Benefits of a Quality System

by David Tompos

Henry Ford said, “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” But how do you ensure that you are ‘doing it right’? You know the product at the end of the line must meet certain quality expectations, but how do you make certain each one will meet the same high standards?

The answer is a Quality System.

Quality systems are put in place to establish a framework for managing a business’s processes. They can help whether you provide products or services, and regardless of your size or industry. They can also help new businesses get on the right track by ensuring processes meet recognized standards, clarifying business objectives and avoiding expensive mistakes. Having a quality system can also help distinguish you from competitors - not only in the U.S., but it may even lead to a higher profile and increased business overseas.

Quality can be defined as basically stating what is required, and while a quality management system could be defined as the implementation of specific activities during a process to increase efficiency and gain continuous improvement, its primary goal is to set out the procedures that will cause consistent manufacture of quality products and/or services. ‘Quality’ also encompasses the practices of Quality Control and Quality Assurance, and we will focus on those next week.

Once a quality system is put in place, a business will begin to see numerous benefits:

• Reduced number of mistakes
• Improved customer satisfaction
• Increased employee morale
• Increased efficiency
• Increased production
• Increased profits and cost savings

Having a third party verify and certify your quality system also adds credibility to your business and product. An accredited third party testing, inspection and certification agency can not only provide evidence of a certified quality system, they can also advise and consult on ways to streamline your processes and continue seeing ongoing improvement in your products. 

You may not be sure how to begin, or maybe you have a quality system, but you think it could be better, NTA can help.  We are accredited by IAS to review, evaluate and certify quality control systems. Contact NTA to find out how we can help you make sure you are “…doing it right when no one is looking.”