We encounter so much power through ever-changing technologies. From the age of home phones to smartphones that can track you anywhere in the world, within the past ten years alone we have embraced truly revolutionary advancements in communication and computer science. The wealth of resources that we have at our disposal can be overwhelming at times. However, more often than not, we find ourselves in a place of discouragement because we consider efficiency an earmark of quality. We become so caught up in the allotted time it takes for these technologies to perform their task that we dismiss the product as “a piece of junk” until the page has downloaded, the text is sent, or the message is finally received. To understand the difference between quality and efficiency online, we must look into separate but equal examples of both. After that, we can then determine whether or not a product that is efficient is also high in quality and vice versa.
Websites dedicated to healthcare for physicians, clinics, and hospitals are a great example of quality over efficiency. A majority of sites representing hospitals, clinics, and doctors are more concerned with the quality of the presentation than the efficiency of the program. In other words, these sites are usually easy to navigate and user-friendly even at a quick glance. After becoming more familiar with the practice or physician through their site, you’re able to schedule an appointment over the phone or online at your convenience. Allowing patients to schedule appointments online is a telltale sign of a quality healthcare website because they are seriously considering and caring about the wants and needs of their patients. Sites like these present the visitor with the necessary means to judge the quality of the practice or person in question.
Efficiency over quality is prominent on online ticket retail websites. Buying tickets online from a trusted vendor, like Ticketmaster or Stubhub, has become one of the most efficient experiences that you can have on the Web. These sites allow you to sign up for accounts that keep track of your basic information including credit card number and billing address. Establishing your own profile on sites like Amazon, eBay, and ticket vendors makes all your purchases as easy as walking straight to the checkout counter.
We find quality where we want to. The quality of anything, whether it’s a smartphone or an online experience, is based purely on opinion. However, we all have shared standards of what quality must be. Quality is the essence of delivering what humans desire and exceeding their expectations. As far as efficiency is concerned, we often weigh it heavily in regard to quality, so much so that it can make or break the product or service in question. In today’s environment, people demand the best in little to no time at all, making our lives easier and not slowing down our routine inside and out of the workplace. Our standards have certainly become higher and will proceed to increase as the years go by.