Market participants strive to gain competitive advantages over their competitors.
Such competitive advantages can be found in the price and the special quality of the products or services; adherence to deadlines, competence and manners of employees, reliability in promises, availability of goods, etc. can also be competitive advantages and create strong customer loyalty. If a product or a provider enjoys special trust in terms of such quality features, it is said to have a strong brand, regardless of the legal protection of the same.
Competitive advantages can arise in the following areas:
- Process-oriented advantages; these bring cost advantages
- Customer-oriented advantages; they allow quick adjustment to changing customer requirements
- Technology-oriented advantages; they enable the offering of technically advanced and sophisticated products.
The company can present, demonstrate and, if necessary, have the quality of its products and services certified at trade fairs, exhibitions and in testing procedures carried out by independent institutes.
See also: Quality Management; Leadership; Marketing
Reference to QET criteria: Q09 Customers; Q10 Networks; Q08 Product management; Q11 Branding; Q12 Quality management; T03 Corporate transparency; T10 Suppliers; T11 Marketing; T12 Communication; T20 Certification