As your opinion what should people do to improve the quality of it product service

In the old days marketing gurus used to say that the customer is king. Those days are over. The customer is now god.

With online platforms making it easier and easier for consumers to communicate their opinions of products and services to the whole world, and buyers now relying on candid testimonials of customers’ experience, your clients have the potential to make or break your company.

So you can’t just sit back and wait for the good or bad reviews; you have to proactively use your customers’ feedback to help you improve your products and services.

Some of the top companies that have figured this out, like Apple and Amazon, have been able to translate their knowledge into profits and market share.

The voice of the customer is of utmost importance to IMD and listening to it has helped us to become ranked number 1.

Here are three commandments we follow which could also help your company:

1] Yes, ask the ultimate question

By asking the Net Promoter Score (NPS) question “how likely is it that you would recommend us to a friend or colleague?” you can find out a great deal about what is working and what could be better at your company.

At IMD we have been using the NPS since 2009 for all of our programs and events. For us the goal is not to have a fancy number to market our programs with, but to have valuable insights into how we can be better. At the same time we can find out who our ambassadors are.

With the knowledge we glean from the NPS, we strengthen the impact of our programs and take better care of our customers.

But don’t rely on just the NPS to harness the power of your customers. The ultimate question can help you find out a lot, but not enough to fully engage with your clients.

---

---

2] Measure all aspects of the impact of what you do

We make sure to ask all our customers to rigorously evaluate our programs once they have completed them. In addition, we follow up six months after the completion of the program with our NPS survey, where we also solicit feedback about the effectiveness of our programs, the transfer of knowledge and the overall impact on the workplace.

Last but not least, one year after the completion of the program we reconnect with our customers to see if their educational experience is still having an impact on them professionally.

This is part of an ongoing well-established engagement strategy to make sure that our programs deliver real results and that our clients can put their learning to use once they are no longer with us.

The lesson here is not to use only one measurement. Find out as much and as often as you can from your customers about what you are doing well and how you can improve. Then you won’t be surprised to see their comments online, because you already know what they think.

3] Don’t just measure, engage your customers and improve

It’s a great start to know what clients think about every aspect of your business as well as who you can count on to be your ambassadors. But that’s not enough. You have to act on your findings and fast.

Once you have enough information to know what your customers think, get to work making your products and services better.

Are a lot of your clients saying the same thing about a product? If so then fix what can be easily fixed immediately. If there are longer-term improvements that need to be implemented, get the ball rolling right away.

Is something working really well for you with a large segment of your clients? Then keep up the good work and do what you can to enhance it.

Also, make sure to nurture your relationships. Take care of the clients who are loyal and appreciate what you do. They might just recommend your products or services to others or give you free advertising online. Meet with them, listen to what they have to say and give them preferential treatment.

Likewise with those who may not have had the best experience. Find out what went wrong and see how you can rectify the situation.

To sum up, one of the most important things about running any business is staying in touch with your clients. This is absolutely crucial. Your brand is not what you think it is, it’s what your customers think it is and what they tell each other. And they have the divine power to determine your company’s success. So be careful or you might fall from their grace.

Dominique Turpin is the Nestlé Professor and President of IMD. He co-directs IMD’s Orchestrating Winning Performance program.

---

---

Almost everyone would agree that the quality of a product is important, but not everyone has the same idea of what constitutes high quality. For example, some people consider a product high-quality if it’s luxurious or durable, whereas others may value efficiency or ease of use.

Regardless of the definition, product quality affects companies’ purchasing decisions and profitability. Read on to learn what constitutes product quality, why quality is important and how to improve the quality of your products.

What constitutes product quality?

Product quality describes a product’s capability to meet user standards. Here are some questions to consider when evaluating a product’s quality:

• Does it solve a problem? No product would exist if it weren’t solving or improving something. The extent to which it fixes the intended problem helps to determine its quality.
• Is it easy to use? A high-quality product shouldn’t be complicated to use. Customers shouldn’t have to spend too much time trying to figure out how to assemble or work it.
• Is it polished? Colors, dimensions, fonts (if applicable) and other elements of design should be in alignment. The product shouldn’t appear cheap in any way.
• Is it efficient? The product should not only get the job done but do so efficiently. In other words, it should deliver quickly and require minimal effort from the consumer.
• Is it tailored to your customers? The product should be tailored specifically to users’ needs, showing that you understand your customers and are willing to accept any recommendations they voice.

