Ways to ensure and improve the quality of customer service of the bank. Continuous (permanent) improvement Evaluation of the quality of banking activities

Improving the quality or increasing the productivity of their work is a natural need for almost any employee, associated both with the accumulation of production experience and with an increase in the level of knowledge in their field of activity. In many cases, the improvement in activity is caused by bringing the body into a less stressed state with less energy expenditure.

At the same time, systemic, and most importantly, continuous improvement of the quality of the process, in which not one employee, but the whole team is involved, requires organizational and methodological impact, which is aimed not only at improving the state of the body of workers, but also at meeting consumer requirements. TQM practice has shown that continuous quality improvement over many years can lead to outstanding results. For the Japanese economy of recent decades, the principle of searching for new methods in quality management that takes into account changes in conditions in the economy and society is inherent.

For the first time, the justification of the concept of continuous quality improvement was given by W. Shewhart in the form of a closed cycle. The development of Shewhart's ideas by the American scientist E. Deming led to the creation of the PDCA cycle, which is called the Shewhart-Deming cycle in the literature (Fig. 2.1). The abbreviation PDCA stands for plan - do - heck - act (plan - do - check - correct). In modern literature there are a large number of modifications to this cycle, but the essence of continuous improvement through sequential actions from idea to implementation remains unchanged.

What can be subject to continuous improvement? Obviously, the range of objects that can be improved is incalculable. In this case, we will define areas or areas of improvement that will help meet consumer needs:

• - product design processes;
• - production processes;

Rice. 2.1.

• - quality management processes;
• - business processes of the enterprise;
• - Environment.

Process improvement product design is achieved by constant quality innovation through careful study and forecasting of the future needs of existing and potential customers. Product improvement is more about creating new needs than simply improving existing and familiar characteristics and properties for the consumer.

Consumer quality of products is laid down in the design documentation, developed on the basis of data obtained from market research and the designers' own experience. It is their insight and intuition, supported by innovative developments, benchmarking results of competitors, customer reviews and complaints about previous products of a similar purpose, that determine the performance indicators of the quality of the future product that will be included in its passport. All subsequent stages of the life cycle of the product, aimed at its production and operation, at best, will retain the design indicators, and at worst, they will significantly reduce them.

The constant improvement of design activity is inherent in the attributes of this profession. The use of FMEA and QFD methodologies helps to significantly improve the quality characteristics of the project. But it is impossible to overestimate the regular activity of the organization to study the changing needs and expectations of consumers.

The improvement of production processes is achieved through:

• - changes in technology (technical innovations);
• - timely repair or replacement of equipment;
• - changes in management methods (for example, the introduction of statistical methods of process control);
• - improvement of working methods;
• - improvement of technological discipline;
• - reengineering;
• - Improvement of production infrastructure.

The main goal of process improvement is to reduce the variability (variability) of quality characteristics and to eliminate or reduce the degree of influence of the causes that generate variability (but not to combat the level of defectiveness). The decrease in defectiveness is the result of a decrease in variability.

In our opinion, the most successful algorithm for continuous process improvement is given in the work. Figure 2.2 shows the phases of continuous process improvement, and Figure 2.2. 2.3 typical stages of critical process analysis are given. Considering the stages of critical analysis, it can be noted that the first six stages are aimed at identifying losses or costs of the current process. The most important 7th and 8th stages are the result of the intellectual activity of one employee or the whole team.

Brainstorming methods help to find the most profitable solution, however, today practice has developed a sufficient number and simpler methods for solving problems to improve quality, using which you can significantly reduce time and costs. Figure 2.4 shows the methods and target areas of their application, and in table. 2.1 briefly reveals the essence of simple methods.

