Quality Assurance approach focused on the customer
Continuous improvement in production process to improve product quality
Reduction of waste leading to reduced costs
Total
About employees and partners seeking continuous improvement in the production process to reduce waste and eliminate defects
Quality
Employees seeking to improve quality for the customer, whether internal or external
Customer
Can be internal or external, internal customers being the next stage in the production process
Internal customer example
Procurement department passing on to logistics, then to manufacturing
Management
Top-down approach, setting targets, providing training and funding, trusting employees
Improving product quality
Increases customer satisfaction
Increased customer satisfaction
May lead to increased loyalty, repeat business, more sales, and potentially higher prices
Employee motivation
Encouraged by the philosophy of improving quality through TQM
Cost of introducing TQM culture includes spending on training and technology, takes time to implement (5 to 10 years), may face resistance leading to demotivation and decreased productivity
