Like any business decision, there has to be some good reasons for implementing a Quality Management System (QMS). Some people think that total quality management through quality management systems are a never-ending expense that businesses have to engage in to ensure products or services are not defective or meet basic requirements.
A proper QMS, however, delivers real value and benefits to the organization. Let review the top reasons for implementing a Quality Management System.
1. A Quality Management System Improves Organizational Effectiveness
Every organization has certain goals they need to reach in every segment of the organization, including customer service, fulfillment, sales, and purchasing. How well is your business doing in meeting these goals? Frequently, organizations will claim to have established priorities to fulfill; yet without actively measuring performance so they do not have a clue as to how effective they are in these critical areas.
An essential role of a QMS is establishing important goals for critical operational sectors, then measuring and reviewing the organization’s effectiveness at reaching those goals. When an organization communicates the goals and performance relative to these goals (as well as action plans to close gaps), organization’s become more effective.
2. A Quality Management System Improves Customer Satisfaction
No matter what kind of industry a business is in, the bottom line should be about satisfying customers. Most businesses will not survive for long if they have unhappy customers. How well is your business doing at delivering what customers want and expect?
A properly designed and implemented QMS makes customer satisfaction a priority. It requires that customer feedback be encouraged from multiple sources, and that this information be managed and used to improve customer satisfaction.
3. Quality Management Systems Improve Compliance
Many organizations report that compliance to standards and regulations is one of their biggest challenges. They are constantly caught off-guard by auditors or they simply have difficulty conforming to the requirements.
Compliance to standards and regulations can be built into the QMS, including into the documentation system, the internal auditing program, and the measurement and reporting system. Many companies have found that compliance is much less of a challenge when it is integrated into a functioning QMS.
4. A Quality Management System Improves Organizational Culture
Employees at many organizations report that one of the most frustrating aspects of their job is that they are unsure of the organizational objectives and priorities, and their role in fulfilling them. This is particularly true when the priorities are constantly shifting. This creates a negative culture of uncertainty, fear, and resentment.
A QMS requires that an organization’s goals and priorities are clearly established, communicated, and aligned with operational activities. This gives employees confidence that they are doing the right thing, and that the right thing will be the same today, tomorrow, next week, and next month. This promotes a much more positive work atmosphere.
5. Quality Management Systems Improves Documentation
Poor documentation is also a common issue in organizations. Critical processes and objectives are not clearly defined, and critical organizational knowledge lies in the head of a few staff members. This puts organizational success at risk.
A QMS helps to define document systems and document needs so activities and processes are clearly recorded and available.
This is just a short list of the benefits realized through implementing a Quality Management System; additional advantages like continual improvement can also be attributed to a QMS. Business and organizational leaders have realized that total quality management isn’t an ongoing expense, but a valuable asset that delivers real results.
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