A business needs to provide a good quality product or service if they want to keep customers happy.

Ensuring quality keeps a product or service at an acceptable standard that customers will buy. Some of the quality methods that can be used by a small business are:

• Quality raw materials - If the raw materials used to produce a product are of a high standard the finished product is more likely to be of a high standard.
• Trained staff - Well trained staff will be able to do their jobs more effectively, which will lead to a better quality product or service.
• Well maintained and up-to-date machinery - If machinery is working well and is updated regularly there will be less likelihood of errors occurring in the production process.
• Quality control - The process of checking products at the end of the production process to ensure they meet minimum requirements.
• Quality assurance - The process of checking products at different stages throughout production.
• Quality circles - Different staff involved in the production process meet to discuss ways in which the production process or quality of the product could be improved.