Total quality management is a well known concept of putting in organizational efforts to create high quality products and services to customers. This approach was bent towards installing a permanent quality mindset and supportive environment across the organization to achieve the quality targets. As opposed to modern day concepts of lean manufacturing, six sigma, or ISO 900, Total quality management is a deep reaching system.
In the modern day scenario while activities like six sigma, and ISO 9000 are seen as campaigns, or certification programs, the end results of which are merely an advertising point, total quality management is instilling a sense of responsibility, accountability, and empowering the workforce with a top down approach, and aligning with the true goal of constant improvement and visible results. This is possible only if the management, top, and middle, make efforts to educate, and involve the workforce in quality management. I use the word quality management and not control because the workforce is involved in lifting the benchmark quality indices, and pushing the boundaries.
The same is possible, only when the workforce willingly takes part in managing quality. This might have to the grass roots, and micro management might be required even for the finest of details, and smallest tasks to achieve the end result. For example, in the manufacture of diamond tools for stone polishing, our machine operators and engineers are involved in more than a hundred different processes. If the tasks are broken down, the quality management should start from the time raw materials are received. questions which have to be answered(by tasks) can range from How to unload the materials? How best to store them? What tools are used to store and dispense the materials, are they in working order, are they in the best of shape? etc. These micro tasks are seemingly endless and have to be handled on the floor.
How can TQM help a business? Total quality management instils in the workforce, a certain discipline and a mindset aligned with high standards. Over a period of time, if implemented the right way, a manager would not have to worry about menial issues concerning quality. This frees up precious time and can give productivity a shot in the arm. Over prolonged periods of time, the total quality management becomes an integral part of the organizational DNA and becomes a self sustaining machinery within the organization. This can also manifest as cost-savings in the long run in the form of minimum resources being put to waste, or resource leaks.
Unlike modern methods, this philosophy of working does not give measurable metrics, but random sample tests have proven in our case that there is a marked improvement in the quality of our products, and results are way beyond the initial quality benchmarks set. This doesn’t imply that ISO and modern methods are bad. They are proven, measurable, auditable and give you indepth analysis of what’s what in the quality and productivity departments. However evolving a philosophy custom made for each business and take advantage it over sustained period of time is bound to give results tailor made for your business.
At Mark Corporation, our engineers, machine operators, and managers are encouraged to think about quality as a way of life. Every aspect of our process is given time and attention that it deserves. At management level we constantly brainstorm technological improvements and process tweaks to ensure the best of quality. This is philosophy is applied across functions without discrimination. Over the nine years of our existence in the business of diamond tools for stone, we have developed for ourselves, a unique DNA for quality in manufacturing
