How many supplier surveys are you asked to fill out each year? Is there any way to make this process simpler? One of my clients has over 2000 customers which means they get inundated with requests to fill out each customers supplier survey.
Most of these surveys do not contain anything new. No earth shattering requests but the typical ones. Do you have a quality manual, perform internal audits, a non conforming product procedure, etc.
I helped my client take all these requests and develop a Survey Response form that answers each one of these questions. Will all of her customers take her version over theirs? No, but the bulk of them do, understanding the time consuming process that it is, and knowing how little value added is there.
Everyone is going through the motions. Mailed out survey to our suppliers? Check. But until a comprehensive supplier audit and visit takes place, a survey asking these mundane items gives you very little in the way of how the supplier operates.
What do all suppliers want to know? Do you have the capability and capacity to make a quality product and ship it to me on time? I haven't seen a supplier survey yet that addresses the basic issue of risk to the customer. So until then, consider saving yourself some time, and develop a template to mail out when receiving these requests.
Love this idea or hate it - please let me know.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Monday, March 4, 2013
Do internal audits have to be done internally?
Some people think/or believce that they can't outsource the internal auditing function. But they can.
There is no "ISO" requirement saying it can't be outsourced or done externally.
Internal auditing is an important tool which tells us the effectiveness of the Quality Management System. A good Quality Management System (QMS) contains several reviews and checks to ensure that the QMS is working properly and achieving desired results. One well known independent check is the internal audit. But when one hears the words “Internal Audit”, does that mean it has to be done in house by company personnel?
Some companies discover that the findings initiated by their own internal auditors were minor and not value adding activities. Findings were of the document control type, incomplete tags which didn’t move the company towards continuous improvement. Management would have had to stifle a yawn because the findings simply were not important to them. If you are finding that your internal audit program is not effective, consider outsourcing it.
Outsourcing the Quality Management System Internal audit process is a trend gaining in popularity. The principle of outsourcing services is not new, nor is it unique to the quality function. Companies outsource tasks every day. In the quality field, outsourcing calibration to calibration professionals is common. As more and more firms cut back on personnel, and add more responsibilities to those people still employed, outsourcing the internal audit process to a quality auditing professional may be a cost effective alternative. It enables employees to focus on their main jobs.
There is no "ISO" requirement saying it can't be outsourced or done externally.
Internal auditing is an important tool which tells us the effectiveness of the Quality Management System. A good Quality Management System (QMS) contains several reviews and checks to ensure that the QMS is working properly and achieving desired results. One well known independent check is the internal audit. But when one hears the words “Internal Audit”, does that mean it has to be done in house by company personnel?
Some companies discover that the findings initiated by their own internal auditors were minor and not value adding activities. Findings were of the document control type, incomplete tags which didn’t move the company towards continuous improvement. Management would have had to stifle a yawn because the findings simply were not important to them. If you are finding that your internal audit program is not effective, consider outsourcing it.
Outsourcing the Quality Management System Internal audit process is a trend gaining in popularity. The principle of outsourcing services is not new, nor is it unique to the quality function. Companies outsource tasks every day. In the quality field, outsourcing calibration to calibration professionals is common. As more and more firms cut back on personnel, and add more responsibilities to those people still employed, outsourcing the internal audit process to a quality auditing professional may be a cost effective alternative. It enables employees to focus on their main jobs.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
What happens if breakdowns are identified in the Mangement System and nothing is done about them?
In a Quality, Safety, or Environmental Management System it is required that if system breakdowns are found that Management correct them in a timely manner. A recent headline tells us how one company in California failed to do this (according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ) and several lives were lost.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said in a statement "that it ordered all three buses operated by Calif.-based Scapadas Magicas LLC to stop operating because they pose an imminent hazard to public safety." Wow that is harsh and deservedly so. 39 people got on that bus with certain expectations: fun, a tour of Tijuana, Mexico and safety. Safety for the passengers was given in
Even more daming is the statement "In a January 2013 compliance review conducted by transportation regulators, breakdowns were identified in the company's safety management systems, but "Scapadas Magicas failed to take necessary action to remedy its safety management deficiencies," the order said."
Also found during their review was that its drivers weren't properly vetted for qualifications. This was another breakdown of their Management System; although it wasn't clear whether this system breakdown was found internally or not. Regardless their management system was clearly broken and now they are told that they can't operate.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said in a statement "that it ordered all three buses operated by Calif.-based Scapadas Magicas LLC to stop operating because they pose an imminent hazard to public safety." Wow that is harsh and deservedly so. 39 people got on that bus with certain expectations: fun, a tour of Tijuana, Mexico and safety. Safety for the passengers was given in
Even more daming is the statement "In a January 2013 compliance review conducted by transportation regulators, breakdowns were identified in the company's safety management systems, but "Scapadas Magicas failed to take necessary action to remedy its safety management deficiencies," the order said."
Also found during their review was that its drivers weren't properly vetted for qualifications. This was another breakdown of their Management System; although it wasn't clear whether this system breakdown was found internally or not. Regardless their management system was clearly broken and now they are told that they can't operate.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Does having ISO bring credibility?
Sometimes your personnel and professional life merge. Today I was online shopping for shotguns and in the text for Mossburg shotguns was a reference that they were ISO 9001:2008 certified in the description of the product. One of my customers is a supplier for firearms industry. But I don't usually see ISO advertised on products marketed to consumers. Anyway - back to point of my post. Marketing is saying "Look these guys are ISO so you can believe what they say". Not sure whether their customers know what ISO is or not. Here is the text and how ISO gives companies credibility. "Mossberg claims that these tubes include a synthetic seal t...See More
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