Definitions of Quality

1. DJAMADA M. KAGUSU
Technology Management
TM 564.
Module of Quality system management.
WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY “Quality”
Quality can be defined as:
 the ability of a set of intrinsic characteristics to satisfy requirements
 aspect, way of being of something, all the modalities under which something presents
itself.
 Each of positive aspects of something that makes it best match what you expect
 A character trait, a way of doing things, of being judged positively
 Quality is the set of properties and characteristics of a product, process or service that
give it its ability to meet expressed or implied needs. We can take an example of
medicines, the medicine considered to be of good quality if It totally treats the disease
and leaves no adverse drug reaction behind.
This is achieved after many steps and clinical trials to make sure that no harms leave to
the patients.
How does Quality effect your decision to Purchase a product one over another?
when I decide to purchase a product I have the characteristics that attracts me to do so such as
how strong the product is, how it appears, its components etc. then I decide according to my
financial capability to buy it, If the product does not meet what I expect it to, I decide to take
another which does or closely to. Let take an example , when I want to buy a cell phone there is
some features I follow such as storage capacity, length Electrical, its photos, its color, its
capacity to resist the mechanical shock, SIM spaces, Unlocked, and its shelf-life ,then I decide
according to the financial capacity of purchase it. But there are some brands that have made a
name before, according to how the previous customers described them, those brands become first
choice to me if it is the first time, I am going deal with them. If I had used one of the product of
such brand before I already know how it is, if it didn’t match what I expected I never think about
it and even if my friends consider me to advise him/her about the product I describe it as it
appeared to me according to my own experience.
Have you ever considered Quality in the service industries? Please write about personal
experience with poor Quality service and another example of excellent Quality of service.
Of course, as we everyday need to serve or to be served, everyone must have considered in the
service industries in buying, during transportation, and so on. I either have.

2. 1. Example of Personal experience with poor Quality service.
When I was in one country abroad I took an express bus ticket to another city (inter-towns bus
ticket), I was going to submit my documents I remember the deadline was 8:00 a.m., usually
from the town I used to live to where I was going takes 1h45min, I took the ticket earlier bus
(5:00 A.m.) to reach the destination before deadline hour. Guess what!!!! I will never forget, the
bus came late for 15 minutes and while we were in our journey, it used to stop in other bus stop
offices to add the passengers. The passengers including me started to shout and complaining to
the bus drive, instead of apologizing for inconvenience, he started to say, the words in his local
language meaning “ Be patient if you want and if you don’t get off the bus and find the fast one”.
I reached the town bus station (bus parking where I was going) about 7:30 a.m. and I took a fast
motorcycle to help me reach the destination before 8:00 a.m. This poor service quality lead
me to never use the same company for transport.
2. Example of excellent Quality of service.
One day I was coming from Rwanda (African country) to the Liberty Airport, (New wark) in
New Jersey United States, I took Ethiopian Airlines ticket, the ticket was detailed for
everything, including the STOPS, the SEATS, the terminals (where to wait for the next airplane),
Check time,……, Arriving to Kigali international airport, the airport workers I found are well
trained, serving on time, explaining the next and wishing you save journey, the air came on
expected time, and we flight on the time on ticket, the service inside the airplane was exceeding
what I was expecting, arriving to Ethiopian Airport, I found the instructions on ticket were
followed, helping as the traveler, showing where to wait, quick and professional checking, And
in the plane they provide with the excellent service until we reached the United States and say
good bye to their passengers.. This made me to understand the importance of good service to the
customers.
Serve your customers better than you wish to be Served.