Quality control is one of the most important functions a manager can perform, and yet it remains among the least well thought-out and executed processes in both product and service companies around the world. It just seems difficult to devote any time to any effort that doesn’t add value and can’t be billed. And yet, the cost in time unproductively diverted to correct errors and process returns, or in lost customers and reputation is incalculable.
Most firms, though, can’t afford expensive statisticians or devote enormous resources to programs like the famous Six Sigma. Many who do, complain that the tail seems to be wagging the dog – they really can’t tell whether these efforts are actually raising quality or simply adding a new, poorly understood expense category, and they are often right to worry.
But there are straightforward ways for companies of every size to assess and implement quality as both a process and a mindset in their organizations. Two of these come from Six Sigma, but can be employed by anyone without the daunting statistical substructure that Six Sigma itself requires. We will talk about these tomorrow.
For the present, note that quality control is inextricably connected with customer satisfaction. If you don’t do the former, you will not be able to keep the latter, and it won’t take long for that fact to show up in your bottom line. So, if you think time spent on quality control is time taken away from the profitable activities of making and selling product and services, your logic is missing a link; that production and selling won’t remain profitable for long if quality isn’t built in.
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