What is quality management? And how do you approach it?

Content:

Concepts, benefits and challenges

• What is quality management?
• Quality control versus quality assurance
• Why is quality management important?
• What are the benefits of quality management?
• The 3 biggest challenges of quality management
• Avoid these quality management pitfalls

ISO 9001 and continuous improvement

• What is ISO 9001?
• Why is ISO 9001 important?
• How does ISO 9001 work?
• Who is ISO 9001 suitable for?
• The 7 core principles of quality management according to ISO 9001

Quality management in practice

• Who is responsible for quality management in an organization?
• What are the responsibilities of a quality manager?
• How do you create support for quality management?
• How to make quality management measurable?

Quality management tools

• What is a quality management system (QMS)?
• What are the benefits of a quality management system?
• What to look for when selecting quality management software?
• How to implement a quality management system?

Concepts, benefits and challenges within quality management

What is quality management?

Quality management is an approach to ensuring that your products or services are (and stay) good and meet your customers' expectations. It's not just about making sure the end result is good – all the steps leading up to it are equally important and need to be correct.

Simply put, quality management means ensuring that things are done right, mistakes are avoided as much as possible and customers are satisfied. You do this by making clear agreements about how the work should be done, regularly checking that everything is going well and improving things where possible.

An important aspect of quality management is that you continuously look at how you can do things even better. That way, your organization will continue to grow and improve.

What kind of companies is quality management for?

Quality management is not only useful in companies that produce products. It is also relevant in organizations that provide services. In fact, quality management is about improving processes and making sure that what you offer – whether a product or a service - meets customer expectations.

Quality control versus quality assurance

Quality control and quality assurance are two essential concepts in quality management, but they have different goals and processes. Both quality control and quality assurance are crucial to producing high-quality products and services. Quality assurance provides a solid foundation, while quality control ensures that the end result meets the required standards.

• Quality Control (QC): the process of checking products or services to make sure they meet set quality standards. The focus is on detecting and correcting errors after or during the production process.
• Quality Assurance (QA): a preventive approach focused on developing and implementing processes and procedures that ensure quality throughout the production process. The goal is to prevent errors before they occur.

Why is quality management important?

Quality management is important because it helps companies deliver products and services that meet customer expectations. It ensures that you improve processes, avoid unnecessary errors and put customer satisfaction at the center of everything you do. By showing customers time and again that the quality you deliver is good, you strengthen your reputation. As a result, a customer is more likely to choose you over your competitor.

What are the benefits of quality management?

• Better products and services
  Quality management ensures that your products and services are always of good quality. Customers get what they expect (or more): they are satisfied and do not complain (or complain less).
• Less mistakes, less costs
  By looking closely at your processes and improving them, you avoid mistakes. Fewer mistakes means less waste, lower repair costs and a more efficient business. So you save both time and money.
• Work more efficiently
  With quality management, you streamline the way you work. This ensures that everyone in your organization knows what to do and how to do it. This makes work go faster and smoother.
• Better collaboration
  Quality management encourages teams to work together, solve problems and always look for improvements. This creates a positive work atmosphere where everyone can and wants to contribute.
• Meet requirements and standards
  With a good approach to quality management, you meet important standards such as ISO 9001, which in itself is good for customer, supplier and partner confidence.

ISO 9001 and ‘continuous improvement’

The 3 biggest challenges of quality management

The challenges of quality management can vary depending on the size of your company, the market segment in which you operate, and how it is implemented. Three common challenges are:

1. Change management and support
   Implementing a quality management system usually requires a different way of working. This can create resistance from both management and employees. Familiar processes offer people an anchor, while changes can create uncertainty and resistance. The challenge lies in creating support at all levels of your organization by giving people insight into what quality management can mean for them personally.
    
   Effective communication and involvement of staff is crucial. With training, workshops and feedback sessions, you can ensure that employees are included in the process.
2. Compliance with standards and regulations
   Quality management involves compliance with rigorous standards, such as ISO 9001. This means improving processes and constantly complying with legal and industry requirements and regulations. Failure to do so can result in fines or reputational damage.
    
   Regular audits and keeping up with changes in laws and regulations are super important. Appointing a quality manager or outside counsel can help ensure your organization stays compliant.
3. Maintain customer focus
   Quality management often focuses on internal processes. In doing so, it's easy to lose sight of the customer. The challenge is to ensure that improved processes actually benefit the customer. That way, you keep your customer at the center of everything you do.
    
