Did you know that implementing formal quality initiatives improves customer service? According to a recent survey from ASQ and Forbes Insights, quality programs also promote more efficient operations and production while boosting growth, sales, and efficiency. What company isn’t interested in being more competitive?
Drawing on research from close to 2,000 senior executives and quality professionals from different industries around the world, the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to quality programs.
“Organizations that implement effective and innovative quality initiatives often experience increased profitability because of their emphasis on customer needs,” ASQ CEO William Troy said.
The challenge comes from ongoing quality issues such as employee turnover, supplier quality issues, and lack of leadership. But respondents said that collaboration and open communication are common denominators in overcoming these challenges and developing a more efficient approach to risk management.
Having an enterprise-wide quality initiative allows a company to engage in fewer loses and thereby report revenue growth. Some of the key aspects in a successful quality program include digital transformation which delivers quick outcomes by measuring and reporting results so companies can quickly make the changes necessary for improvement. Creating effective channels of communication so that stakeholders know they can speak up and participate in the process is another key aspect. Creating extensive metrics to measure customer satisfaction, employee performance, and supplier data is another avenue for companies who want to increase their knowledge of what works and what doesn’t within their industry, is another.
It all starts with a product that grows and reflects the needs of its customers, but it succeeds by creating a dynamic atmosphere between a company and its clientele. Effective quality programs can help a company see the weak links in the chain between customer, product, and company.
“Quality can help organizations remain agile and responsive to meet the growing needs of its customers,” Troy said. “Customers who will offer repeat business as a result of quality products and services.”
And repeat business is what it’s all about.