Quality Assurance

Question 1

What is Quality Assurance?

Answer 1

An attempt to satisfy customers by making sure that quality standards are agreed & met through the organisation.

Question 2

Why is QA important?

Answer 2

If your products aren’t good enough you won’t get repeat business & you’ll get a bad reputation, not good for any bus, especially a small one.
Customer is king, you might not get a 2nd chance with them.
(Very basics, illegal to sell products that aren’t a satisfactory quality.)

Question 3

What should be taken into consideration when looking at QA

Answer 3

• Should be good quality for the price - custs will pay a higher price for better quality, as long as still good value for money
• Products should work properly & not fall apart straight away
• Cheap doesn’t mean you can get away with bad products, consider… Is the product at least up to legal standards?

Question 4

What is BS5750?

Answer 4

British Standards Institute Award - given to firms with good quality assurance systens.

Question 5

How can you reassure customers of the quality of your products?

Answer 5

• Quality Awards, apply for awards like BS5750
• Membership to a trade Association - eg FEDERATION OF MASTER BUILDERS, this can signify particular standards
• Firms often include membership & awards on advertising

Question 6

What are benefits of belonging to a Trade Association?

Answer 6

• Customers are reassured by the code of practice a firm may have to follow in order to be a member, guaranteeing a level of service
• Could guarantee the work done
• If there is a dispute, there is someone to complain to, if investigated & firm is found to have behaved badly it can be expelled

Question 7

Where else in the business is quality important?

Answer 7

• All areas of the business including:
  
  • Customer Service, huge benefits to firms that offer high levels of CS
  • Quality of promotional material can be important, custs will be put off by bad design or spelling mistakes etc