Can I help your organisation?

If the answer to any of the following questions is “No” then I probably can.  Click on a question for more information.

Is your organisation approved to the ISO9001:2008 standard for quality management systems?

For business improvement I would regard this as the starting point. An effectively implemented ISO9001 system demands disciplines that are fundamental for the business improvement process to be effective, but it should be regarded as the beginning of the journey only!

Do you know and understand your customers’ requirements?

How do you know? When did you last ask them (and I don’t mean sending out questionnaires that no-one takes any notice of!)? Customers or prospects are lost most often because the supplier doesn’t fully understand their needs.

Are the processes involved in making and delivering your products and services as effective and efficient as they could be?

To be most effective (and efficient) processes must have their inputs carefully controlled and their outputs monitored so that adjustments or changes can be made to improve them. Often managers just assume that processes are working whilst they are frequently out of control – and when I talk about processes I am referring to all functions of the business, not merely manufacturing processes.

Are time, materials and products never wasted in your organisation?

I’m not sure I would believe you if you said they weren’t! Waste is caused by ineffective or failing operational systems, and its cost comes straight off the bottom line profit!

Do you build quality into your operational processes to the extent that final inspections or checks are not required?

Checking other people’s work (which is what inspection generally is) is a waste of resources – far better for processes to operate right first time!

Do your suppliers understand and comply with your requirements precisely?

If your purchased materials and services contribute to the quality of your products and services, your relationship with your suppliers is as important as that with your customers, and therefore careful management of the supply chain is vital, especially with foreign suppliers and long lead times.

Are business and customer requirements well known in all sections of your business?

Everyone in the business needs to be fully customer-focused, business oriented and committed to delivering their processes to the best of their ability.

Do you welcome customer complaints?

If complaints are justified, they are an opportunity to improve and to develop the relationship with the customer. If they are not justified, then your understanding of your customers’ perception of your products and services is inaccurate!

Do you use your quality management system to eliminate defects in your organisation and make ongoing improvements?

Internal quality audits, management review and corrective/preventive action systems should all contribute cost-effectively to the improvement of the business, rather than be the cost & time-guzzling bureaucratic burdens that they are frequently considered to be.

Have your staff “bought in” to your quality management systems and regard them as a tool to help them be as effective as possible?

Too often, workers regard such systems as a pain in the butt that prevent them doing their job properly.