What is meant by "the adequacy of a product must be considered in relation to the general environment within which it will be operated rather than solely on the basis of technical efficiency"?
The perception of quality rests solely with the customer. Part of the customer's evaluation of a product is the level of technology reflected within it, together with products standards, support services, and the price relative to competitive products. A commonly misinterpreted concept of quality amongst industrial marketers is that good quality is equal to technically good quality, which is not true.
To exemplify, a product with a certain feature which stands out from its competitors might not result in good quality, since that feature is not always of importance to the customer. Best quality is best because the product adheres exactly to specified standards that have been determined by expected use of the product. Product quality, including dependability of suppliers and timely delivery, are some of the most important variables that influence managers' purchasing decisions.