Isn't it interesting how our perceptions rule our beliefs and actions? So much of the brain research today seems to support the idea that what we perceive defines our reality.

For that reason, this article focuses on the role of perception in the minds of consumers. Is the glass half empty or half full? The definition resides in your customers' eyes!

People Perceive Quality in Many Ways

Regardless of how good you believe your offerings or project solutions are, your clients and customers will be responding to "quality in perception" even more than "quality in fact."

Quality in fact refers to the features that we believe we're paying for, such as how much something weighs, how fast it runs, or various other characteristics.

Quality in perception pertains to things like special considerations, courtesies, a caring and personalized attitude, and many other subtleties that can lead us to believe we're receiving more than what we're paying for. Effective quality in perception can help compensate for any gaps in quality in fact that could otherwise irritate or inconvenience consumers.

Often, Perceived Value Is Not about Cost

Some years ago, I was a volunteer mediator in the Small Claims Court system. During my involvement in the court system, I became fascinated with the number of cases involving alleged wrongdoing or incompetence. People were suing businesses such as termite services and auto body painters, and even former best friends and health care providers over a variety of grievances! The suits often sought fairly small amounts of compensation, which meant that the financial aspects were not the primary concern.

What repeatedly emerged in the mediation sessions was that each plaintiff felt that the vendor, service provider, health care provider, or ex-friend had not listened to his or her concerns. Those plaintiffs frequently believed that their complaints about shortcomings in services, products, or communications had simply been dismissed.

Had the defendants in these cases earlier offered something as simple as a sincere apology -- and had they made a concerted effort to communicate while also taking timely remedial action -- I believe the resulting quality in perception could have prevented many of these lawsuits, even if the quality in fact still left something to be desired.

New Proof of the Power of Apologies

The New York Times recently reported that sincere, heart-felt apologies coming from doctors, surgeons, and hospitals who made serious medical mistakes have the effect of greatly reducing the likelihood that patients will sue for malpractice. In addition, patients who are willing to settle out of court often accept lower settlement payments than when doctors become defensive and deny what happened.

"Deny and defend" is the advice that malpractice lawyers and insurers typically give to doctors in the U.S., according to the Times. Studies that show that as few as 30 percent of medical errors are ever disclosed to patients. However, since malpractice claims have helped fuel skyrocketing medical costs, drastic changes in approaches to handling these high-stress situations are sorely needed.

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