Question

The following problem situations occurred in a manufacturing company. Choose one of the following and list a question you would ask to understand the problem. Hint: "Why did this happen?" is not an adequate response. Be sure to identify the problem as well as the question you ask.

A. Customer complaints about product quality have increased.

B. Accounting sees an increase in the number and dollar value of bad debt write-offs.

C. Operating margins have declined each of the past four years due to higher than expected production costs from idle time, overtime, and reworking products.

Answer 1

Soln:

A. How did this happen, is Quality SOP (Standard operating system) following properly?

All complaints must be documented. Why? Because it's a good way to document the evolution of a product. Let's say that a complaint came in about the quality of your widget. Perhaps the widget’s material cracked within 2 weeks for one customer.

But if only one complaint came in, it may be a rare fault in one item.

When numerous complaints come in on the same issue, it may be time to take action to correct the issue.

All complaints must be documented. Why? Because it's a good way to document the evolution of a product. Let's say that a complaint came in about the quality of your widget. Perhaps the widget’s material cracked within 2 weeks for one customer.

But if only one complaint came in, it may be a rare fault in one item.

When numerous complaints come in on the same issue, it may be time to take action to correct the issue.

It’s essential to follow up on a complaint – it’s good customer service. When a business goes the extra mile, they’ll call or contact the customer to ensure that the product’s quality now meets their expectation, or that the issue has been corrected.

Upper management should contact the customer within 24 to 48 hours of the complaint.

This will show the customer that their complaint was taken seriously, and it shows that your business is doing everything in its power to rectify the issue. Even sending a handwritten note to the customer can make a lasting impression.

Product quality complaints are serious, but when you take the right steps to handle the complaint, you can strengthen your product and make your customer happier at the same time.