Introduction to Quality Control – Training and Implementation of Systems
Understanding why it is important to attend an introduction to quality control training course will become clear upon reading more about the relevance of quality control in modern-day organisations.
What is Quality Control?
Various definitions exist regarding QC, as it is often referred to, but the ISO 9000 standard’s definition is the most important for organisations wanting to ensure compliance with the standard’s requirements. The definition accordingly defines quality control as an integral part of an enterprise’s quality management aimed at achieving the requirements for quality. The definition may be confusing, even if you have attended an introduction to quality control training session. We thus take a closer look below.
An effective quality control approach focuses on controls, the setting up and managing of processes according to specific quality control measures, and measurement of performance. It includes the identification of relevant documents and records, and also focuses on training to ensure competence in handling, managing and providing products or services. It furthermore focuses on personnel, motivation, the overall organisational culture and the integrity of the employees within the organisation.
Various types of controls are applied, ranging from visual inspection of products, to detailed inspection to prevent damaged or faulty goods from being delivered to customers. Product testing forms an integral part of effective QC, as such helps to identify product defects, while the results of the tests are submitted to management. The management within the enterprise must decide whether or not to allow product releases. Quality assurance is also applied to improve and stabilise the processes of production, in order to eliminate and reduce issues that may have caused the product defect.
Note that there are important differences between quality control and assurance. With control, an assessment is concluded to show what corrective steps must be taken. With quality control, the focus is on observation methods and actions needed to ensure quality. Assurance provides for certainty and quality assurance involves a systematic approach in which actions are performed within the enterprise quality system to ensure that the quality requirements for the particular product are met.
We can thus further explain quality control as a set of procedures that are in place to ensure that the product or service meets a predefined set of requirements regarding the quality of the product and service, in order to attain consistency and customer satisfaction.
Implementation of a Quality Control System
Before the enterprise can implement its QC system, it must decide on the particular quality standards that the product or the service should comply with. Part of this process entails deciding for instance, how many items must be tested from each produced batch.
A second important part of the design includes the collection of data and reporting of such to management. For this, the enterprise looks at, for instance, the failure rate of products in relation to the total number produced. The results are used to decide on the actions that must be taken, such as repairing of defects or rejection of products. It can also entail setting a policy of no charge for sub-standard service. Should the rate of product defects or poor service delivery be too high, then the enterprise must implement an action plan. Quality control is not a once-off process. Instead, it is applied throughout production and service delivery, and has the focus of attaining better performance.
Attending an introduction to quality control training session is the first step for employees who will become the quality control officers of the enterprise. They perform tasks such as visual inspection, measuring of products, measuring of service quality, weighing items and testing samples. Independent quality control inspectors must attend a full range of courses, including quality control, ISO 9000 related courses, and internal and external audit training.
Why Quality Control is Important
Customers want the assurance that the products or services that they receive meet specific minimum quality requirements consistently. The focus is to meet and exceed their expectations of quality. Having effective QC in place helps to reduce customer complaints, while also minimising wastage because of returned goods.
Basing a QC system on the ISO 9001 standard helps a company to ensure that its quality control measures are in line with international best practices. Customer loyalty develops and positive feedback helps to improve employee morale. With an effective QC system, the enterprise is able to minimise the risks of lawsuits that can follow because of injuries, disease or financial losses that customers have experienced from making use of the enterprise’s products or services.
An enterprise that is able to provide consistently high-quality products and services gains a competitive edge over companies in their industry which are not able to provide the same level of quality. The enterprise is thus able to ask a higher price for their product or service because of the quality associated with it.
Brand building takes a long time and it only takes one unsatisfied customer to create a chain reaction. Quality control can be applied in any industry, product delivery or service.
If a customer, for instance, participates in a bridge swing at a well-known resort for adventure sports and sustains serious injuries because of equipment failure or because the operator doesn’t follow a consistent protocol, then the service provider’s reputation is affected. The negative press regarding the incident can lead to people not wanting to undertake the bridge swing and eventually the company closes because the customers no longer have confidence in the company’s ability to consistently deliver the same quality of safety.
Enterprises furthermore implement ISO compliant quality control systems to ensure that they meet international expectations and the statutory requirements of their countries. With a well-designed system in place, which is always improved, the enterprise is able to reduce costs associated with production and service delivery. This, in turn, translates into higher profits and thus more business success.
Part of the process entails the training of personnel to conduct quality control assessments and also to partake in internal audits regarding the quality control systems in place. We provide companies with an introduction to quality control courses, and advanced ISO and audit training. In addition, we help companies to design and implement quality control management systems which can be integrated with their existing ISO compliant systems.