Introduction
Every organization needs a system to check the quality of its services. Total Quality Management is one of the most effective tools used in enhancing business performance and service delivery. Critically, the success or failure of an organization’s goals and objectives may depend on how effective the quality management system is implemented. Statistically, serious organizations around the globe have greatly grown after successful implementation of a quality management system. Among the conspicuous benefit of this process include increased profitability, reduce complaints from customers and higher product reliability.
There are several vital considerations that require to be put in place for the successful implementation of a project (Wang, 2004). These requirements include an organization’s business process, human capital, and financial resources. It is important to note that quality management is not an individualistic kind of a project. It is indeed a holistic concept that brings on board all other systems, departments, and stakeholders. Implementation of Total Quality Management is a three-phase process.
The phases are preparation, planning, and execution. The success or failure of quality management is directly linked to the culture of the organization. This paper presents a detailed total quality management implementation project with a focus on how Ducab uses Six Sigma to maintain the quality of its products.
Benefits of Using Six Sigma Approach in Managing Quality
Ducab is one of the leading cable manufacturing companies in UAE. The company’s main objective is the production and marketing of cables in the Gulf region and across the globe. The market in this industry is very competitive as there are many firms in this industry offering a similar product to the market. In order to capture and retain a sustainable market share, this firm has been keen on maintaining the quality of its products. It has been keen on applying some of the known quality management tools in order to meet market demands.
According to Charantimanth (2003), one of the tools that this firm has been using is Six Sigma. This tool was developed by Motorola in the 1980s as a way of standardizing its products within the market. This has been of benefit to the firm in various ways. This tool has enabled this firm to define opportunities. In the market, there are various opportunities that may arise. Not all of them are appropriate.
This tool has enabled this firm to define these opportunities and determine those that should be implemented. The firm has also helped this firm in measuring the performance of various departments within the firm. Each department has specific objectives to be achieved within a specified time. This tool has been of help in determining the performance of each department based on the set objectives. This has helped the firm improve its performance in the market. Another important benefit of this tool has been on controlling the activities of every individual member of the organization in their respective departments.
This tool emphasizes the need to ensure that each department achieves its specified goals. The departments are further sub-divided into smaller units, each unit has a specific duty to perform. This further goes up to individual level. As a result, there will be an elimination of cases where some duties go without being performed.
Another benefit of this tool is standardizing products. This firm needs to standardize its products in the market in order to ensure that its customers are aware of the products that are being delivered into the market. Six Sigma is one of the best standardization tools for firms in the contemporary world. This tool is also very flexible, and as such, it allows the company to adapt to various changes that come in the market. According to the report by Chary (2009), Ducab has increased its market share by about 25% since the implementation of this project. Initially, before implementing this tool, the firm was losing its market share at a rate of about 3% per year. This tool was, therefore, appropriate in bringing the much-needed changes.
Vision, Mission, and objectives of the Ducab
Ducab has clearly stated vision and mission statement, and the objectives that guide its operations in the market. The vision of the organization is to provide its capture the regional market and become the leading manufacturer and distributor of cables in the entire Middle East region. This is in tandem with the international spirit of development and sustained economy. In the same spirit, the mission of the organization is to focus on quality service provision by managing logistics and support, while remaining relevant to its owner, customers, employees, and the community.
The clear vision and mission of the organization set a clear precision for the implementation of TQM. One of the strengths of Ducab that defines its mission is the culture of customer satisfaction. In its mission statement, the firm strives to provide energy to various parts of the world in a safe manner that would ensure that the market trusts the firm. As such, the management has embraced various quality management techniques to help it realize this aim. An organization that lacks these techniques face huge hurdles to realizing the real benefits of quality management. It is, therefore, the obligation of the management to maintain this culture (Kanji, 2005).
And this is achieved through continuous training and auditing of quality management activities. For an organization with several subsidiary units as Ducab, there is a need for extra effort to ensure uniformity in all its units. The objectives of this firm are focused on the need to ensure that customer satisfaction is maintained in the market. The customer-based approach is driven by customers’ needs. Therefore, in order to achieve this goal, the company has developed TQM standards. These standards act as the benchmark to determine the units of progress or decline.
Level of Success in Implementing Quality Concepts
According to Wang (2004), to consider a concept of success in the market, it is important to consider the level of customer satisfaction. The following are the means that the organization is utilizing to ensure customer satisfaction. First and foremost is involving customer’s complaints platform in its entire firm (Ragai, 1996).
The firm strongly believes in the rule that says that when a customer is not allowed to present his or her dissatisfaction with the product, he or she is likely to switch to another product provider. To the company, this is a loss of business opportunity. The company should be driven by the passion and desire to excellently serve one customer. Analysis from the research also states that 50 percent of customers who are not satisfied will at least come back again if their complaints are listened to and addressed. Ducab has received positive feedback from the customers concerning the quality of their products.
Customer feedback and complaints concerning the product are the other means of monitoring the success of a quality concept. The organization takes a lead effort of identification of customer dissatisfaction, needs, performance comparison with competing and substitute products. The following are the methodologies used by the organization. They include carrying out surveys, provision of a free toll-free number for real-time reporting on any suspicious mischief in the department, use of comment card, and customer visits. The company upholds customer care services, such services as a call center are functioning well, and the outcome is appealing (Ragai, 1996).
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is clear that TQM is such a valuable tool for any organization. Essentially the success or failure of organization goals and objectives may depend on how effective the quality management system is implemented. The benefits of TQM include increased profits, reduce complaints from customers, and higher product reliability. Implementation of TQM is a three-phase process. These phases are preparation, planning, and execution. The success or failure of quality management is directly linked with the culture of the organization. One of the leading and most successful manufacturers and distributors of cables is Ducab.
Ducab is one of the organizations that have extensively enjoyed the positive impact of TQM. The key approach that the organization took is based on customer satisfaction. Different organizations employ different quality management tools. Ducab utilizes Six-sigma. The clear vision and mission of the organization set clear precision of TQM implementation. This has seen it achieve its objective of becoming a giant in this industry.
References
Charantimanth, P. (2003). Total Quality Management. New York: The Free Press. Web.
Chary, S. (2009). Production and Operation management. Detroit: Gale Research. Web.
Kanji, G. (2005). Total Quality Management: Proceedings of the First World Congress. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Web.
Ragai, R. (1996). Implementation of total quality management. New York: The Free Press. Web.
Wang, W. (2004). TQM in Action. San Francisco: USCF learning Press. Web.