Once again, Seth Godin provides an important perspective; this time, on Quality:

In “Most and Least”, he writes:

Traveling yesterday, I realized that there are two popular strategies for service delivery. One is a coping strategy and one is a marketing strategy.

You can deliver the lowest permitted amount, or you can work to create the most remarkable experience you can imagine.

Smart marketers understand two things. The first is that you must pick your battles, deciding in which areas ‘most’ matters and living with ‘least’ the rest of the time. The second contradicts that and makes this a lot more complex: Least spreads… A few people get in the habit of least, then a whole department does, and the next thing you know, it’s an entire airline.

In “Maternity Ward”, he adds:

The staff and doctors at the LifeSpring hospital told me that they have to do exactly three things:

1. Realize that their customers* have expectations
2. Exceed those expectations
3. Do better at it every day

That’s as good a marketing plan as I’ve heard in a while.

*(notice that they didn’t say ‘patients’)

Think about that for a minute.

If you want to focus on Quality, it’s pretty simple.  Find the areas that matter the most, and then give it your best (or shall I say “most”?).  Just like the folks at LifeSpring do.

And, while you’re at it, also think about the areas you presently give your “least” to… Servicing a customer need, Forecasting your sales numbers, Accepting a target for the year, Documenting a project’s essentials, Commitment to work, Commitment to Family…

There is a lot to think about, isn’t there?