DISTANCE QUALITY MANAGEMENT (DQM)- A NEW NORMAL FOR NOW & FUTURE

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Emerging from the Pandemic to business in the “New Normal”, the main challenge become to know, how the end customer has changed & what they want. From few surveys of different organization, it has been found that the buying pattern is shifing from Physical stores to Virtual, where the end customer has the flexibility to return the goods & claim the defects. Means they can change the product, if it does not match with the picture they have seen online or have any dissatisfaction on quality. As a result, the quality is getting higher priority.

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ty risks to secure. According to the rick the QA can take initiative to reduce the defects.

To secure the specific/ random Sample from production, buyer can use Special type of Pack/ Envelope / Seal etc. During the virtual visit (using messenger app) to the factory, the QA may ask for a sample which is packed with the specific shared Package. Its sealed and shared to 3rd party Lab for Random testing.

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From manufacturing to retail, companies are now face unprecedented challenges in creating a safe work environment that can still deliver quality goods. Dierent organizations/ people are trying to find out their own solutions for it. Among the solutions some are giving better result, and some are not.

As the Physical Quality Management (QM) has become
challenging, the customer is planning for:
1) Short term. &
2) Long Term.

1) Short term: During the Pandemic situation, the factories that are diicult to visit due to travel or any other issue can be managed as below:

The Quality Assurance (QA) part can manage by Risk assessment according to product, material source, capability, process etc. That is shared to the factory and the samples are checked with 3rd party Lab. In this regard a Risk Matrix can be developed accordingly that will help QA to identify the priori[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Regarding the Quality Controlling (QC), the process can be followed up over messenger (Online app.) Like: Trial Run, Pre-production meeting, Initial Inspection can be done by Video meeting.

Even, during the inspection the Specific Shoe Box can be used to collect Sample to check physically that will be sent by the factory. Also, multiple Camera can be used to check from different angle as well as the room condition.

2) Long term: Need to develop the Quality management process for the factory that will understand the quality standards / the expectations. To develop such system may need to change few traditional concepts of the factory, Like:

The main parameters that are creating impact for the DQM
successful are:
a) Mindset of the top management.
b) Experience about the QM.
c) Knowledge about the quality standards .
d) The Culture/ Practices for QM
e) Willingness etc…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]a. Management Mind set:

Traditional mind set need to be replaced with the modern concept. In tadeonal concept about the Quality Management is , it increase cost , reduce productivity, creates conflict etc..(Fig:02)

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The factory management need to see impact of the poor quality from the real viewpoint instead of conventional. From the traditional view the impact shows very less (fig:03) as the floating part of an ice burg. But the real impact is like a full ice burg.

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Need to distribute the findings to all the team to improve their idea that creates impact on the customer. (Fig: 03)

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Many factories believe that “The relation between the Productivity & Quality is inversely proportionate “. In the modern concept its totally reverse. All the existing team need to understand it.

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b.Willingness of the Production team: Need to belief that the willingness is quality. Also, team should have the willingness to achieve the quality through the teamwork with the Quality Management Team. In this regard the Top management should take initiative to motivate the executive management.

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c. Technology adaptation: There is always scope of improvement- need to understand by everyone in the factory. There is always an option for each dierent operation. Need to verify the best option to get better output / quality (Like: IE implementation, automation, DFMEA, CTQ etc.). Conventional thinker does not agree to accept the new technology very easily.

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The QA can be used through developing: 1. Internal Lab that will help the factory justify the result of regular manufacturing operations. Like: Bonding, Color fastness, Aging, Flexing etc…

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2. Risk matrix according to material & different operation that helps to find out the focusing area for the procurement & production team. Like:
a. The unauthentic material source needs to
check properly.
b. the process which is new for the factory need
to focus by the responsible

3. QA team development that will have the knowledge to analyses the risk according to the construction of the product.

4. Daily basis activities guideline of the QA team that will secure batch wise production in respect of quality. Etc.

The QC can be utilized by developing:[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

1. Online Video Inspection that will help to understand the production standard. Special box / tag / seal can be sent earlier the inspection, for any confusion the sample can be send to buyer to check physically.

2. Product Audit that will create awareness among the team to follow the SOP.

3. 3rd party Inspection which is used to check the random inspection.

4. Develop factory to do self-inspection. Through it the factories inspector can understand the standard level of the customer & distribute among the production team.

5. Customer Claim Analysis. Through this, the factory can improve/ secure the mistakes.

6. Combining dierent methods.

7. Develop Operators to do self-inspection of own operations.

Finally, it is found that to do the Distance management of Quality need to develop the working & thinking process of the factories. That will secure the product in absence of the buyer customer. Which is called self-reliant supplier.

About Author
Shaikh Mahabub-ul Islam
A quality expert, working in a multinational Company.

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