Bring quality into your life. Products and people that do what they say.

I’m not an economist but I am a consumer. I see that supermarkets and other suppliers are competing for my custom by trying to convince me that they offer the best product at the lowest price. Not only that, but it’s at a lower price than it was last week! So by the law of contrasts it should become extra enticing to me.

Unfortunately for suppliers, their credibility with the public has sunk over time as we have experienced the cheap but not-so-wonderful wonder cleaner and the economical but not-so-tasty bursting-with-taste ready meal… The suppliers have done their marketing aggressively and as a result we, the general public, are now programmed to expect rock-bottom prices ‘at all costs’.

But how can they produce the goods and services we demand at the prices we expect? It’s not rocket science. They clearly have to cut their costs to match both customer and share-holder expectations. Outsourcing production to a cheaper labour market is one obvious way, and finding the cheapest source of raw material is another. Being super-efficient helps, as does employing as few people as possible. A less attractive cost-cutting measure is to cut corners – deliberately lowering the quality of the product or service by sourcing an inferior material or using a faster, but less effective, manufacturing process. Then seeking to hide the fact that the product is actually of inferior quality by basically tricking us one way or another, or by making wonderful claims, saying that it’s good, it’s great, it does this, it does that… The shopping activity itself is also an economy class experience, with self help and self check out.

The sad fact is that we’ve become used to these inferior products and services – because they are the norm. We’ve almost forgotten what quality means. We have a dull, almost sub-conscious, recollection of friendly personal service, and products that do what they say they will do. But the present consumer experience falls far short of that. And so our expectations are low. We unwrap the fancy packaging and find a tiny thing inside. Are we surprised or have we seen it all before? We wash the shirt once and it…well…changes. The anti-aging cream doesn’t make us look ten years younger but we still buy some more. What choice do we have?

Well I have a choice! And I think you do too if you’re able to spend a little time and effort. A lovely little corner fruit and veg shop has just opened in the village where I live. I can now hand-pick my fresh broccholi and chat to the guy at the counter who seems to remember me from last week – that’s quality.

I buy my skin care, health supplements and household cleaning products from a company that doesn’t spend money advertising, sells concentrates and uses minimum packaging – that’s quality. It means I have to plan a week or two ahead (my online order is delivered to my house). And I certainly don’t pay the cheapest price. Instead I pay a very fair price for products that do what they say. There’s a 100% money back guarantee so this company can’t afford for it to be any other way.

You may think this is freaky but I stopped watching televison a couple of years ago. Instead I read books that help me to grow as a person – that’s quality. Instead of Constant Negative News I fill my mind with stuff that uplifts me and stretches me. As a result I’m happier and more effective in the things I do.

Any other ideas on how to bring quality back into life? I’d be glad to hear from you! And if you want to know how to get hold of the products and books that I love, let me know.

Julia Brown