The Origin of Quality Management
Large industrial manufacturing companies segment a part of their business to a department known as QA/QC. Those who work in Quality Assurance/Quality Control, are charged with the duty of maintaining strict standards of quality that assures product and services reach markets without obstacles. Businesses who assign the job of managing quality to employees are quite diverse in the products and services they offer.
What Is Quality Management?
Quality management spans numerous industries and businesses because of its importance in retaining customers, hiring the most qualified employees and maintaining quality standards in production, operation, and performance of daily business transactions.
Quality management also entails complying with federal and state regulations for a safe workplace, managing employee/employer relations and wage and compensation to increase business cash flow.
Why is Quality Management Important?
The two most significant issues that impact all businesses the most are lack of quality and loss of revenue. Lack of quality has the implication of reducing business reputation and customer loyalty.
There are several systems businesses can use to assure their products and/or services meet highest quality standards. One of these is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Another fairly common system is Six Sigma that helps detect product and service flaws before they reach customers.
Using these systems as guides to quality management, businesses find their products and services undergo a rigorous value rating process that ensures quality management structure and imparts to employees and customers quality standards that are a business priority.
Federal Quality Standards
In the U.S., the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21, outlines federal compliance guidelines for quality management policies for manufacturing and businesses with executive responsibility for QA/QC.
It is a good idea for businesses to review these regulations and coordinate them with their standard operating procedures (SOP) manuals and business policies and procedures guides.
Quality Management – A Top Business Priority
It is difficult to imagine a business retaining customers or increasing customer loyalty when their quality management has decreased in value. A business opens itself to a wider range of product and service liabilities when quality management is lacking or functioning improperly.
By implementing a business plan that accentuates quality management, business growth, and increased cash flow are assured. The stability of a business’s rank among their competitors is founded upon an excellent quality management system.