In the early 1990s, Australian and U.S. industries embraced Total Quality Management (TQM) in an attempt to catch up with the quality standards of imported Japanese products.
TQM emphasised an organisation-wide commitment to eliminating errors and continuously improving every aspect of the business. However, after years of effort and great expense, businesses in both countries struggled to rival the Japanese approach to quality. Why?
A large multinational telecommunications company decided to investigate and uncovered an interesting cultural insight – different nations had distinct, culturally driven definitions of what ‘quality’ meant to them.
In Japan, quality was indeed synonymous with continuous improvement – with the goal being that the product should always be the best it could possibly be. In France, unsurprisingly, quality was linked to luxury. In the US, the definition of quality was more functional – a product that was fit for purpose and did what it promised. And in Australia, quality is deeply rooted in relationships.
A great example of this in action can be found in the experience of Agri Talent’s Executive Search lead, Bruce Highfield, during his time leading recruitment for Virgin Blue Airlines. Based on the study and its findings, Bruce and his team would often conduct a memorable exercise with recruits, telling the story of an Australian and an American dining together who both received incorrect food orders. Recruits would be asked to predict how each person would respond to the wait staff – and intuitively, most Australian recruits would get it right. Whilst the American diner would point out the mistake and send the food back, the Australian diner was less concerned about the mistaken order and more focused on maintaining a positive rapport with the wait staff.
What does this mean for your business, your Australian customer and recruitment?
If the Australian definition of quality is fundamentally tied to relationships, agribusinesses – many of which are built on daily interactions with their staff, customers, suppliers and contractors – need to think about the ways relationship-building is built into their business strategy, and who in their organisations has the responsibility for building these relationships.
To be seen as providers of quality – whether that’s your brand, service or product – agribusinesses need to make sure their training emphasises the fostering of strong relationships. It’s crucial to think of the people in your organisation as more than just representatives of your agribusiness – they’re also custodians of its reputation.
Every interaction between one of your employees and someone external to your business carries weight. Their responsibility goes beyond tasks – they’re accountable for the quality of the relationships they build and nurture. For an Australian customer, a strong, authentic relationship defines quality – influencing their view of your agribusiness far more than any product feature or service metric.
Next time you visit your favourite restaurant ask yourself… did I come here just for the food or how I’m made to feel?