For Manufacturers, Quality Control Should Be Sales MVP
For companies that manufacture products of any kind, there is a direct link between quality control and number of units sold. The term “quality control” is often used loosely and means different things to different people. The resource, we are glad to report, goes to the trouble of defining quality control and distinguishing it from quality assurance, another important discipline in manufacturing. The essence of quality control is its focus on preventing defective products from reaching the customer – this is the overarching goal of QC and the purpose behind every QC test, inspection, report and review. Once you understand this simple (but sometimes elusive) definition of QC, its connection to sales becomes crystal clear.
These defects may happen due to any number of reasons. A malfunction in the machine parts, lack of refinement of the raw materials, contamination due to improper hygiene or safety protocol, etc. Most manufacturing floors today provide workers with safety equipment from trusted vendors (such as unigloves.co.uk), conduct regular maintenance on machinery, and source raw materials from certified and established suppliers. However, quality control is the added layer of protection that kicks in when any of the above factors cause a defective product.
The cost of product defects is high on a host of fronts. If customers receive defective products, a lot of bad things can happen. If the manufacturer is lucky, the defects will be identified on the receiving dock, in which case the costs may be “limited” to a rejection, return, and replacement.
These situations are costly enough but still pale in comparison to the cost of having a bad product not be identified quickly and, instead, used by the customer. If the product causes severe monetary losses, injury or death, the cost of litigation (to say nothing of the human toll) could be enough to put even a large manufacturing organization out of business.
On the flip side, high quality standards help build a company’s reputation for quality; attract prospects; generate referrals; earn reorders; enable the company to set higher prices; and push competitors into other markets and products niches. This is why QC should be every employee’s favorite department. To learn more about quality control and how to improve it in your organization, please continue reading.