	Table 2.1
Name
	1. Simplify (simplification) - separation and elimination of unnecessary actions. 2. Straighten (bringing in order) - the arrangement of necessary things in such a way that they are easily accessible. 3. Scrub (cleanliness) - keeping equipment and workplace clean. 4. Stabilize (sustainability) - the transformation of the activities of maintaining cleanliness and order into daily practice. 5. Sustain (fixing) - standardization of activities on the first four "S" in order to ensure that this process never did not end
"why?"	When analyzing a problem, ask the question “why?” five times, then you can find the true causes of the problem

Name
visibility production	The concept of building production, in which information is easily accessible and understandable to each employee for use in order to continuously improve. Examples of this approach: color-coded stamps, labels in kanban areas, labeled tool boxes
Group	The process of continuous improvement shifts efforts from traditional management methods, which were carried out by managers and departments of the enterprise, to the activities of special teams created during process changes.
Quality tools	Includes flow charts, frequency histograms, Pareto charts, cause-and-effect diagrams, and control charts
(hints)	Visual "tips", alarms, limiters, counters, memos and other simple devices located at the workplace that help to eliminate or reduce defects, preventing possible errors
Seven types of losses	1. Overproduction - the production of products in excess of the required. 2. Downtime - time wasted by the operator or the mechanism due to the lack of process. 3. Unnecessary transportation - movements of materials that are not associated with activities to add "value" to the manufactured products. 4. Useless activities - any process that does not add any "value" to the products produced. 5. Excessive stocks - surpluses of purchased products (which do not correspond to the required quantity of manufactured products). 6. Useless movements - movements of people and mechanisms that do not add "value" to products. 7. Release of defective products, causing the need to rework them to meet customer requirements
Comprehensive equipment maintenance activities	A company-wide program to keep equipment in such operating condition that ensures its efficient operation throughout its entire life cycle, which requires participation in the program of each worker
Instant	A method or process that allows you to switch from one type of product to another without compromising productivity and without undue change-over costs
Ordering work activities	Bringing the duration of work operations closer to “takt time” in order to increase the efficiency of operators

Name
Rational layout	Optimal equipment layout to achieve production targets and minimize cycle times
Movement "one by one"	Such a construction of the production process, in which the operator is busy on one part of the process, and only then moves on to the next. This reduces the number of moves and transports and allows for quick feedback when defects occur.
	A mechanism that synchronizes production with customer requirements in terms of volumes and delivery times; ensures the production of the necessary parts in the required quantities at the required time

We single out the main factors affecting the quality of processes or an increase in the costs of their implementation:

• - changes in technology;
• - wear of equipment and cutting tools;

Rice. 2.2.

Rice. 2.3.

Rice. 2.4.

• - improving management efficiency;
• - change in process control methods (for example, the use of statistical methods);
• - changes in standards;
• - violations of technological discipline;
• - instability of the technological system;
• - improvement of production working conditions.

How can an enterprise find so many problems that they can be continuously solved throughout the entire production activity of the personnel? Any process in production can be expressed as a chain of operations or individual stages. The results of the output of the chain are determined by the failure-free operation of all operations without exception. The failure of even one of them practically leads to loss of time, resources and money. As a rule, in each chain there is a weak link that brings the most trouble to production workers. Improving the quality (reliability, durability, etc.) of this link is the solution to the problem that we wanted to find.

Now this improved, more reliable process can lead to improved productivity. But even higher performance cannot be provided by another weak link in our chain. This means that now improving the quality of this link (workplace) is a new, urgent problem facing the creative team. And the Shewhart-Deming wheel “spun”.

But improving the quality of a weak link puts its own problems on the agenda: it is necessary to determine the cause of the poor performance of this link, find the most economical way to eradicate its cause, find a new solution to improve the weak link, test it for performance, document the new solution.

The enterprise has many different processes (chains of operations) both in the main production and in the auxiliary one. These chains do not have to be production chains, they can be management chains, supply chains, etc.

The technique for searching for root causes can be different. Table 2.1 shows simple methods for finding solutions. But the most widely used in today's practice in identifying the causes of failures are seven simple statistical methods, of which one can especially single out cause-and-effect diagrams, also called Ishikawa diagrams (after the author's name). It is they that allow you to clearly systematize all potential causes, identify the most significant of them and conduct a systematic search for the root cause of the failure.