6 reasons product quality is important

Improving your product quality is paramount to your business’s bottom line. Here are six reasons product quality is important:

1. It builds trust with your customers.

Most businesses won’t succeed if they can’t build customer trust; countless potential sales are lost when brands fail to make deeper connections with prospective buyers. By contrast, when you gain the confidence and loyalty of consumers, you have more freedom to make decisions such as raising prices. Ensuring high-quality products and services is one way to help you get consumers to appreciate and believe in what you have to offer.

Humanizing the company also can help customers connect with your brand. One way to do this is to create newsletters or social media posts that show updates and photos of what employees are working on. If customers begin to associate faces with your company, it will help them connect with your organization more than they would with a faceless corporate entity. Another way to build loyalty and appreciation is to establish a rewards program. Understanding the value of customer loyalty will be crucial when trying to establish repeat business.

FYI: Humanizing your company can help customers really connect with your brand. One way to do this is to create newsletters or social media posts highlighting your employees and office spaces. 

2. It fuels recommendations.

Most people trust recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising when making a purchase decision. This is why, when it comes to influencing consumers, nothing comes close to beating word of mouth.

Word-of-mouth recommendations can be a persuasive factor in both online and offline purchasing decisions. Friends and family want to know if someone similar to them had a good experience with a product. The higher-quality product a company has to offer, the better chance they’ll have at driving positive reviews, recommendations and shares between consumers.

Starting campaigns to get people buzzing about a product is a great way to spread recommendations by word of mouth. You can also respond to complaints or compliments online to show that you provide good customer service, which is another aspect of high product quality.

3. It results in fewer customer complaints and returns.

Marketing studies have proved again and again that companies that produce high-quality products obtain more repeat business. Spending more time and money upfront perfecting a product before it hits the market will minimize customer complaints and returns.

It’s common for sellers of high-quality brands to spend more to persuade consumers to try their goods. The more successful companies are at pleasing customers during their initial experience with a product, the more likely they’ll be to see repeat purchases from those customers. 

Testing products with potential customers or a market research group can help to produce a great product. Most people in these groups will give brutally honest opinions, and companies can use that feedback to make improvements to their products.

4. People care about aesthetics.

One dimension of quality is the aesthetics, or how a product looks, feels, sounds, tastes and smells. For example, MrTakeOutBags pays close attention to these qualities, and it shows in the company’s bakery cupcake boxes. The colors, prints, shapes, textures and features (such as handles) make all the difference, and it’s what sets the brand apart from its competitors. Customers notice these kinds of details, which can make or break a sale.

Tip: Having customizable features also allows a company to give customers exactly what they want while tacking on a few dollars to the price.

5. It produces a higher ROI.

Studies show a strong positive association between quality and profitability. In fact, high quality produces a higher return on investment (ROI) for any given market share. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, having fewer defects or field failures results in lower manufacturing and service costs, and as long as these gains exceed any increase in expenditures by the firm on defect prevention, profitability will improve. In addition, improvements in performance, features or other dimensions of quality lead to increased sales and larger market shares.

If a company has produced a quality product and has marketed it effectively, it’s time to see if you can cut costs without sacrificing quality.

6. It allows you to grow.

If your product quality is lacking at first, don’t fret; that simply means there is room to grow, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. By listening to your customers’ complaints or recommendations, you’ll be telling them how much you value their input and satisfaction.

As you improve quality, you will strengthen your relationship with your customers. Willingness to grow is proof you care about more than just making money. Your brand will become stronger and more relatable, and you’ll find even more ways to expand into new markets and reach new audiences.

Bottom Line: Product quality benefits a business by building trust with customers which leads to more referrals, better ROI, and higher opportunities for growth. 

How to ensure product quality

Here are five tips to ensure high product quality:

1.  Implement a quality management system.

A quality management system is a set of business practices comprising the planning and execution of delivering a product. The system includes principles that help to prepare a product for its launch, such as customer focus, leadership, research and evidence-based decision-making.

2. Build a product strategy.

A product strategy details information about a product and the company’s vision for it. Some points the strategy defines include the customers, market, competitors and business goals. This strategy serves as a roadmap for your product’s journey, from creation to launch.

3. Consider competitors.

Considering your competitors is an important part of developing your product. What are they doing that you aren’t (and vice versa)? How are their products performing? What works for them and why? Answering these questions will put you in a better position to compete with similar businesses in the market.

4. Listen to your customers.

Don’t be afraid to ask your customers how you can improve your products. Use any negative feedback to learn more about your customers and help your products better meet their needs.

5. Always test your products.

It’s essential to test every product before launch so you can anticipate how buyers might react to the product and see what changes you might need to make before you release it to the public.

How can you improve the quality of a product?

How can I improve my products and services?

What are the best methods for improving quality in your opinion?

What are the 4 ways to improve productivity and quality of products?