Quality is primarily the perception the customer has about the product or service being purchased. How a customer feels about the quality of the product will determine if the customer returns and uses the product on a repeated basis. The attitude of the customer is generally made up of three factors:

1. 70 percent - the way the customer is looked at by employees;

2. 20 percent - based on the tone of the employees voice;

3. 10 percent - exactly what the employee says.

It is the dream of the franchisor and the franchisee that any employee working with an customer will make that individual feel comfortable and appreciate the product or service being purchased. If a problem does exist, the employee may simply state, "We are sorry about this, this is our fault. Let us correct it for you."

It is important that the franchisor remember the two distinct target markets: (1) franchisees and (2) consumers. The quality of the franchise as viewed by a prospective franchisee is very similar to the quality of a product that is viewed by the end customer. This quality will be determined in part by the cleanliness of the store or headquarters organization, by the smiles or cheerfulness of the staff and employees, by the sense of security and feeling of importance which the franchisor shows the prospective franchisee or which the franchisee shows the end consumer. If the airplane is dirty, will the engine be clean and operative? In addition, the availability and convenience of a product will also reflect upon the quality of that product and business. The completeness of the service is also important to the consumer. It has been estimated that 35% of customers are never thanked before leaving the business. The business of the employee has not been completed until a "thank you" has been extended to the customer.

Quality is the image of the store or product. Quality is also the number one item advertised through the media today. Ford Motor Company advertises "quality is job one". Remember, advertising will bring the customer in once. Quality of the operations will bring the customer back for repeat business.