Quality management

Definition

Quality management (QM) refers to the coordination of activities to direct and control the quality of products or services. This includes setting quality goals, quality planning, quality control and quality improvement.

Background

Quality management has its roots in the industrial revolution, when large-scale production began and the need arose to systematically control quality. In the 20th century, quality management continued to develop with approaches such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma, which aim at continuous improvement and error prevention.

Areas of application

Quality management is used in almost all industries, from manufacturing to healthcare to services. In industrial companies, QM is often used to ensure that products and processes meet established standards and customer requirements. One example is the implementation of a self-service portal that helps customers report and track quality issues on their own.

Benefits

The main advantages of quality management are improved product and service quality, increased customer satisfaction, lower costs through error prevention, and greater competitiveness. By systematically monitoring and improving processes, companies can work more efficiently and make optimal use of their resources.

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges in quality management is adapting to constantly changing standards and customer requirements. This requires continuous training of employees and regular reviews of processes. Another challenge is the integration of quality management into the corporate culture so that all employees understand and support the importance of quality.

Examples

A specific example of the application of quality management in an industrial company is the introduction of a B2B retailer portal, which ensures that all products meet quality standards before they are delivered to retailers. This includes carrying out quality tests and documenting the results to ensure traceability and compliance.

Summary

Quality management is a systematic approach to ensuring the quality of products and services. It includes planning, managing and improving quality to meet customer requirements. Despite the challenges, QM offers numerous benefits, including increased customer satisfaction and reduced costs.

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