Only by commitment to quality at all levels within a company can products and services be produced and marketed profitably. Zero defects are now the only true goal for manufacturers of the 1990s. Reaching this goal does not mean adding more quality control inspectors and rejecting substandard products, it means producing the highest quality products at the lowest possible cost. This briefing recognises that we are just setting out on the road to Total Quality and gives guidance on how to take the first steps in assessing companies' needs and strategies, what techniques are available and how the pioneers in implementing Total Quality have fared.