This tool outlines leading practices that can be used by organizations to implement and maintain total quality management (TQM).

TQM requires commitment and persistence. This tool explains that quality will always have a cost, but many companies are demonstrating that investments in quality always provide returns. Cost of quality reporting essentially views costs of quality as "good" costs and "poor" costs. "Good" costs are those incurred by the company in delivering customer satisfaction. "Poor" costs arise from situations that create customer dissatisfaction or processes that create satisfaction through an inefficient process.