When I think about quality the things that come into my head aren’t Rolex watches or Hermes scarves or shiny red Ferrari cars. No, the thing that comes into my head is a humble tin of Heinz Baked Beans.
I see the tin with its bluish green label and the black crest proudly saying what is inside – Heinz Baked Beans. I see its shiny silver top and bottom and I see them either with their colleagues on a packed supermarket shelf, faced up or sitting in my cupboard waiting for its moment of glory. The later tins have an image of the beans themselves on them, dripping invitingly over the lip of the crest, teasing us with their rich orange sauce.
But why do I think of Heinz Baked Beans when I think of quality? It’s simple. When I see the tin I can taste what is inside. I don’t need to open the can to taste the slightly sweet yet tangy sauce or to feel the firmness of the beans upon my teeth or to enjoy the sense of warm satisfaction as I cut up the buttered toast, covered in the contents of the tin and place a fork full in my mouth.
I know exactly what they are going to taste like just by looking at the tin. I know that every time I eat them they are going to taste the same and that I am going to have that consistent and welcoming experience. No surprises, no shocks, no disappointments but always a steady and unfailing commitment to the brand.
When we normally think of quality we think expensive and I regularly hear it said that we can no longer afford to provide a quality service (a Rolls Royce service indeed). But quality and price are two separate things. You can have a low cost but high quality product and regrettably you can have something of low quality that costs the earth. Providing quality in the long run will prove to be cheaper as quality leads to a reduction in rework or complaints and an increase in net promotion and customer retention.
Heinz Baked Beans are a quality product and the company has managed to retain its commitment to quality in a highly competitive and commoditised market. I think it’s time to put the toaster on and open a can because after all, they are the beans we all grew up with.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 