Quality - What Does it Really Mean?
The term "Quality" has become the mantra of businesses around the world, but what does it really mean? A dictionary definition suggests that quality is a "degree of excellence." Who decides the proper degree? Is it the responsibility of a Quality Control team to announce to the world what quality means? Is quality relative?
At ANKOM Technology we realize that it's the customer that ultimately determines quality. For most, quality is the sum total of many parts. An organization that focuses on quality management looks not just at manufacturing, but at every aspect of their operations. Our goal is to deliver "Total Satisfaction." We are successful when you, the customer, feel delighted with every aspect of your dealings with us. From the quality of our products to the quality of our service, we want you to see ANKOM Technology as a valuable partner.
Our quality process begins with you. We seek input from people involved in the industries we support. We use formal surveys, telephone communications and records of your independent communications with us to establish a quality benchmark. We listen to your needs and attempt to develop products and services to address those needs. With innovation at the core of our business our solutions go beyond your identified needs. For instance, when technicians struggled with the filtration step in the fiber analysis process, ANKOM Technology identified the real problem to be the complexity of the process. Understanding the real problem led to the development of Filter Bag Technology and the accompanying instruments that have since provided industry-standard, cost-effective products that consistently deliver accuracy and precision.
Our quality process is simple. It starts with you, the customer, and the input we compile on your needs, desires, expectations and requirements. We take that data and begin the process of Assessment. We ask questions like, how can we improve the customers situation? What are the opportunities? How can we deliver the most value? Does our company have the tools, or core competencies to address the customers needs? What benefits are users looking for? Can we deliver a real value? Can we make a difference? If we can answer those questions satisfactorily, we enter the Plan stage of our process.
The Plan stage is where we identify the key results we must achieve to consider the process successful. We identify the improvements required and build working teams to monitor each step we take. This team is not just a group of researchers and manufacturing types. Each team includes input from varying disciplines. We want our teams to see the big picture at all times. The team must keep a central question in focus throughout the process, "Are we satisfying a customer need in a way that presents a true value?"
As we work to address customer satisfaction, we continue to keep the customer in the forefront. We monitor the marketplace to see what changes might effect our product development process. We look to see if new technologies should modify our direction. We attempt to identify regulatory issues that may have an impact on what we are trying to accomplish. During this is a critical stage we lay the product development foundation.
After we have made our assessments and planned our delivery we start the Do stage. It's at this stage that we implement the plan. Because each project is unique, the implementation varies. The Do stage is never static. In some cases the implementation process requires only a small team to carryout the key actions. In other situations implementation requires larger cross-functional teams of both internal and external personnel. We may have to work with a team of researchers to verify specific data, or we may have to seek manufacturing capabilities that we lack. The Do stage requires attention to detail. ANKOM Technology looks for Quality Improvement, not just Quality Control. We look to deliver innovation, not just imitation. It's at this stage that we seek to solve problems and further identify opportunities. Quality takes on a new meaning as we deliver what you, the customer, needs and expects.
As you can see from the diagram above, the Quality Management Process at ANKOM Technology is continuous. The cycle is never-ending, because quality is not a once achieved always-believed result. Needs and expectations change, and the company that does not keep up with the customer will not succeed.
We understand there may be times when we miss the mark of a particular customer. However, you can be sure that ANKOM Technology will seek continuous improvement in all that we do. We will seek to deliver Total Customer Satisfaction at every opportunity and we will always seek to know the "mind of the customer." We will strive to walk in your shoes and "feel" your needs. We will seek and accept your input at all possible times.