What should products or services conform to in order to meet customer requirements?

Meeting customer requirements is fundamentally about ensuring that products or services align with both customer expectations and established norms within the industry. Conforming to applicable national and international standards is crucial because these standards dictate minimum quality levels, safety measures, and performance criteria that products should meet to be considered acceptable.

These standards help ensure consistency and reliability, which are essential for building customer trust and satisfaction. They often take into account best practices, legal requirements, and market expectations that go beyond individual customer requests or company-specific benchmarks.

Internal company standards may vary widely and may not always reflect what customers actually expect or require in a broader sense. Similarly, relying solely on customer requests can risk narrowing the focus too much to individual needs, potentially overlooking the wider market demands and established quality benchmarks. Competitor benchmarks can provide insight but may not be suitable as a standard in themselves, as they are based on specific companies' performance rather than universal expectations.

Thus, adhering to applicable national and international standards provides a comprehensive framework that ensures products and services meet both customer expectations and legal obligations, facilitating quality assurance and customer satisfaction on a broader scale.