   You can do that, for example, by involving customers in your quality processes. Consider surveys and other ways to get input. Never ask for feedback just for the familiar ‘tick in the box’. Really use customer insights to drive improvements and make sure you know what your customer expects from you and your products and services.

Avoid these quality management pitfalls

If you want to get started with quality management yourself, make sure you are familiar with the pitfalls. The following common mistakes can cause quality management to miss its mark and not produce the desired results:

• Too much focus on documentation
  Quality management requires a certain amount of documentation to demonstrate that processes are being followed. Spending too much time documenting procedures and policies without actually improving processes can lead to bureaucracy and frustration among employees without actually improving quality. Make sure documentation is supportive of the process and does not become a goal itself.
• Lack of management and/or employee involvement
  If your organization's leadership does not set a clear example by actively communicating the importance of quality management, chances are that employees will ignore it. Management must be actively involved in the implementation of quality management, regularly evaluate progress, and make it clear that quality is a priority.
   
  If employees are not actively involved in the process, this can lead to a lack of motivation and even resistance to change. Therefore, listen to employee feedback and make them part of the improvement process. They know the daily practice best, which makes their input extra valuable.
• Focus on short-term
  Do not expect quick results from your quality management efforts.
   
  Quality management is a continuous process that requires time and dedication. So don't just go for quick wins, but work systematically to get to the heart of problems. Invest in a long-term strategy in which you strive for sustainable improvements.
• Not responding to change
  Quality management cannot exist without flexibility and adaptability. Organizations that fail to account for changing conditions or customer needs risk falling behind and losing their competitive advantage. Evaluate regularly whether your quality management approach needs to adapt to new insights, technologies, or customer expectations.

ISO 9001 and ‘continuous improvement’

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001, the ISO standard covering quality management, is the most widely recognized quality management system (QMS) standard worldwide. This standard helps companies of all sizes and in all industries improve their processes, increase customer satisfaction and create a culture of continuous improvement. ISO 9001 provides a clear structure for managing the quality of products and services so you can consistently meet customer and regulatory expectations.

Why is ISO 9001 important?

ISO 9001 gives you a framework for working efficiently and in an organized manner. It ensures that all steps within your company are well managed, from production to delivery to customer service. If your organization is ISO 9001 certified, it shows that you take quality seriously and are committed to continuous improvement.

How does ISO 9001 work?

The ISO 9001 standard provides a set of guidelines you can follow to set up and improve your quality management system. They include:

• understanding customer needs
• mapping internal processes
• defining responsibilities within the team
• continuously monitoring and improving working practices

Take advantage of the free ISO 9001 Handbook.

Who is ISO 9001 suitable for?

It really doesn't matter if you are a small company or a large multinational, ISO 9001 can be applied to any type of organization. It is suitable for all kinds of industries, from manufacturing companies to service providers, and even non-profit organizations.

The 7 core principles of quality management according to ISO 9001

1. Customer orientation – by being customer-oriented, you build trust and increase customer loyalty.
2. Leadership – good leaders ensure that the organization has direction and that everyone is working toward the same quality goals.
3. Employee engagement – engaged employees feel responsible for the success of the organization and are self-motivated to contribute to improvements.
4. Process approach – a process approach allows you to work more efficiently and ensures that each step in the process contributes to the desired quality.
5. Decision-making based on facts – ISO 9001 emphasizes the importance of reliable information to make informed decisions.
6. Relationship management – by maintaining strong relationships, an organization can collaborate and create value for all parties involved.
7. Improvement – continuous improvement is a core principle of ISO 9001 that encourages companies to always look for ways to inprove their quality.

Quality management in practice

Who is responsible for quality management in an organization?

Quality management is not the responsibility of one person or department, but a shared responsibility throughout the organization. (Top) management provides direction and resources, the quality manager coordinates implementation, and employees ensure that processes are picked up and adhered to on the job. Only through collaboration can an organization achieve the high quality standards necessary for success.

What are the responsibilities of a quality manager?

