A couple of weeks ago I went camping. I haven’t camped in over 2 decades, so I needed a tent.  After checking a couple of placed on line, I decided to go with the Mountain Equipment Co-op Wanderer 4.  The tent was thoughtfully constructed with a full fly and lots of useful features. But it wasn’t until the last night of the camping experience when a deluge struck that I realized just how important quality was to me.  Despite being stuck in a tent during an extremely heavy rainstorm, we were dry.  The tent outperformed my expectations.  Looking back, the other cheaper tents I saw wouldn’t have performed under those conditions.

Cheney Window and Door is another example of quality and service.  When it came time to replace the windows and doors in our home, we were thrilled with the quality of their product, but more important was the service we received.  The installer was second to none; he took a great deal of care and added some extra touches along the way.  The owner also offered some great renovation advice, and pointed us in the direction of our next successful venture, soffit and facia.

Now this provider was a long-time installer who was preparing to retire, but because Cheney gave us the recommendation, he took our job.  Again, we delighted with the entire experience. 

The final exterior improvement on our list was paint. I knew that it would be tough to find someone who met my standards, having done my share of painting.  A friend had recently had some work done by a painter who came highly recommended to her, so I took a chance.  His work was amazing.

Pricing for Quality

Could I have paid less for these services? Yes.  But I opted for quality, and in the end with a job well done, I was further ahead.  Will I shout these companies’ praises from the rooftops?  You bet!

In a world where all too often we are disappointed by the quality of the goods and services we purchase, it is nice to know that excellence still exists.  This fact provides an opportunity for businesses: customers are willing to pay for quality and great service.  But make sure that you deliver, because bad news travels fast.  My neighbours thought they were buying and paying for quality and service but instead received a nightmare.  I won’t be contacting that company for their services any time soon.