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Quality Management Systems

THE BENEFITS OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

By Karen MacKenzie
SQMC Associate

The benefits of quality management systems include increased employee enthusiasm and motivation toward doing a job well. Incorporating pride in service, ownership in the job, and quality into the job processes adds value without costing additional labour. The results are quality projects completed on time and within budget--and highly satisfied clients.

Companies that implement quality management systems (QMS) have given a lot of thought to their processes and how to maximize quality and efficiency. Once mapped efficiency and effectiveness, the processes are established and guidelines in place for anyone to follow easily, making training, transitions, and trouble-shooting easier.

Increased sales will result from:

• employees' ability to act with integrity in customer interactions as result of Management's explicit commitment and support of quality values defined in their Quality Policy and demonstrated through Management responsibility in reviewing systems (Quality Policy, Quality Objectives and Management Commitment and Review)

• employees ability to refer to good policies and procedures to guide their interactions with customers (Quality System)

• employees ability to provide customers with accurate, up-to-date, information on specifications and technical data (Document and data control)

• employees not promising more than the organisation is capable of delivering, through a disciplined approach to getting the customer's requirements right in the first instance (Contract review)

• increased customer satisfaction as a result of better dependability of product and service delivery (Design control: Purchasing: Process control: Handling & storage: Servicing)

• increased customer satisfaction as a result of fewer problems with products and services (Inspection & testing: Inspection & test equipment: Control of non-conforming product)

• increased customer satisfaction as a result of employees ability to respond quickly and reliably to customers' problems (Corrective and preventive action : Identification and traceability)

• availability of third-party quality system certification where customers require or favour it (Reward and Recognition)

Reduced costs will result from:

• fewer, and ever decreasing problems and defects to fix up after delivery to the customer, by identifying problems at the earliest possible stage (Receiving, In-process, and Final inspection & testing; continual improvement)

• reduced waste through fewer defects, as a result of systematic resolution and analysis of quality-related problems (Corrective and preventive action)

• significantly less time spent by employees getting access to critical information (Document and data control)

• significantly less time spent by employees 're-inventing the wheel' as a result of the ready availability of standard methods and guidance information (Quality system: Document and data control)

Improved operating efficiencies will result from:

• better control of suppliers' inputs to production/service processes (Purchasing: Identification and traceability)

• continual review and refinement of systems and methods as a result of disciplined problem identification and resolution (Corrective and preventive action: Quality records: Statistical methods) availability of accurate, reliable, and accessible statistics for analysis (Quality records)

• continual review and refinement of systems and methods as a result of systematic program of process reviews (Internal Quality Audits)

• better inter-departmental understanding and communication as a result of systematic program of process reviews; this assumes peer-to-peer reviewing (Internal Quality Audits)

The potential commercial/financial benefits of QMS are often obvious by simply looking at the sources of improvement (those listed above) and making a subjective judgement about how well the issues involved are currently handled by the organisation.

• availability of accurate, reliable, and accessible statistics for analysis (Quality records)

• continual review and refinement of systems and methods as a result of systematic program of process reviews (Internal Quality Audits)

• better inter-departmental understanding and communication as a result of systematic program of process reviews; this assumes peer-to-peer reviewing (Internal Quality Audits)

All resulting in continual improvement of systems, processes, procedures and working methods and on-going results in ever increasing efficiency and effectiveness, reducing waste, improving internal communication and clarifying roles and performance standards and making money – not a bad deal?

ISO 9001 Transition Workshop - update your CV

IRCA Lead Auditor (ISO 9001:2008)

IRCA Internal Quality Auditor (ISO 9001:2008)

IRCA Internal Quality Auditor for Aerospace
(ISO 9001:2008, AS 9100)

IRCA Internal Quality Auditor for Automotive
(ISO 9001:2008, TS 16949)

Implementing ISO 9001

ISO 9001:2008 Foundation Workshop

ISO 9001:2008 Documentation Workshop

Integrated Management Systems (ISO 19011:2002)

Internal 'Hybrid' Auditor Training
(blending QMS with other Management Systems, bespoke to your requirements)

European 'Excellence' Model (EFQM)

Baldrige National Quality Programme (MBQA)

Crosby QA Systems

"Increased sales will result from employees' ability to act with integrity in customer interactions as result of Management's explicit commitment and support of quality values."