The scope of searching for the causes of failures in production processes is limited by the main factors that can be the causes of failures: technology (modes, equipment, tools), equipment, materials, personnel, and the environment. At the initial stage of the search, in order to reduce time and costs, it is important to identify the most probable failure factor or the zone of defect causes.

Let's assume that statistical data or expert assessments have confirmed that the most likely zone (90%) of failure (defect) is poor-quality work of personnel (Fig. 2.5). Naturally, the investigation cannot be completed on this, since it is not yet possible to take specific measures to eliminate the defect. The investigation must continue in the identified area. We build a new diagram (Fig. 2.6). In this diagram, the most likely failure zone is the low qualification of the worker. But even here it is necessary to identify one more level of causality among the following factors: ignorance of the job description, low initial level of education, high staff turnover, lack of a system of advanced training (Fig. 2.7). By accurately predicting the most likely causes, the time it takes to identify the root cause can be greatly reduced.

Lead.™ enterprises and departments committed to the idea of ​​continuous improvement of the quality of processes must be persistent,

Rice. 2.5.

Rice. 2.6.

Rice. 2.7. Chart Ishikawa (qualification) tolerant, support the efforts of others and recognize their right to make mistakes. Successes (as well as shortcomings) must be made public so that employees feel the support of management. Difficulties in the transition to a new culture of quality management, both for management and for ordinary performers, are explained, among other things, by stereotypes that have taken root in existing practice. Among the latter is the indispensable search for the culprit of the error, instead of establishing its actual cause. The results of such a stereotype are expressed in the adoption of measures of a predominantly punitive nature and reinforce the desire of workers to hide the defects of their work as much as possible. This, in turn, does not make it possible to discover the causes, which means that it slows down the improvement process and increases costs many times over.

A process-oriented approach to enterprise management allows you to get a structure whose activities are aimed at constantly improving the quality of the final product and customer satisfaction. Such a process is based on the concept of a business process.

Buisness process consists of a set of operations. The order in which they are performed within a business process is usually clearly defined by technology or relevant rules and instructions. Therefore, concepts such as routes and rules that define the business logic of a process are necessary characteristics.

The internal business processes of an enterprise are divided into main, auxiliary and management processes. To main include processes that create added value and are associated with the life cycle of the product or service provided:

• - marketing, market research and customer requests;
• - design and development of products and services;
• - interaction with suppliers;
• - processes of production, storage and delivery of products;
• - sales and technical service.

To auxiliary(or subordinate) processes include those that ensure the execution of the main processes and form the infrastructure of the enterprise:

• - selection and management of personnel;
• - collection of data and information, its storage, processing, evaluation;
• - provision of funds and infrastructure;
• - control and ongoing improvement of work and processes.

To management processes can be attributed:

• - strategic planning;
• - management of the reorganization of the processes and structure of the enterprise;
• - analysis of reports on the economic situation of the enterprise, etc.

It can be noted that if management processes define

Ultimately, the vector of development of production (main) processes, then auxiliary ones, as it were, support production processes, providing them with the necessary resources.

Among the production processes, the so-called key (or main) processes for a given industry or enterprise are often distinguished. Key processes include:

• - determine the creation of products and services;
• - bring obvious benefits to consumers, for which they are willing to pay;
• - are original for the industry or enterprise;
• - it is impossible to model easily and quickly;
• - are unique and cannot be replaced by other solutions.

From the above classification of processes, it is obvious that the greatest gain for the enterprise is achieved by improving the main processes, and of them the priority task is to improve the key processes.

Before you start improving processes, you need to know how they are currently running. It is necessary to understand the various tasks and activities in the process and to identify their relationship with other steps in the process. There are a large number of auxiliary tools and tools, including software, for depicting processes and modeling them. Among the currently existing software (SW), four main classes of software products can be distinguished:

• 1) universal standard computer graphics software, which can also be used to display processes, for example, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Power Point, Micrografx Designer, CorelDRAW;
• 2) special standard software for displaying the progress of processes in the form of so-called flow charts (Flowcharts), for example, ABC Flowchart, Flowmodel;
• 3) special software for general description and modeling of processes, for example, ARIS, Micrografx Optimal, process modules from SAP;
• 4) special software for general description and functional modeling of processes (IDEFO methodology), for example, BPwin.

