A Business Owner’s Guide to Quality Assurance

Imagine a world where manufacturers don’t test that things work properly. Where no tests are run, apps fail every second, and electronic products are sold with no guarantee that they’ll function properly. While this is far from a dystopian nightmare, it’s not ideal.

If Quality Assurance didn’t exist, we wouldn’t dare to ride a roller-coaster and only the brave among us would buy cars – praying that nothing self-ignites and the brakes work. Sure, technical errors, bugs, and glitches are inevitable. As professional and experienced as your team is, perfection is most definitely difficult to achieve.

At the same time, as our world turns increasingly digital, people expect websites and apps to run smoothly. It’s no shock that 40% of people abandon websites that take more than three seconds to load. Here’s a great example of where Quality Assurance can improve UX. We can introduce all the customer acquisition strategies we want to, but if we don’t have a team controlling production and delivery standards, we won’t be able to retain valuable clients.

What Is Quality Assurance?

The name itself describes what a QA team does. The QA department ensures that a company’s services and products offer the best possible standard for any given product. They are responsible for planning and monitoring every step of the production process. This team is necessary for all types of business, so it can be responsible for checking that a factory labels their products correctly but also for detecting faults in apps to be launched. QA is a wide-ranging element of all production processes.

Through audits and tests, the QA team can detect and solve issues to ensure that products are performing within company standards. They can implement different testing methods that depend on the company’s needs and their products. For example, agile testing is a great way to supervise IT services.

The Quality Assurance approach is focused on preventing rather than solving issues. Every step is observed by the QA team to avoid delays later in the production process. Failures that are detected late take more time to correct.

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Is It Really Necessary?

When a person sees you for the first time, it takes them only seven seconds to form an impression of you. Every time someone stumbles upon your website or buys your products for the first time, the same rule applies.

For smaller businesses and startups, a bad beginning can stop you from realizing your company’s full potential. If you’re trying to fight off the competition, your best weapon is a QA team with a strong eye for detail. They should take the time to ensure your services are close to perfection. One of the many useful tools to do this is knowledge management software.

If your company launches a faulty app, you may be losing money and new users. With the current uninstall rate being around 50%, it’s not worth the risk. A common error among many startups is sacrificing QA as a measure to reduce costs.

The consequences of poor quality and performance can lead to a remarkable 40% of annual revenue loss. This is why senior technology professionals reported spending 23% of their annual IT budget on QA testing.

Another important factor to take into account regarding modern society is that people rely on continuity. We take a 24/7 culture as a given and find it frustrating when websites are down due to software upgrades. It’s the QA team’s job to avoid blackouts due to bugs or errors. A popular solution for this is a business continuity app.

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The Benefits of Having a QA Team

Customer Loyalty

The key to a successful business is to keep customers content. If we are doing everything possible to prevent errors in our software and systems, we will secure loyal users that know they can rely on our services to work effectively. A satisfied client can also spread the word about your company and contribute to your company’s growth.

Better User Experience

If we are constantly on the hunt for new QA monitoring methods, we can ensure our user’s experience evolves and keeps up with tech advances. For example, methods like a continuous integration pipeline can be used to make changes to software safely. By introducing monitoring and automation, you can secure your app’s improvement.

Stronger Brand Identity

Your products, whether they are apps or goods, are one of the most important faces of your company. A service that works well is your closest ally. By focusing on QA testing, you’re elevating your company’s reputation. If there’s one thing your brand shouldn’t be known for is errors and a faulty system.

More Revenue

It’s simple maths. Good quality services equal satisfied clients. Consequently, a great customer experience leads to more revenue. It’s also important to remember that if people are paying for a service, quality assurance is key to securing good reviews and increased sales.

Conclusion

No matter what you sell or market, securing the quality of your products is a company’s biggest responsibility. If we don’t plan, test, and supervise before launching a service, we will be missing the opportunity to detect errors in time. This is why it’s vital to save a percentage of your budget to get the best QA team you can find.

Felix Zoot Billson is the Head of Marketing for Global App Testing, a best-in-class software testing company that is founded on speed, impact and effort. Felix has become adept at growing businesses by focusing on creating optimized customer experiences to maximize business impact and revenue. On the weekends, you’ll find him reading his favorite novels and mountain biking. Here is his LinkedIn.

Quality Assurance stock image Alexander Supertramp/Shutterstock

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