Walk into any office, shop or plant and you'll hear people talk about the importance of "quality." In fact, quality improvement programs are fast becoming a staple of American industry, as executives and managers strive to become more competitive in a harsh economy.

"Total quality" can mean higher production standards and decreases in production defects. It can mean more efficient budget administration. It can mean faster response to customer questions. It can mean greater courtesy to visitors.

However you choose to define total quality, and however you choose to apply that definition to your own business needs, remember that all quality programs are characterized by business practices that stress cooperation and perfection. Let's examine fifteen of these practices:

• Quality is a #1 priority. The CEO makes quality a top priority in organizations that emphasize this philosophy. And he or she makes the philosophy known in a simple and direct philosophy statement. No elaborate policies or procedures, just a simple statement, often but a sentence or two.
• Quality emphasizes internal review. Quality on an assembly line is likely insured by a strong output review program. Quality in a customer service programs might be insured by conversation audits and coaching. All "output" of the organization is carefully reviewed – at all levels of the
  organization. No one in a quality-driven enterprise wants errors or problems to be uncovered by customers.
• Quality standards are measurable. Because they are measurable, they are easy to understand and observe. And standards in total quality programs emphasize zero errors and zero defects.
• Outcome is more important than process. Everyone within the organization is responsible for the pursuit and achievement of quality. Everyone is accountable for identifying obstacles to quality – bureaucratic procedures, faulty equipment, vendor delays – and taking action against those obstacles. While total quality programs may involve complex techniques and procedures, the end result counts most.
• Superior performance means 100% adherence to standards. Superior performance in a quality-driven organization has little to do with timeliness of reports, "positive attitude," or other
  conventional attributes of performance appraisal. Superior performance means zero errors. It means the relentless pursuit of perfection.
• There's no buck passing. In most organizations, individuals are dependent on co-workers, vendors or staff specialists for project support. And in many organizations, individuals are quick to avoid responsibility for problems when "someone else" makes a goof. In a quality-driven organization, each individual is responsible for attacking problems, wherever they originate.
• Individuals are accountable. In a quality-driven organization, recognition and reward are based strictly on the bottom line achievements of the individual.
• Training is crucial. Employees are not left to fend for themselves in a quality-driven organization. They are trained in the "culture of quality," quality control processes, team
  building and evaluation. And training doesn't stop once the employee learns the basics. It continues through quality team meetings, monitoring, mentoring and intensive workshops. The
  quality-oriented manager knows that the dollars spent on training programs, quality circles and review programs are much less expensive than the cost of gaining or losing customers.
• Quality is quantified. A quality-driven organization makes the notion of quality real by quantifying standards, results and work processes. An investment of time and money in standards measurement results in unambiguous expectations, and a clear understanding of those expectations by everyone in the organization.
• Individuals are encouraged to suggest and institute change. Whether it's a new administrative procedure, a way to cut cleaning costs, a more efficient scheduling system or a customer service idea, any and all suggestions are welcome. More important, they're reviewed by both management and employees and, whenever practical, implemented with enthusiasm.
• The customer is always number one. The customer is always the object of the total quality program. Everything that happens in the workplace is ultimately geared toward creating customer satisfaction. In a quality-driven organization, the customer is always invited – and encouraged – to offer feedback about product and service performance. And the quality-driven
  organization is always on the lookout for the customer who experiences dissatisfaction; special hotlines and complaint systems galvanize the firm toward prompt action whenever a customer problem presents itself.
• When problems develop, quick action results. The origin of the problem doesn't matter. The nature of the problem doesn't matter. When a deficiency is noted internally or by a customer – but especially by a customer – it gets fixed fast.
• People receive feedback. Managers, employees and customers who take the time to suggest quality improvements or bring problems to the fore receive prompt, complete feedback in the quality-driven organization. The results: satisfaction and a willingness to pursue the quest toward quality even further.
• The customer ultimately decides whether standards are met. The quality-driven organization is constantly on the lookout for customer feedback. Customers are typically sampled, surveyed and solicited for their views on performance.
• Long-term planning emphasizes quality improvements. Most business organizations are engaging in some form of long-range planning today. Organizations geared toward quality improvement orient their planning efforts toward one key result: the relentless pursuit of increasingly higher quality standards in every area of operation.

However obvious many of these principles may sound, they are the object of elaborate, depth-filled training and control programs in organizations striving for total quality. These programs make tremendous economic sense. For the relentless pursuit of quality can lead to performance standards – and standards of customer loyalty – that few ever thought possible.