Quality indicators are tools that evaluate how well a company meets defined standards in its processes, products, or services. Using data, you can identify which aspects are working and which need adjustments. In addition, these metrics align with ISO 9001, which focuses on continuous improvement and control of internal processes.
Why is applying quality indicators essential in business management?
Because they ensure uniformity and reliability in the products and services offered in order to meet customer expectations.
So stick around and discover what quality indicators are, the most common types, and how to implement them. By the end you’ll have a clearer view of what to do to optimize your company’s or project’s processes.
They are metrics that determine whether processes, products, or services meet the quality parameters established by an organization. Like general KPIs (key performance indicators), they aim to measure results.
The difference is that quality indicators focus on analyzing the efficiency of a company’s internal processes, while KPIs evaluate the company’s overall performance.
It’s worth noting that these metrics aren’t exclusive to large companies—they’re also useful for:
Entrepreneurs.
Small businesses.
They can even be applied to side initiatives or supplemental jobs. After all, they’re tools that help estimate the effectiveness, management, and quality of the services offered.
You can use different types of quality indicators to get a complete view of your business’s performance. But this depends on what you want to evaluate.
Here are 4 key quality indicators:
Product indicators. Evaluate whether a product’s features meet market-accepted quality standards and customer expectations. They measure aspects like durability, functionality, safety, or presentation.
Process indicators. Analyze the efficiency and consistency of internal stages (production or administrative), detecting failures or deviations that could affect the final outcome.
Service indicators. Measure perceived quality in the delivery of a product/service.
Customer satisfaction indicators. Evaluate the user’s level of satisfaction with a product/service.
This last indicator focuses on post-sales, making it crucial for identifying which areas need improvement—especially in home-office environments where ensuring continuity and quality of post-sales service is an added challenge for companies.
Now that it’s clear what a quality indicator is and its types, here’s how it applies in practice. These can take different forms depending on the area being evaluated.
Examples of quality indicators:
Customer response time. For example, this indicator can show the average hours or days a team takes to handle an inquiry or resolve a complaint.
Defect rate. Determines the proportion of products or services with errors versus the total produced.
Return rate. Reflects, for example, the number of items returned due to defects or dissatisfaction—helping detect opportunities for improvement.
Standards compliance. Evaluates whether internal processes meet established norms or certifications, such as an ISO 9001 audit.
Satisfaction level (NPS). Indicates how willing users are to recommend the company.
A PwC survey notes that 58% of consumers tend to recommend brands they trust. That’s why NPS is a key quality indicator for companies, as it helps quantify that level of trust and loyalty.
Quality indicators are essential because they provide an objective view of the performance of a venture, organization, or freelance business. Applying them correctly impacts operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and competitiveness.
Here’s what to expect when using key quality indicators:
Improve internal processes, identifying failures, optimizing resources, and ensuring activities are executed according to defined criteria.
Facilitate decision-making, since they provide precise, quantifiable information to identify trends and anticipate problems.
Assess your company’s positioning relative to others in the same sector.
In short, quality indicators in a company/business contribute to process optimization and overall performance.
Below are the fundamental steps to implement quality indicators in your business:
Select relevant metrics. Identify the indicators that reflect the performance of your processes, products, or services.
Continuous monitoring. Define a periodic review that lets you evaluate progress and detect potential deviations early.
Strategic adjustments. Use the data obtained as a reference to apply specific improvements and optimize processes that aren’t meeting internal guidelines.
Tools to measure quality. Use specialized software and digital tools that facilitate data collection and analysis, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information.
As you can see, implementing quality indicators also involves creating a system that allows you to evaluate, correct, and continually improve processes.
It’s worth mentioning that the selection of indicators must align with your strategic objectives and financial goals. Both should be measurable and achievable.
In short, quality indicators are like a compass guiding companies or businesses toward sustainable growth.
By measuring, analyzing, and improving internal processes, they enable better decisions and strengthen long-term customer trust.
Moreover, quality indicators don’t just drive organizational efficiency—they can also be applied to personal projects.
If that’s your case, you could use tracking schedules to review your progress consistently, as well as focus methods like Deep Work to maintain concentration and improve the quality of your work.
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KPIs measure a company’s overall performance against its strategic objectives. Quality indicators, on the other hand, focus on operational performance and meeting established parameters.
Some straightforward examples include customer response time, return rate, and customer satisfaction level. These help evaluate the effectiveness and consistency of processes.
Generally through surveys, response times, on-time delivery rates, and customer satisfaction. This allows you to analyze operational efficiency and the user’s perceived experience.
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