Total quality management (TQM) is a system which ensures maintenance, as well as improvement of quality of services, provides by an organisation and all processes involved. This system is aimed at ensuring customers’ satisfaction and that all their needs will be met. There are several guiding principles of TQM: meeting customers’ needs, including all parts and each employee of the organisation in the process of improvement, development of procedures which will ensure the maintenance of quality and improving it, analysis of costs and development of procedures aimed at eliminating mistakes.
Admittedly, the system has numerous benefits, and the use of TQM can lead to the organisation’s development and success. One of the benefits of the system is that the company monitors and analyses its customers’ (as well as potential customers’) needs and expectations. Understanding customers’ needs and addressing them leads to people’s satisfaction, which, in its turn, results in increased profits.
Another benefit is the company’s commitment to identify what quality is and to achieve the highest quality in all processes. The TQM system enables the organisation to involve all its parts and all employees in the process. This system helps develop an efficient value chain, which is important for an organisation. Specific attention to employees and their development, which is associated with staff training enables the organisation to improve the quality of services provided. The system includes the creation of a specific culture where employees are committed to the principles of TQM.
Furthermore, analysis of costs and processes enables employees to develop improved procedures and avoid mistakes (as errors tend to lead to losses). Creation of sampling plans ensures effective use of the developed procedures and avoidance of errors. This ensures high quality of services provided as well as the performance of each employee.
It is also important to add that the TQM is linked to ISO standards and organisations using this system can easily receive the necessary certification and, as a result, enter different markets globally. Regular inspections ensure compliance with the standards and regulations developed. More so, inspections help detect mistakes or inadequate quality of services and address the issues associated by removing the faults as well as developing plans aimed at avoiding these mistakes. Finally, TQM is a beneficial system as it is associated with continuous progress. Development of an effective procedure does not mean that inspections and discussions on improvements end. Therefore, organisations, as well as each employee, continue thinking about possible improvements in all processes.