One of the most common graphical tools (tools) for describing and visualizing workflows are the so-called flow diagrams (flowcharts of process execution algorithms), which can be used both in the software mentioned above and for manual construction.

The construction and use of flowcharts is one of the most important activities in managing both administrative and production processes. Obviously, before managing (let alone improving) any process, one should understand what kind of process it is. However, many businesses try to solve problems and improve their workflows without realizing the importance of flowcharts as a first step in their analysis.

The consulting firm "Conflux" (St. Petersburg) conducted a survey of 37 large and medium-sized Russian enterprises of machine-building, metallurgical and woodworking profiles regarding the effectiveness of the mechanisms of continuous improvement at these enterprises. All of these enterprises have an “age” of at least 20 years. More than 50% of enterprises have QMS according to ISO 9000.

The following performance indicators were studied:

• - the predominant type of improvement (Fig. 2.8);
• - methods for ensuring the continuity of improvements (Fig. 2.9);
• - the most commonly used statistical methods in quality improvement (Fig. 2.10);
• - factors influencing the functioning of the continuous improvement mechanism (Fig. 2.11);
• - motivation for participation in improvement activities (Fig. 2.12).

Rice. 2.8.

Rice. 2.9. Methods for ensuring continuity of improvement, %

Rice. 2.10. The most commonly used TQM methods for reactive improvement, %

Rice. 2.11.

Visual analysis of the diagrams shows the results of the study very clearly. I would like to comment on some of the results.

So, among the methods for ensuring the continuity of improvements, the direction of strategic and tactical planning stands out (see Fig. 2.9). At the same time, plans for improving and developing the QMS are different: 70% - a plan for staff development, 50% - a plan for upgrading equipment (i.e., improving technological systems), 40% - planning the development of new products and technologies. Such sample survey results show that at least half of Russian enterprises are seriously engaged in product and process improvement processes.

Unfortunately, the improvement activity processes mainly use seven simple methods, which indicates a backlog.

Rice. 2.12. Motivation to participate in improvement activities, %

Western firms widely using the QFD method and seven new methods (link diagram, tree diagram, matrix diagram, affinity diagram, etc.).

Very interesting information on the factors that affect the functioning of the continuous improvement mechanism (see Figure 2.11). Note that a wide range of factors apply. It is gratifying that “training personnel in quality management methods” prevails among them.

As for the motivation for participation in improvement activities, the American way is mainly chosen: first the result, then the money (see Fig. 2.12). At the same time, the Japanese path (kaizen transformation), which is discussed below, makes it possible to involve a significant part of the production personnel in creative activity.

Japanese firms were the first to move from isolated quality improvement methods to continuous product and process improvement (CPM) based on kaizen transformation. In contrast to what was generally accepted before the 1990s. principles of improving product quality, providing for one-time, significant innovative investments, kaizen transformation is based on the continuous and gradual accumulation of small improvements made by all employees of the enterprise, including top management and managers at all levels of the company. While significant innovation often requires huge investments and special technology, kaizen transformation usually requires only “a certain amount of common sense and the ability to skilled labor - i.e. what everyone can do."

Why is so much importance given to the participation of all employees? The reason is that kaizen transformation is based on trust in the natural tendencies and abilities of each person. This approach allows employees to independently develop and implement improvements without fear of being reprimanded from above. The system based on kaizen transformation is aimed at achieving the following goals:

• - development and activation of the organizational structure;
• - increasing potential abilities, improving the performance of employees;
• - Obtaining useful results - tangible and intangible.

