Total Quality Management (TQM) can be defined as a total commitment to the continuous improvement of a company's processes in order to maximize assets, reduce waste and rework, and satisfy and retain customers. TQM is an endless process of continual improvement. This management system was co-developed by W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran. At the heart of TQM are the ideas that true quality can be achieved only through constant measurement and monitoring and that total quality requires a continuous, cohesive effort by every person in a company. Its strategy requires systematic changes in management practice, including the redesign of work, the redefinition of managerial roles, the redesign of organizational structures, the learning of new skills by employees at all levels, and the reorientation of organizational goals.

In adopting Deming's 14 basic principles (points) in their company, managers will need to stop depending on inspections to achieve quality; create a constancy of purpose to improve service; make quality the ultimate measure of success; stop awarding business solely on price; constantly improve service systems; adopt training programs; provide leadership; drive out fear; break down barriers among staff areas; eliminate slogans and targets; eliminate numerical goals; remove barriers to employees' pride in their work; institute a program for retraining and education; and take action.

The successful implementation of TQM can result in a quality perception as well as customer service leadership, helping to ensure both customer retention and new customer growth. This concept can directly improve the productivity of a company of any size, whether it is a start-up, a struggling young company, or an established firm looking to gain an edge on competition.