Have you thought about asking everyone who works for your company or organization what quality means to them? By “everyone,” I mean everyone who works for the company or organization, from the cleaners to the receptionist who answers the phone, front-line employees who interact with customers, middle or senior managers, and the CEO or business owner. The task of defining terms like “quality” is frequently delegated to a select group of people, such as the person who drafts policies and procedures or a team or working committee tasked with coming up with solutions to a certain problem. However, leaving these interpretations to a select group of individuals may cause confusion for other individuals.
I was asked to create a staff friendship policy many years ago by employees of a facility. I couldn’t understand this request any more as I gave it more thought. A quick dictionary search revealed that the term “friendship” could mean a wide variety of things (this was before Google or other online search engines):
I was also unsure of what “mutual affection” and “relationship” meant for the staff because I knew they were a religious society, so that concern seemed to be clear. However, given the variety of ways “friend” or “friendship” could be understood, I chose to discuss this with the CEO. It made sense to discuss this with him since he would be the one signing the policy at the time. I proceeded to ask him what his interpretation of these terms meant after explaining the reason for my appointment. He claimed it was straightforward: by “friendship,” he meant all 400 individuals he had listed in his Little Black Book and who he could contact if he needed anything. He questioned me about how I understood this concept, and I replied that I had friends at various levels, ranging from those I could count on one hand to those I considered to be in the “friendship” category to a large circle of people. (I didn’t create that policy!) The CEO turned to face me and declared that my interpretation was the strangest thing he had ever heard.
The lesson I took away from that experience is that even the most basic terms we take for granted can be interpreted in a variety of ways, sometimes in ways that are very different from our own. Our own understandings and interpretations frequently result from our own history, personal experiences, and relationships with respectable people. Naturally, this implies that others’ interpretations of fundamental terms will be influenced by their own experiences. We risk creating a lot of confusion and people acting on their own interpretations, thinking that they are correct or that your interpretations are “weird,” as the CEO thought of mine all those years ago, if we assume that everyone views the world and concepts like “friendship” and “quality” in the same way that we do.
How to answer, “What does quality mean to you?”
Think about how quality relates to the particular position and how it impacts the organization if a prospective employer asks you this question during an interview: “What does quality mean to you?” You can use this guideline to prepare your answer:
1. Define quality and describe what it means to you
Defining quality in your own words will show that you have a thorough understanding of what it is. You could discuss purpose and how something’s quality is determined by how well it satisfies its purpose. You could list several components of quality, including consistency, standardization, and client satisfaction. However, you can clarify that because quality is influenced by a variety of factors, it is difficult to provide a concise definition of quality. Or the fact that it can be subjective and different people will define it differently
2. Explain how quality relates to the position youre seeking
Explain how it relates to the position for which you are interviewing after describing quality. The answer might vary depending on the industry. Explain why its important and describe quality with industry examples. Your objective is to reassure management that you recognize the value of quality and are dedicated to providing it to the organization’s clients.
You might find it helpful to keep in mind the numerous advantages that consistent quality can offer, such as:
3. Describe how to measure and improve quality
Finally, show that you are knowledgeable about how to gauge quality and how to raise it. Explain quality assurance procedures and provide pertinent examples from a prior position. List other ways you can measure quality. Pick one instance from a prior position where you evaluated quality, made improvements, or ensured consistency in quality. For instance, you could say, “I used quality control tools, such as process checklists and a quality assurance audit at the project’s conclusion. “.
Why employers ask, “What does quality mean to you?”
What does quality mean to you? is a question that an employer might ponder in order to ascertain your viewpoint and how it relates to the duties of the position. They are interested in hearing how you define quality and implement the quality principle at work. To help the company meet and exceed customer expectations, employees have a critical responsibility to uphold quality standards for products and services. This results in happy customers, repeat business, and possibly higher sales through the creation of referrals.
Example answers for “What does quality mean to you?”
