For many manufacturers, the dichotomy of “cost vs. customer” is manifested in a diverse range of decisions, like opting to deliver more robust customizations at a reduced margin, or choosing to settle for less than zero-defect quality in favor of cutting operating costs. The tradeoff mindset is apparent in the top pressures reported by manufacturers, which are almost exclusively focused on one question: How do you deliver higher-quality products while still ensuring a higher profit?