What Quality Means to Me

As a consumer, quality is one of the most important characteristics I look for when purchasing a product or service. Now that I am a student (yet again) on a limited income, getting "more bang for my buck" is even more important than ever before. This, however, does not mean that I will buy the cheapest thing out there. I have learned from experience that spending a little more on higher quality items saves me more money in the long run (because I do not have to replace them as often). I also shop at places that provide a higher quality customer service experience—such as Publix and Chick-fil-A—because they go above and beyond the call of duty to fix problems when they arise.

As a retail manager, providing a higher quality customer service experience was my number one priority. I made sure that every customer that walked through the door had a positive shopping experience. Even if they came in upset because they had to return an item that did not work for them, I made sure to do whatever it took to ensure that they left happy. Even if the products I sold were not always the best in quality, the high quality service provided customers with enough value to shop with us again in the future. The health care industry could certainly use more of this.

As a future health care executive, I intend to take everything I have learned as a consumer and a retail manager, and apply it to the health care industry. By always keeping the wants and needs of the consumer in mind and by training staff to give great customer service, one can create a higher quality patient-centered environment in health care. Although this approach may be more difficult to implement, it is in the health care provider's best interest. Increased quality leads to repeat customers and more word-of-mouth referrals—both of which ultimately lead to increased revenues in the future.