Simply put, quality is the degree to which customers get what they want.
Quality is product-focused.
Customers have expectations about both the attributes of the product and the outcomes to be achieved by using the product. They have to be translated by the producer into precise design criteria which are directly measurable. Producers sometimes refer to these translations as requirements, specifications or standards. These terms are not as inclusive as expectations. Producers in a customer-centered culture proactively solicit emerging customer expectations and wants to direct both continuous improvement in quality and achieve breakthroughs in innovation.