The goals formulated above correspond to three stages of practical activity:

• - Encouraging employees of the company to participate;
• - creating opportunities for employees to develop their creativity and develop proposals;
• - Obtaining a beneficial effect from the implementation of proposals.

In accordance with the goals of kaizen transformation, proposals should be aimed at increasing the profitability of the company. Since there are only two ways to increase profits, the proposals made can be classified into two target areas: ideas that increase turnover and ideas that help reduce costs. A firm can operate at low cost if production is free of defects, overload, unnecessary material costs, interruptions, and so on. This category can include all proposals aimed at intensifying processes, i.e. increasing labor productivity, as well as improving the quality of processes. Continuous improvements to increase turnover include suggestions to improve the service, enhance advertising, improve the quality of marketing, etc.

At many enterprises, including Russian ones, the work of the rationalization and invention bureau is quite well established, which mainly concerns the creative activity of workers. The process of reviewing rationalization proposals and their implementation is much weaker. The strongest side of the SNUPP system is the exceptionally clear and prompt response of the relevant departments of the company to the kaizen transformation, including the payment of monetary rewards. This aspect of the matter is essential to maintaining a continuous flow of proposals.

The system of sentences based on the kaizen transformation forms a closed cycle of the four main components (Fig. 2.13).

Rice. 2.13.

In this case, it is necessary:

• - motivate their employees to participate in solving problems and at the same time not forget about their daily duties;
• - motivate employees to fix their proposals on paper;
• - check and evaluate proposals, provide employees with the necessary assistance;
• - ensure the recognition and material reward of proposals.

With the uninterrupted implementation of this cycle, proposals smoothly move from one to another. Each idea leads to the next idea, and the improvements achieved are covered by further improvements. Of course, it is necessary to initiate the creative activity of workers.

Methods of influencing activity on proposals can be divided into two categories: the "nudge" strategy and the "pull" strategy. Varieties of the "nudge" strategy include, for example, methods that increase employee motivation. Among them there are both soft methods and hard ones (a kind of pressure techniques).

Various kinds of propaganda campaigns and events can be attributed to soft methods of stimulating activity. Newer means may be various kinds of video materials. The pull-up strategy mainly includes incentive methods, in the vast majority - cash rewards. Other important elements of a pull-up strategy are review and evaluation, instructions from superiors, and assistance in putting proposals into practice. Unlike typical schemes for considering proposals from employees, which provide for centralized verification, kaizen transformation practices the collection and verification of proposals at the place of their occurrence, which is very logical and sensible, since the head of the unit or foreman, who knows better than others the work that subordinates are doing, is likely to and give the most accurate assessment of their proposals. Consideration and evaluation of proposals should be carried out quickly. If an employee, as a result of the creative tension of the mind, has found a way to solve a problem, then he wants to find out as soon as possible how correct his solution is. This state is caused by the creative "itch". Therefore, proposals with little economic effect, which are usually more numerous, are considered first. Proposals with a significant economic effect are considered longer, as they undergo expert examination. Employees who are familiar with this review process rarely complain about delays.

We list some criteria that directly affect the quality of life, and tell you how to change them for the better. Individually, these changes may seem small, but together they make a big difference in how happy and fulfilled you feel.

Health

How does it affect the quality of life

Any health problems reduce the quality of life. However, not all people seek to quickly get rid of pain and discomfort, continuing to endure and hope that the body will cope on its own.

In some cases this is true, but not in all. For example, if you feel pain in your tooth when you eat sweets, it is understandable that the tooth will not recover on its own. By postponing a visit to the dentist, you simply worsen the quality of life and exacerbate the problem.

How to change

Don't neglect your health. Go to the dentist if you know you have cavities. So you keep your teeth longer, without leading to pain, removal and prosthetics.

Women should do breast ultrasound every six months: breast cancer ranks first among women's oncological diseases and is well treated in the early stages.

Do not tolerate pain in the lower back and neck after a working day - go to a surgeon or a chiropractor without waiting for a hernia and pinched nerve.

Make health a priority and you won't have to deal with the consequences of your negligence.