• Develop and implement the quality management system (QMS)
  The quality manager is responsible for establishing, implementing, and maintaining a quality management system, such as ISO 9001. This includes designing the processes, procedures, and documentation needed to meet quality standards.
• Ensure compliance with standards and regulations
  The quality manager must ensure that the organization complies with relevant quality standards, regulations, and industry standards. This can range from ISO certifications to industry-specific regulations.
• Coordinate internal and external audits
  A quality manager organizes and coordinates regular quality audits to ensure that processes remain in line with established standards. These can be internal audits as well as external audits by certifying bodies.
• Initiate and manage improvement processes
  A quality manager plays an important role in identifying areas for improvement within the organization. These may include increasing product quality, improving processes, or increasing customer satisfaction.
• Employee training and education programs
  A quality manager ensures that employees are well-informed on quality standards and procedures. He or she develops training programs to increase knowledge of quality management in the organization.
• Manage complaints and nonconformities
  When quality problems occur, such as customer complaints or deviations in products or services, the quality manager is responsible for investigating the cause and implementing corrective actions.
• Data analysis and reporting
  The quality manager collects and analyzes data to monitor the organization's performance on quality. This can range from production data to customer satisfaction scores.

How do you create support for quality management?

Creating support for quality management is done using a structured approach based on 5 pillars:

1. Communication: inform employees about the importance of quality management and its benefits for themselves and the organization.
2. Involvement: involve employees in the process and let them think about improvements.
3. Training: offer training to develop skills and raise awareness.
4. Leadership: ensure management support and lead by example.
5. Celebrate success: recognize and celebrate successes achieved to encourage motivation.

How to make quality management measurable?

You can be super convinced of the benefits of quality management yourself, but if you can't back it up with numbers or clear returns, it will be hard to get your colleagues on board. You can make quality management measurable based on so-called KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), for example:

• Number of complaints: the number of complaints filed by customers.
• Defect rate: number of defects per unit produced.
• Processing time: the time it takes to deliver a product or service.
• Customer satisfaction: speaks for itself.
• Employee satisfaction: employee satisfaction with quality processes and systems.

• Complaint resolution time: the average time to resolve complaints.

• Percentage of repeat errors: number of errors that recur after correction.

As soon as you have established KPIs, you can start measuring and analyzing data:

• Do regular internal and external audits to evaluate processes.
• Gather and analyze feedback from employees and customers.
• Use data analysis to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Compare performance with that of other organizations in the industry, known as benchmarking.

Customer Story – This is how Curess makes quality measurable

Quality management system

What is a quality management system (KMS)?

A quality management system (KMS) is a structured framework that helps organizations guarantee the quality of products and services. It includes policies, processes, and procedures aimed at improving customer satisfaction and increasing operational efficiency. A KMS enables companies to define quality objectives, measure performance, and promote continuous improvement, often following international standards such as ISO 9001. It also helps manage risk and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

What are the benefits of a quality management system?

Naturally, you can implement quality management in your organization and try to manage it manually. But with the large amounts of processes and data, and employees from different departments all working in different locations, you will no doubt soon come to the conclusion that you could use some help.

A quality management system provides:

• Automation: routine tasks are automated, allowing you to save time and avoid unnecessary mistakes.
• Consistency: standardized processes provide uniformity in quality assurance.
• Real-time data analysis: you have instant access to (large amounts of) data that you can analyze for insights and create reports with. This promotes quick decision-making and allows you to move quickly.
• Accessibility: all the teams and employees you give access to the system can access the information they need anywhere, anytime.
• ISO 9001 compliance: quality management software can help achieve ISO 9001 compliance by providing structured documentation, standardized processes, and effective reporting. It allows you to automate quality procedures, facilitate audit processes, and track performance in real time.
  
  

What to look out for when selecting quality management software

When selecting quality management software, you should pay attention to the following aspects:

• Functionality: make sure the software offers all the necessary features, such as document management, reporting, and audit tools.
• Usability: an intuitive interface facilitates adoption by employees and gets them actively using the system on a daily basis.
• Integration capabilities: check that the software can integrate with existing systems.
• Scalability: the software should be able to grow with your organization.
• Support and training: consider the availability of customer service and training opportunities.

How do you implement a quality management solution?

Implementing a quality management solution is an important step for your organization. Start with a thorough analysis of current systems and involve all stakeholders. Set clear goals and KPIs to measure success. Then choose a software solution that fits your organization's specific needs and provide comprehensive training for users.

Communication and flexibility are crucial during this transition. Avoid pitfalls such as lack of management support and inadequate training. By following these steps, you will increase your chances of a successful implementation and sustainable improvement in quality within your organization.