Quality defects cost your organization time, money, resources, and a good reputation. Unfortunately, programs to reduce or eliminate defects can prove expensive and time-consuming. So should you pursue total defect removal regardless of cost, or is it more about culture and processes?
The Zero Defects Concept
The concept of zero defects reinforces the idea that defects are unacceptable and that tasks must be done right the first time. This philosophy also promotes the idea that organizations can profit by eliminating the cost of failure and improving customer satisfaction.
But is Zero Defects actually attainable?
Zero defects is NOT about absolute perfection. Instead, it serves as a standard by which systems, processes, actions, and results can be measured and later analyzed. It also ensures that process waste is continually eliminated, leading to higher quality and lower cost.
It challenges people to shift paradigms and:
- Recognize the high costs associated with quality issues
- Continuously think of instances where errors may occur
- Proactively address the system and process shortcomings that allow defects to happen
Zero defects: a journey, not a destination
Despite making for great slogans, perfection and zero defects may be too high an ideal. It may also impede your current work culture and production processes, decreasing employee satisfaction and wasting time and resources. To meet the spirit of zero defects, your company must adopt a quality culture and deploy systems. These include defined (think: ISO) processes. New ERP software with excellent reporting, workflow capabilities, and automatic alerts also support a zero defect culture very effectively. These help identify measure, manage, and resolve defects. Why not take advantage of newer ERP tools at your company?
Would a zero defects approach help your organization reduce waste? If you believe so, the experts at Acuity would love to hear more about your current business processes and help you implement ERP systems to reduce waste and maximize efforts! Contact us today for more information.
