Principles of Quality Management

Customer focus is a big factor with quality management. A business needs to focus on the customer's needs and ensure the requirements of these customers are met entirely. Customers need to be happy or they will not return for more service or continue to purchase your product. It is important for a business to have a clear understanding of exactly what the customer wants and a detailed plan on how these wants and needs will be met. Customer focus includes meeting their needs, constant communication and contact, and good delivery.

Leadership comes from within the business, and in order to have a solid quality management team, you need to have someone who is a good leader heading the departments. Leadership cannot be trained but it is a quality some people have and others do not. Always find a good leader to instill an environment of teamwork within your business. Leadership includes involving everyone properly and efficiently. Utilizing people resources in the right areas where they are strongest is a skill a good leader has.

Process management is another principle in quality management that must be considered. Processes need to be properly structured and laid out to ensure a project delivery is timely and successful. Everyone included in a project need to follow specific processes set forth at the beginning of a project. Projects cannot be started without processes set forth. When processes are not properly planned, goals and deadlines are not met.

Continual improvement is a principle in quality management that will ensure departments improve productivity, products get better, and the business is overall more successful. A quality management department needs to see every possible way to improve everything throughout a business, including relationships inside and out of the business, quality, and planning, every step of the way.

A factual approach needs to be taken to decision making. Some managers have a bad habit of assuming things are going to go one way, and when then they don't, problems are caused. When decisions are made, they need to be based on total facts. These facts might be on current prices, trends, and analysis.

Beneficial supplier relationships are the final important principle toward total quality management. Having a beneficial relationship with a supplier means, they might be more inclined to cut you deals, work with you on payments, and help your business achieve the goals you are working toward. Every business relies on good suppliers and your business needs to have an outstanding relationship with them.