Nutrition

How does it affect the quality of life

Junk food impairs health and shortens life, spoils well-being and leads to obesity, which significantly reduces the quality of life.

Yes, the quality of food to some extent depends on the level of income: healthy foods like red fish and beef, out-of-season fruits and vegetables, nuts are quite expensive. However, by reducing the amount of fast food, sweets and other junk food, it is quite possible to buy healthy products even with a limited budget.

How to change

Switching to a healthy diet is quite easy, the main thing is to learn and clearly define why you are doing it. By the way, you don't have to spend a lot of money to eat healthy: here's how to save on food and eat right.

Bad habits

How do they affect the quality of life

Dependence on cigarettes, alcohol, sweets reduces the quality of life. You spend several thousand rubles a month on something that most often does not bring pleasure and benefit, you experience negative emotions from public condemnation, or you yourself condemn yourself for being weak. In addition, your addictions, like junk food, are bad for your health and shorten your life.

How to change

To fight bad habits, you need a purpose and a substitute.

A goal will help support your determination to get rid of the addiction during the withdrawal process. Ideally, this goal should have a real result that can be tracked. For example, improving performance in sports.

However, no goal will help you last if you don't have a replacement. Addiction serves as a source of pleasure and helps to cope with stress, so you need to find something that replaces the usual actions.

Try to go in for sports, start a hobby, meet new people. Such pleasures will help you get rid of stress and change the environment, which is also very useful when fighting bad habits.

Order in life

How does it affect the quality of life

One of the criteria for the quality of life is domestic comfort, which is impossible without cleanliness and order. Clutter reduces concentration, increases stress levels and causes negative emotions. Clutter in the home reduces comfort and even causes people to consume more unhealthy food. Clutter, Chaos, and Overconsumption. .

How to change

To keep your home from becoming overgrown with dust and rubbish, start to fight the mess:

• put things in their places;
• wash dishes immediately after eating;
• throw away things you don't use;
• do a general cleaning once a month.

Satisfaction with life

How does it affect the quality of life

If the standard of living is determined by objective indicators, such as the level of income, working conditions, opportunities for education and recreation, then the quality of life often depends on the subjective opinion of a person - whether he is satisfied with his life or not, how he evaluates its conditions.

It turns out that the quality of life can be improved under any external conditions, simply by changing your attitude to what is happening.

How to change

Very often we are not upset by real events, but by memories of the past or fear of the future. If you learn to focus on the present moment, without thinking about the past or the future, the source of many worries, stress and negative thoughts will disappear. Due to this, psychological comfort and satisfaction with life will increase.

At first, focusing on the present moment, or, in other words, will require effort from you. In order not to tire yourself, try practicing mindfulness not all the time, but several times a day, for example, while cleaning or eating.

Meditation also helps to accustom yourself to awareness. Just do not try to immediately meditate for a long time: you will quickly get bored, and you will no longer be able to force yourself. Start slowly and form a habit - this is the key to success in any business.

As you can see, to improve the quality of life, it is not necessary to earn twice as much. Sometimes it’s enough to fix a tooth that has been bothering you for a week, feel a surge of energy from a healthy lunch, clean up the trash on your desktop and notice what delicious coffee you are drinking or how glad you are to see your friend.

Management of processes and product quality, according to - is a function that carries out activities of an operational nature, used to fulfill quality requirements and aimed both at managing processes and at eliminating the causes of their unsatisfactory functioning in the circuits of the ZhCP. In practice, this type of activity is referred to as operational management.

The purpose of operational quality management is to increase the output of products of the appropriate quality by timely detection of significant deviations (inconsistencies) in the measured product indicators and process parameters and their prompt elimination by applying corrective measures. A corrective action is an action taken to eliminate the causes of a detected nonconformity, defect or other undesirable phenomenon and thus prevent recurrence of these phenomena. Reasons for deviations or non-compliances may be as follows:

- failures, malfunctions or non-compliance with quality standards of materials, processes, tools, equipment or premises where products are manufactured, stored or processed;

– Inadequate procedures and documentation, working conditions and resources;

– lack of experience and poor planning;

– variability inherent in process parameters, etc.

