Quality Control: How to Avoid a Product Recall

Article Title: How to avoid a product Recall
Author: Lindsay La Vine
Date of publication: April 24, 2013
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226459
Relevant SCM 301Topic: Quality Control Essentials

In running any business, there are many things that should be considered. Staying on top of the quality standards of the business is the main aspect that should be considered. This can at times slip from the list. On the other hand, product recall is likely to damage both the bottom line and the business reputation. In this article, we consider Lululemon which is a British-based athletic and an apparel retailer. This business faced some issues when the customers made complain regarding the black luon yoga pants. The company said that there were some incomplete testing protocols that led to the poor quality of pants. The company also said that the fabric used had some reduced level of tolerance scale. This made the company to incur some loss since it made a refund to the affected customers. This is an aspect of quality control since every company is expected to produce quality goods that are acceptable by the customers. The customers are the key determinants of success in every business. Any product should hence meet the demands and standards of the customers. This is important at increasing the sales level of the organization as well as the profitability index (Feigenbaum, 2012).

There are different ways that can be taken to improve on the quality of goods produced by a business organization. The first one is determination of the product specifications and requirements necessary for production. This a good approach as it will ensure the final product meets the needs of the customer. The producing team must consider the product’s aspects such as color, size and texture. This ensures that the company conforms to the industry code standards.

Quality production can also be achieved if there is a good relationship with the suppliers. The suppliers are the main source of inputs for any company. If there is a god relationship with the supplier, the company can be assured to get quality raw materials and when they are required. As per Creedle, he says that the supplier needs to provide the materials in the exact specifications as stated at the time of placing an order. If the supplier is from a different country, there should someone visiting the supplier’s firm once in a year. This is meant to carry out an audit in the firm to ensure there is effective production.

The organization should also execute quality control standards and also test the system if it meets these standards. Quality control standards are important as they address any goods that fail to confirm to the set standards. According to Creedle, a mock recall is required once or twice each year. The mock recall is meant to test the quality control systems whether it works as expected. The company can also trace a lot of products to make sure the communications channels are working as expected (Feigenbaum, 2012).

Article Title: Marketing
Author: Kent A. Grayson
Date of publication: May 18, 2012
URL: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/365730/marketing/27289/Services-marketing#ref394112
Relevant SCM 301Topic: Service marketing and Quality Control

A service described as an act of labour that gives no tangible commodity or tangible ownership to the customers. These services are distinguished from other products because they are intangible and highly perishable. Despite the differences, services also require to meet quality standards. These standards are necessary as they ensure customers receive services of very high quality. These services are given to the customers who are the key determinants of success in the organization. The services need to be formulated and offered depending with the quality of company.

The variability of the services is described in respect to the human component. These products must meet the expected standards in the way the people are coordinated and hence motivated in the business. The customers can be retained in the organization if they receive quality services. The service providers are expected to follow the demands of the customers as they provide the services (Besterfield, 2012). The customer’s needs must be given the first position in the way the services are coordinated. These services are offered to be in line with the specific wants of each customer. Human differ from each other in various aspects, their performance is hence expected to differ. From time to time, these aspects are expected to differ in the long run. The degree of quality services is not that easy. These services are measured in terms of how each person is satisfied. The services are hence determined and evaluated in terms of how each customer is satisfied (Besterfield, 2012). This is the best way to develop these measures since this will create a good way in developing the way each person is satisfied.

For quality measures, the services can be improved to meet the expectations of the customers. The customer’s aspects are evaluated in order to determine the level of services that they expect. The banking services are the best services that can be used to measure and evaluate the quality satisfaction of the customers. An individual who uses the services of a bank are given a chance to fill a questionnaire. The questionnaire is used to evaluate the satisfaction of the customers after receiving the services. The customer’s level of satisfaction is the key aspect to be considered in the banking sector. If the customers are satisfied after using the services of a bank, then the bank will have added advantages. These customers will prefer using the banks as their services are quality and perfect (Besterfield, 2012).

Quality control standards measures are also relevant in the service industry. These standards are meant to give the guidelines to be followed by the service providers in order to meet the customer’s expectations. These services must satisfy the needs of the customers. This is important as it will create a long run. These standards are important since they make a certain service provider to become more competitive. This will attract more customers as they aim to receive quality services.

Article Title: FMC directs all commixes to register existing
Warehouses with WDRA
Author: Economic Times
Date of publication: September 3, 2013
URL: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-09-03/news/41726851_1_nsel-fiasco-fmc-warehouses
Relevant SCM 301Topic: Quality Control Norms

Mumbai the NSEL fiasco has come up hastened way of tightening the norms in the future market of the commodity. The future markets are supposed to have an increased value in terms of sales and number of customers. The customers are also supposed to receive these services after following the quality standards established. The six national level commodity exchanges are supposed to register their warehouses with WDRA. This is a body that controls the warehouses (Grant, 2012). The purpose of this is to ensure that that they follow they meet the quality standards in the warehouses. This will also ensure quality of goods kept in the warehouses. These warehouses are supposed to increase the overall quality and quantity of goods stored by them. A FMC containing the quality standards was released one week later to give an explanation of the quality standards in the warehouses. FMC is concerned with regulating the future markets. This body hence accredits the warehouses that are newly registered and accredited by WDRA. This body initiated by the government to provide a regulation on the warehouses.

These activities were important as the warehouses were supposed to offer quality goods. The products stored in the warehouse gave a chance for the people a chance to store their goods that they could not keep at their home. These goods were meant for resale and hence they had to be securely kept. These goods were supposed to meet the quality standards even after being removed from the warehouses. This led to the necessity of coming up with a body that would set these standards. The Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority developed the various safety and quality standards that were supposed to be met in the warehouses. Any warehouse that did not comply with these standards was removed from the list of registered warehouses. This penalty was given to ensure that all warehouses strictly followed these policies (Grant, 2012).

FMC also came up with various policies that governed the level of quality in the warehouses. The norms on capitalization and financial adequacy were developed by the people to help in creating a good warehouse. FMC was concerned with the future markets and also the warehouses since the two were supposed to be in line with each other. This was a good approach that ensured quality conditions were maintained by the people. The people were supposed to have an improved warehouse that meant the quality standards in order to have a better future market. The degree of good deliveries was also important as this encouraged the participants to increase the effectiveness of their services (Grant, 2012). FMC was supposed to monitor the circular flow of commodities to ensure that they fully adhered to the set standards. This was designed to incorporate the quality standards of the final goods released from the warehouses.

References
Besterfield, D. H. (2012). Quality control. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Feigenbaum, A. V. (2012). Total quality control. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Grant, E. L., & Leavenworth, R. S. (2012). Statistical quality control. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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