Quality Assurance - A-Z Guide
What makes a business successful? What separates the best from second best?
Is it great management, is it creative marketing, is it owning the best equipment, is it employing the top salespeople? Undoubtedly all of the above help, but to be successful first and foremost you need to focus on 3 things:
1. Quality Product
2. Quality Service/s
3. Quality Staff
In today’s competitive environment, you cannot afford to strive for anything less than the best. So how do you ensure that this culture permeates the whole organisation?
By establishing quality as an overriding work ethic, the benefits will flow into every part of the business, from employees through to customers. .. and when we talk customers we mean QUALITY CUSTOMERS. Without them, you may as well not be in business.
What defines a quality customer?
a) High customer loyalty
b) High (and cost effective) repeat business
c) High level of referrals
And then there are the measurable outcomes of setting up a quality assurance programme.
• Improved staff morale
• Improved efficiency
• Improved effectiveness
• Reduced repetiveness
• Creation of a well-planned business
• Added credibility to the business
• A culture that everyone feels part of
Not only will you be able to compete on an equal basis with larger businesses, but customers will be knocking your door down to buy your product.
Think of a Quality Assurance Programme as a Mode of Operation that promotes quality as part of everything you do. Whether it is a letter to a customer, how the phone is answered, the feeling you get in reception, and the way you communicate to your staff – undertake to execute every aspect of your business from a quality perspective.
Following is an A – Z of ideas to get you thinking.
A. Accountability, Accounting Systems, Achievement, Awards, Administration
B. Best Practices, Business Plan, Benchmarking, Bathrooms, Budgets
C. Culture, Customers, Communication, Charities, Coffee
D. Distribution, Documentation, Delegation
E. Ethics, Environment, Empathy, Equipment, Email, Enthusiasm
F. Finance, Feedback, Flowers
G. Greeting, Gratitude, Gardens, Glasses
H. Hiring, Honesty, Health
I. Induction, Information, Intranet, Innovation, Implementation
J. Job Descriptions,
K. Kitchen,
L. Listening, Leadership
M. Messaging, Meetings, Management, Measurement, Marketing, Magazines
N. Network, Newsletters
O. OH&S, Operations, Objectives, Open Doors,
P. Product, Passion, Planning, Performance Appraisals, Processes, Professionalism, Presentation
Q. Quality, Quality, Quality
R. Respect, Recognition, Reviewing, Response, Reception
S. Service, Supply, Systems, Social, Support, Surveys, Standards
T. Training, Telephone, Team Building, Trust,
U. Understanding,
V. Vision, Vibrancy, Value
W. Web Site, Water
X. Xcellence in everything you do
Y. Y? – Because you should.
Z. ZZZZZsss – because you will be exhausted servicing all your new customers
Why not print them off, circulate them around, and get people talking.
From there you can identify what you do well and where there is room for improvement. Maybe set up some groups to focus on particular areas of the business. But don’t put it off.
Remember – quality starts at the top. If management isn’t leading by example then the chances are the rest of company will be following suit.
Machinery Automation & Robotics
1/101 Derby Street
Silverwater NSW 2128
Phone: (61) 2 9748 7001
http://www.machineryautomation.com.au