Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/17

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Subject: [Leica] Quality
From: "Stuart Phillips" <stuart.phillips@umb.edu>
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 14:43:38 -0500

Leica, like any other company, is not immune to producing a lemon. 
 However, for anyone to say that a significant number of companies expect 
30% wastage and expect the customer to do their quality testing ignores 
everything that has happened in business with Total Quality Management over 
the last 10 - 15 years.  Yes, everyone is sick of that buzzword, but to a 
large extent that is because it has done its job in reversing the attitude 
mentioned.  It is NOT cheaper to manufacture with less quality control 
because this ignores other unavoidable costs:
1. Having to continually advertize to get new customers to relace those old 
customers who do not repurchase.
2.The impossibility of building a brand when you have such negative 
publicity
3. The need to keep a repair facility or replace with new.

In addition, irrespective of price-point, it is just not THAT expensive to 
do it right the first time.

I have no experience with Australian manufacturers, but I don't believe 
that they operate much differently from those in the US, Europe, or Asia.

stuart phillips