Chasing and following up ordered items is an essential part of the ordering scenario in India where planning and commitments are not strictly followed or enforced. While transporting the goods from the sellers to the buyer's premises, formalities like Sales Tax, Octroi and Insurance have to be completed by contacting the necessary agencies and filling up the necessary forms. Coordination between end user, quality assurance and other departments is necessary to ensure timely supplies in the smoothest possible manner
In inspection, we shall restrict ourselves here to quality aspects. Quality is defined as that aspect or feature of the product or service which defines any of the following :
- Dimensions and/or weight,
- Physical and/or chemical properties,
- Design and/or performance characteristics,
- Surface textures,
- Aesthetic values,
- Packaging characteristics,
- Defectives allowable, and
- Service and/or operating characteristics.
Certain qualities are measurable and universal standards exist for these. Certain qualities are not measurable. These must be defined and mutually agreed beforehand. Ambiguity while ordering itself should be avoided. For example, the device should look "nice and shiny", can be subjected to "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder". This can be more appropriately defined in terms of :
- Colour(s) used,
- Surface finish parameters, and
- Lacquer or varnish coat and its thickness.
To have a quality circle in the organisation, the following processes have to be actively pursued in the organisation :
- Setting quality standards,
- Comparing performance of the product with the standard,
- Take immediate corrective action for deviations, and
- Continuously plan improvement by communicating to all concerned.
Figure explains how quality systems can come about in an organisation.
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| The Quality Circle |
Quality inspections can be done at even the vendors place on a periodic basis to eliminate on inspection costs at the user's end.
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