Operational quality management is carried out in the mode of minimizing deviations of actual performance results from requirements. Its functions include:

Operational planning of product and process quality;

Quality control of products and processes;

Information Support;

Correction of quality assurance processes;

Making prompt decisions on corrective actions;

Development and implementation of corrective measures.

These functions are closely related to the operational management of technological processes of production. Operational planning consists in the development of calendar (monthly, daily) plans with the mandatory input of product quality indicators as a result of the activity of each technological process of production. Quality control of products and processes includes quality control of supplied resources, parameters of technological processes and quality indicators in the production process and acceptance control of finished products.

In operational quality management, particular importance is attached to the collection and processing of information in the "on line" mode to analyze the implementation of operational plans. The basis of information support for quality management is an automated system of technological processes (APCS). It includes dynamic accounting (collection and transmission of data), monitoring the compliance of operational data with requirements, as well as making decisions to correct the course of processes in case of violation of the rules of their functioning, i.e. deviations from the required parameters. For corrective actions (GOST R ISO 9004-2001), the organization must develop a documented procedure that defines the requirements for operations for their implementation .

In making decisions on the development of corrective actions, a special place is given to statistical methods for assessing the quality of processes and products. At the level of operational management, there are always several options for taking measures in order to bring the system into a state that is stable relative to the plan. For example, several production lines are operating: you can stop the line, reduce the load, connect a backup, etc.

11.5. Quality improvement: principles, concept, algorithm

Quality improvement activities are a function of quality management aimed at increasing the ability of an organization to meet quality requirements. Quality improvement includes activities undertaken to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of activities and processes for the benefit of both the organization and customers. When implementing a QMS in an enterprise, management must make sure that this system will contribute to continuous quality improvement. The main ideas for improving product quality are set out in the following principles:

- the quality of products or services of an enterprise is determined by how satisfied the needs of the consumer are and depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes that ensure the production of these products;

- quality improvement is a continuous activity aimed at regularly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of production processes;

- efforts to improve quality should primarily be directed to the constant search for opportunities to improve quality, and not to identify opportunities as a result of a problem that has already arisen;

- the increase or decrease in the significance of quality problems should be managed by preventive, verification and corrective actions;

- quality improvement goals should be set for all departments of the QMS, closely related to common business goals, measurable, understandable, promising and meaningful for business;

– Achieving quality improvement goals is facilitated by open communication and teamwork extended to the supply chain.

The concept of quality improvement is formulated as follows: the constant goal of management at all levels should be the desire to satisfy customer needs through continuous quality improvement to ensure the competitiveness of the enterprise. The basis for quality improvement is the development of innovative activities in the development and manufacture of new products, services and processes. At the same time, quality indicators and criteria are applied not only to the final product or service provided to the consumer, but also to all relevant processes: development, design, production, after-sales service, etc.

The motivation for quality improvement arises from the need to provide special value to the consumer. Each employee of the enterprise must develop a conscious concern that each process can be carried out with greater efficiency and effectiveness, as well as with the least cost and the least consumption of resources. Continuous quality improvement enables the company to increase its competitiveness, and its employees to contribute to the company's activities, increase the level of knowledge and skills.

The algorithm for improving product quality includes the following steps.

1. Involvement of all personnel of the enterprise in the process of total quality improvement through the cyclical implementation of projects that contribute to quality improvement and cover employees at all levels of product output. Projects start with the recognition of quality improvement, which is based on measuring losses due to poor quality products or on comparing products with competing designs in enterprises recognized as leaders in this field.

2. Initiation of quality improvement projects, subject to the preparation of a project rationale, historical background, information about the state of product quality and associated losses, expressed in known numerical characteristics. The implementation of the project is carried out on the basis of the drawn up program and provisions on the periodic analysis of the results of the work on the project.

