The Quality of the Iceberg

Quality has many measures. Almost all of them assess how well a product or service complies to the specification. There are several problems with this. Attempting to capture the essence in a spec; figuring out how to evaluate a product or service against the spec; and setting limits. All of these are subject to interpretation, error, and variability.

Quality is more about the relationship with the brand, the experience of the product and service, in the moment; and the emotional benefit before, during and after. Does this mean that measurable specifications are not important? No, they are critical, and the supplier, or provider must meet them. It is a simple and basic expectation. It is also the visible part of the iceberg. What drives us to return again and again to the brands we love, is the emotional mass, the vast area of the iceberg which is below the surface. That is where the investment pays off, in the quality of the shared emotional connection.