Todd Herman Associates e-Update — May 2007

"qual·i·ty"

I was recently meeting with an advisor to define how we might better work together. So, we clarified roles and responsibilities, developed a standard agenda for our meetings, and set tasks and due dates for each of us — and left, feeling good about the new mutual commitments we made about working together. I later received an email from her, saying how much she appreciated my commitment to "total quality."

That comment brought to mind a definition of "quality" I had heard many years ago. Quality is Free, by Philip Crosby, contains this deceptively simple definition — "Quality is conformance to requirements." For me, I use "expectations" or "needs" synonymously with "requirements." The author illustrates this idea through an automobile buyer — the expectations for a luxury car are different from those of a basic car, but both can be of high quality, as long as they conform to expectations.

The key here is "expectations" — and these can only be defined by the buyer. Not by the seller. Not by the design team, or the engineering team, or the manufacturing employees. Only the buyer. Why? Because the buyer trades money only for items meeting or exceeding expectations.

It's amazing how often people seem to forget this. A recent conference call involved several client personnel, the owner of a software company that develops and supports the business system used by this client, and me. The goal was to address the issues my client had using this software, implemented over 2 years ago. The owner had forgotten — or perhaps never realized — who defines quality. As the call progressed, he became defensive about his business practices, which were out of step with the software industry. He failed to acknowledge his client's frustrations, approaching things from a technical standpoint instead of a client service standpoint. The result? My client began to doubt that their concerns were heard and would be addressed.

Were this the only example of poor quality I have seen recently! Common themes in all of them:

• Agreements between parties seemed clear — but really were not.
• Items or services were delivered that did not conform to client expectations.
• The provider had not done a good job communicating status and issues to the client.

Fortunately, there are still companies that deliver high quality products and services. When I needed to purchase a specialized magnetic white board, I came across a company called Magnatag. While a similar white board was available elsewhere at a comparable price, what I really needed was Magnatag's wide selection of specialized accessories. Their helpful customer service representative guided me in making the right choices so that my needs — my expectations of how I would actually use and benefit from this board and accessories — were truly met.

In our work, we always strive to deliver services that meet or exceed expectations. Our formula for quality may seem old-fashioned and obvious:

• Understand what your client truly wants.
• Demonstrate your understanding in writing — email, memo, or formal engagement letter.
• Adjust items, as necessary, until you and your client are in agreement
• Do your best to deliver what you have arranged.
• Keep your client informed of progress and issues along the way.

Is this common sense as to what constitutes client service? It would seem so — but our approach appears to distinguish us in the business community. As one client recently told me, "Todd, you seem to know what I need better than I do myself."

So, if you think a current service provider doesn't "get it," you might want to remind them who defines "quality." If they still don't "get it," then maybe it's time to find someone who does.

Sincerely,

Todd L. Herman