Managing Quality

The four dimensions of quality include design, conformance, availability, and field service. Bose addresses design quite specifically when engineering a product. Actually, most, if not all, Bose products are uniquely designed to give the customer better performance and quality overall. For example, the Bose Wave Music System is distinctive in its design due to the waveguide technology which is able to give the system excellent clarity and sound quality within a relatively small package. The system’s design gives it, great performance and overall quality.

Conformance entails compliance with specifications. Bose utilizes conformance by modeling their products according to customer demand. For example, the Bose SoundDock digital music system was originally engineered for stationary use. Its function includes playing an iPod while charging the iPod’s battery simultaneously. Customer feedback showed that consumers wanted to enjoy this same performance, while allowing for portability, as well. Therefore, Bose conformed with their creation of the SoundDock Portable.

New Bose Product!
Bose® SoundDock® Portable Digital Music System


In terms of availability, Bose employs a practice that attempts to meet all customer needs. Therefore if a particular product is not in stock, Bose employees make sure to offer the customer a variety of options. The first of these options involves checking the inventories of other store locations. If the product is available at another store, a transfer will be made and shipped directly from the supplying store, to the customer. Another option would be to extend to the customer a chance to be contacted as soon as the merchandise is available. Finally, the customer is always able to make online purchases, and choose from the same selection of products offered in all store locations.

The fourth and final component of quality is field service. Bose specializes in this dimension because all Bose products feature the same warranty and return/exchange policy. This is also true for products that are not new, but what is referred to as Factory Renewed. Factory Renewed products have been previously purchased, and then returned for various reasons. When returned, the package is inspected and if the seal has been broken, then everything is sent back to the manufacturing plant, where it is tested to ensure the same appearance and performance as a brand new product. It this point, the merchandise is then recertified and shipped back to the original store, featuring the same warranties and trial period of a new product. However, the product is offered at a discounted rate. This strategy not only gives customers pricing options, but proves that quality is always a main priority at Bose. Making this a perfect example of field service quality.