Quality Improvement |
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Ten years ago, quality was a market differentiator for many businesses. Those who produced the highest quality products and services not only captured and sustained market share, they were able to drive pricing as well. Things have changed. In today's markets, quality is expected by the customer - quality is a given. Although to some extent most businesses have little control over the rising cost of materials and labor, all businesses can control and minimize the costs associated with poor quality. In addition to high operating costs, customer dissatisfaction, and difficulty remaining competitive, the costs of poor quality include a high need for inspection, supervision, checking, and rework. Many organizations have initiated some type of quality improvement effort. Some efforts have been highly successful but most have either yielded mediocre results, or gotten lost as new initiatives come along. Many organizations are currently using tools from Lean and Six Sigma as the model for their Quality Improvement initiatives. Regardless of the exact method chosen, the most successful efforts seem to be those in which quality is examined within the context of a process. Rather than trying to solve micro-quality problems as isolated events after they arise, breakthrough quality improvement teams target specific key processes to reduce process variation and improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of the process. In most cases, quality measures must be initiated or adjusted. Through this comprehensive process approach to quality improvement, problems are identified, prioritized, analyzed, and eliminated at the root cause. Envision an organization where the right things are done right the first time. There is no need to inspect or check, because you trust that the quality of your processes is consistent and reliable. There is absolutely no rework. People are able to spend time creating new and exciting ways to add value for customers because they are not continually "fighting fires". Customer complaints are non-existent. Quality is an essential ingredient for success in both manufacturing and service environments. It used to be that if you offered high quality products and services, you could thrive. Today, if you do not offer high quality products and services, your success is in jeopardy. Whether it is first pass yields on a production line or accuracy of the invoicing process, quality is no longer a luxury.
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Consulting Services |
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Burns Associates |
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Business Process Improvement Specialists |
