelloy, or honeycomb materials, is essential to achieve less weight without sacrificing strength and durability. Giving greater importance to profit over quality in the aerospace industry could result in the loss of life. That is something to be worried about. That’s the reason a crucial part of the aerospace industry is the preventive maintenance and testing of all components.

Later, I moved to the oil and gas sector and the concept of a quality product was seen as something really robust and durable. After a finite element analysis had shown that a one-inch thick wall would be enough for a pressure valve, I was surprised to hear that the lead engineer decided that a four-inch thick wall would make the product look like it was of a higher quality and sturdier. A physical test of the manufactured goods is almost as important in this industry as it is in other industries to make sure the goods will not fail when they are put into the field.

Nowadays, I work across a wide range of industries, including the automotive and the food industries. In the automotive industry, quality control has been used not only to ensure the safety and function of critical components but also aesthetics, which  are essential to having valuable products. There is plenty to say about quality in the automotive industry. Thousands of books have been written about this theme. Significant production philosophy revolves around this concept. When it comes to the food industry, quality comes from ensuring the quantity of the specified components. This is done by avoiding unexpected foreign bodies being present in the finished product.

Additionally, the quality department is often seen as an enemy and a cost that must be avoided. But quality is neither. It can prevent problems and it doesn’t have to move in a different direction than an efficient production system. Achieving quality objectives requires collaboration between various departments within a company. Quality should not be seen as countering the mission of production, but rather, enhancing it. Management has an important role to play in this, by confirming that quality is given attention and appreciated across all staff. Only when quality is acknowledged will processes and results improve.

When it comes to quality, different industries tend to have very different standards. However, the goal of having the best possible product within a defined budget is something that is shared by all industries. For a company to meet its objectives, quality must be seen as a support system. This means that all employees, from the CEO down to the entry-level workers, need to be focused on making sure that the products or services they produce are of the highest possible quality. By ensuring that quality is a top priority at every level of the company, it will be easier to achieve the goal of producing products that meet or exceed the expectations of customers.