Following the three-point formula above, here are some various ways you can respond to this question depending on the type of industry because quality is such a diverse subject:
Finance industry example:
Although quality and accuracy are undoubtedly related, quality is more of an elusive state with measurable components. In the financial industry, honesty, integrity, and steadfast values are all essential qualities. A quality attitude leads to superior high-level decisions.
“As part of my previous job, I was in charge of creating quarterly reports.” It was essential that I verified the accuracy of all the data. It was my responsibility to investigate the discrepancy and figure out how to fix mistakes when I discovered them. Due diligence and familiarity with the department’s records were essential for this. I was able to develop an audit system that prepared the majority of the quarterly report in advance after completing the quarterly reports for a year. This small change streamlined the quarterly report process and decreased the amount of mistakes and inaccuracies it contained. “.
Manufacturing example:
“I think that a finished product’s quality is more important than its price,” Its part of the process of creating or doing anything. Who we are, what we produce, and how our customers view us are all influenced by how we make our products. Every step of the manufacturing process is integrated with quality by our company.
I conduct the last quality assurance check before products leave the warehouse in my current position. This guarantees that products are as consistent as possible. Additionally, I play a role in identifying any issues on the floor as soon as they arise. **At first, this was a very time-consuming task. However, I created a checklist, and after implementing this one change, our defect rate dropped by 12% The team as a whole benefited from this improvement, which raised morale and increased output. “.
Retail example:
“In retail, I believe that quality is essential to a company’s operation and success.” But I don’t think it’s just the thing we’re selling or the product. I believe that a product’s quality and a service’s quality are related.
“The store where I work has a customer loyalty program. Every purchase earns customers points, which they can then use to get discounts. We love rewarding our loyal customers in this way because it helps us get to know them better. In the past, we were unable to apply customers’ points if they didn’t have their discount card on hand. Our customers were frustrated by the procedure, and the program wasn’t boosting customer satisfaction. The retailer was successful in integrating the rewards program into our POS system. Customers appreciate receiving automatic discount points because they feel heard. “.
Business customer service example:
“In business, quality can be intangible. It’s critical to understand that each individual customer may have a different perception of quality. I believe that delivering quality requires thinking from the perspective of the customer.
“Our customers at my current company primarily communicate via email, and I think our email turnaround time is excellent. Customers immediately get an automated response, and the customer support team also responds to 90% of emails within 24 hours However, we also get comments, inquiries, and grievances via social media. We initially lacked a system to handle that kind of communication, so we established a position for an online manager to deal with customer interactions and online feedback. This change significantly raised the standard of our online customer service. “.
Healthcare example:
“In the healthcare industry, quality can truly mean the difference between life and death.” I am very careful to adhere to the right procedures and make sure each step is finished before moving on. It also entails planning ahead and utilizing past data to forecast probabilities.
“Whenever I work with patients, I always record their responses while also repeating their words back to them.” When a patient speaks too quickly, I can often record accurate information using this straightforward technique. **Recently, our hospital set up an online repository for keeping patient data. The patient registers for an account, logs in, and can access information about previous visits, upcoming appointments, and other things. It contains their entire medical history at this facility. This new system has improved the quality of customer service. “.
SIMPLE: What does quality mean to you? Interview.
FAQ
What does quality mean to you interview question and answer?
Sample Response 4: I believe that quality work entails giving it my all, continuously seeking out new opportunities for development, and submitting reliable, productive work that management can count on. Additionally, I believe that quality in terms of a company’s products entails providing value above and beyond what clients expect.
What does the value of quality mean to you?
Reliability comes from achieving quality standards. Customer satisfaction is being able to accomplish their goals in a way that matters to them. Quality simply means delivering to the customer what they expected. Quality means doing it right when no-one is looking.
What does quality mean to you at work?
Quality work is defined as work that meets and goes above the expectations of the client or the company. You must apply your abilities to carry out your duties to the highest standard in order to produce quality work. Determining quality may be arbitrary and dependent on particular clients or employers.
What does quality mean to a person?
a distinguishing characteristic, property, or attribute. the basic character or nature of something. a trait or feature of personality. degree or standard of excellence, esp a high standard.
