When it comes to product development, think of a three-legged stool: scope, schedule and resources. Quality should be the foundation that you build your business upon, not the façade that is applied at the end. Remember, “Churn, Baby, Churn” by Guy Kawasaki (Rules For Revolutionaries: The Capitalist Manifesto for Creating and Marketing New Products and Services)? We are all allowed to deliver a crappy product initially, “… but this doesn’t mean you should stay crappy.”

But, what defines quality? At minimum, it should be defined from the eyes of the customer. I recently found the following quote on the Internet. Although this quote is very widely used, its origins are a mystery to me. I would appreciate if you let me know any pointers to its source. But, I digress…

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” Willa A. Foster or William A. Foster

As I said before, quality should be defined from the eyes of the customer; it is about having happy, or better yet, delighted customers. It is not only about delivering to the needs and benefits of the customers, it is also about the product’s conformance to those specifications, and especially how the product handles the cases of unexpected conditions. How many times you have had an application unexpectedly disappear on you without a sign? How about if you had a question for customer service, or really needed to get in touch with customer support to fix a problem, how many hoops did you jump through to make that happen?

Thinking about quality from the perspective of the customer starting at the very beginning of your product development cycle will also result in a better product design. Yet, so frequently, quality is an afterthought, and just becomes a checklist item instead of a philosophy of the development organization. Unfortunately this can result in a very poor customer experience from their first interaction with your product or service, leaving a poor first (and lasting) impression of your company.

I recently attended the NWEN. During the speaker sessions, one of the discussion points was the three-legged stool that the VCs utilize for their funding decisions: management, market development and technology. The reality is that the technology is becoming less consequential in their decision as the cost of acquiring technologies has fallen, thanks to globalization. Think about this, IF the technology is no longer a differentiation factor, and cannot create the barrier to entry for your competitors, what would? How will you build and grow your loyal customer base, which has more choices of products and services than ever before?

Your marketing, your brand and how your customers relate to your brand are now key to your success. In its simplicity, brand is defined as a promise, reputation and idea, but brand is the sum of your customer’s experience with your product, service and your company. Creating that initial ‘Wow’ factor is about having that insight into your customer needs and wants: great first usage experience that consists of usability, functionality and its interaction with the greater ecosystem. However for loyalty to occur, you need to be consistent in everything you do. This initial ‘Wow’ factor needs to spill over into the long-term satisfaction, so that not only they purchase more products and services, but also become your word-of-mouth advocates.

Yes, the first impression is important, but it should be built on the quality foundation to deliver the lasting value. And remember, the customer needs and expectations continuously change and evolve, so stay close to your customers to continue to deliver that ‘Wow’ factor. One final note, everything matters, so ensure you are focusing on quality on every possible touch point with your customers: from initial purchase all the way through the end of life for that product. Innovate with quality!

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