Unit 4.2 Quality of goods and services

Question 1

What is the importance of providing quality goods and services?

Answer 1

1) It avoids waste and recalls
2) Reputation and sales
3) Disrupted production
4)charge higher prices
5) more motivated employees

Question 2

What are the methods of ensuring quality?

Answer 2

Quality control and quality assurance

Question 3

What is quality control?

Answer 3

A system for inspecting the quality of the goods or services produced and that they are of a good standard. Quality is checked at the end of the production process.

Question 4

What is quality assurance?

Answer 4

An approach that involves the whole business focusing on quality, thus aiming to prevent quality problems arising. Quality is checked throughout the entire production process and all workers are responsible for quality, not just a quality control inspector

Question 5

What are the advantages of quality control?

Answer 5

1) It can help to prevent faulty goods and services being sold

2) It is not disruptive to production- workers continue producing, inspectors do the checking

3) The business may benefit from an improved reputation for the quality and this may increase sales

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of quality control?

Answer 6

1) It does not prevent waste of resources when products are faulty

2) The process of inspecting the goods or services costs money

3) It does not encourage all workers to be responsible for quality

Question 7

What are the advantages of quality assurance?

Answer 7

1) Quality is checked throughout the entire process so mistakes are less likely to be made

2) Mistakes are found when they are made rather than at the end- which is a waste of time and resources

3) Staff are motivated because they are trusted and have responsibility

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of quality assurance?

Answer 8

1) It may slow down productivity levels if quality is checked throughout

2) Staff may require extra training, which can increase the costs of the business

3) Staff may ask for higher wage rates since they have more responsibility

Question 9

How can a business ensure that is delivers good quality products/services to customers?

Answer 9

1) Recruit good quality employees
2) Train workers well
3) Provide workers with good quality equipment and machinery
4) Use good quality suppliers/ materials
5) Have a mystery shopper
6) Invite customer feedback to find out strengths and weaknesses

Question 10

What is product recall?

Answer 10

When a business asks customers (or retailers) to return products to the factory because there is a safety issue and customers are at risk