I’ve heard a phase several times in recent months that bothers me. I’ve heard people say, “cost of quality.” Perhaps folks using this phrase have simply, inadvertently dropped an important word, but that consideration doesn’t lessen my concern. Poor quality is often an unnecessary and unfortunate expense, a “cost.” Appropriate, good quality is an investment.

The term “cost” means an expenditure that we pay to continue business. It will not offer a profitable return. It is money lost. Alternatively, “investment” means money that we set aside or spend now to achieve a greater return later. If we look at the pursuit of quality correctly, we see it as an investment, not a cost.

There are hundreds of ways we battle to achieve and maintain quality for our products, our services, and our performances. Let’s look at a single common scenario to explore the difference between cost and investment in terms of quality.

Consider the material or parts that we purchase from a supplier to fabricate or assemble a product for our customers. Ideally, we engage suppliers that consistently produce exceptional quality. As our suppliers prove this to us, we relax our efforts to continuously assess their performance.

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