3. Investigation of the possible reasons for the need for quality improvement by studying the nature of the process being improved on the basis of experiment. An experiment should always be carried out on the basis of a carefully designed plan.

4. Establishing cause-and-effect relationships by carefully analyzing the reasons for the need for quality improvement and the consequences of this improvement. To substantiate the nature of cause-and-effect relationships, it is necessary to involve economic factors.

5. Implementation of preventive and corrective actions in relation to the identified causes by developing and evaluating alternative proposals. The advantages and disadvantages of each proposal must be checked and evaluated by the employees of the enterprise involved in the implementation of these actions.

6. Confirmation of quality improvement based on the collection and analysis of data from the same sources as when uncovering the reasons for the need for quality improvement, as well as additional research on concomitant phenomena that could occur.

7. Consolidation of the achieved success after confirming the improvement in quality by changing the technical conditions and methods, training the staff, issuing a guarantee that the changes become an integral part of the activities of each employee.

9. If the desired improvement is achieved, then new quality improvement projects and activities should be selected and implemented. It is recommended to set priorities and time limits for each project or activity.

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Improving the quality of a product is incredibly difficult. There are too many factors to consider in order for everything to go as planned. With the wrong approach, it resembles Sisyphean labor: you manage to introduce an improvement for a short time, but after a while everything comes back. Therefore, every leader (businessman, manager) needs a tool that will help in this and allow for improvements. One of them is a model designed by Philip Crosby, which he published in his book Quality is Free in 1979.

Crosby argued that every individual should take responsibility, not just the leader. Here are 14 steps that will help your company improve the quality of both products and services, and every aspect of operations.

Get support

You need to enlist the support of both team members and senior management. At this stage, it doesn't really matter. Be honest and direct about what you want and why. Upgrade your skills.

Create a team

No team anywhere. Gather a wide variety of people because you need to get as many different points of view as possible. Team members must allocate time and find the resources needed to improve the quality of products.

Evaluate the current quality

If you work in manufacturing, this will be easy enough because you have clear criteria. However, if you are in the service business, things can get a lot more complicated.

Figure out what's wrong with your company and look for weaknesses. What are the customers complaining about? Where are you losing money? Find out all the reasons. Also ask your employees.

Estimate costs

You should know the approximate amount that it will cost you to improve the quality of products and services. Calculate everything, because any change entails others, and with them, costs increase.

Communicate to your team the importance of change

Take corrective action

Your employees may have their own understanding of the situation. You need to find out how they evaluate what is happening. If their opinion differs from yours, take corrective action and change the original plan. This way you will show how much you value the opinion of your employees and you will not need to motivate them additionally.

Create a Zero Defect Committee

Zero effect is the standard to strive for. It is very important not to lower the quality of the service and product below this standard. Choose three or four people and ask them to monitor the quality.

Provide training for managers

All your managers should not only understand the importance of change, but also be able to improve quality, as well as follow the process. If necessary, send them to courses.

Enter Zero Defect Day

On this day, you will instill a new philosophy in your employees. This is a difficult and long process, but the more often you practice such days, the sooner you will change the way your employees think.

Set Goals

Use the technique and set goals for 30, 60 and 90 days. In this way, you will increase the concentration and awareness of your employees. Try to align people's personal values ​​with company values.

Look for mistakes

There will be a lot of mistakes, especially at the beginning. It is important not only to find them, but also to adjust your plan depending on the data that you receive in the process.

Recognize Achievements

Achievement can be not only improving the quality of the product and service, but also the performance of your employees. Celebrate every small success verbally, and celebrate every big success with the team.

Practice regular meetings

People need to understand how things are going to improve quality. Keep them up to date and communicate everything you need. Your employees need to understand why they work so long and hard.

Repeat the 13 steps over and over

Crosby says it typically takes 12 to 18 months to implement a change, but it depends on the size of the company and its plans. If you manage to achieve the main goal, set more ambitious ones and repeat these steps again.

Remember that improvement should never stop. Work not only on your products, but also on yourself. We wish you good luck!