The Relationship between Suppliers and Quality Management

Aside from your customers and the business, your suppliers are also affected by your quality management systems. In most cases, having a transparent, effective process regarding your supply chain is almost mandatory if you are aiming to achieve business standardisation. Improving the quality levels of your suppliers boils down to establishing criteria for every supplier, assessing their efficiency, improving the selection process and monitoring your chosen supply partners. Requirements must be outlined; an evaluation must then be performed, followed by ongoing monitoring.
How to Assess Suppliers for Quality Management
There are a few criteria that will help make the relationship between your company, your suppliers and your quality management goals far smoother. These include the following:
1. Assessment should be continual rather than periodic
The initial decision to partner with a particular supplier may be essential, but don’t assume that the assessment begins and ends there. This relationship will (hopefully) be a long one. To ensure continual improvement, you need continual assessment to ensure they continue to meet your quality goals.
2. Metrics should be defined by performance and quality
It is common for companies to measure only the things that seem to matter to the business at large. Still, regarding quality objectives, metrics should also be determined by your performance and quality standards. Your suppliers might measure their performance, but this is not always enough. After all, your quality management system needs to succeed – not your suppliers’ system.
3. Informed quality decisions should be made rather than hasty ones
Doing a bit of legwork early on in the relationship is far better from a quality perspective than making hasty decisions that may not take a deeper look into the factors that matter. Start the assessment upfront to determine the supplier’s strengths and skills before you begin the contract. Of course, a risk evaluation should also be done if it is a once-off supplier. The aim here is to reduce or eliminate the risk of surprises once you have signed on the dotted line.
4. Every assessment is different – they are, however, all based on your ultimate goals
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach for assessing your suppliers. It all comes down to many variables, from your product to the size of the business – even the industry. One thing that every assessment does have in common, though, is that customer satisfaction is your primary quality management goal. This should be at the forefront of every new supply contract. Conducting a yearly supplier review or even an audit is a simple way to do assessments. In this way, you can keep track of past performance and quality management objectives that have been adhered to, standards that have been met and any potential compliance issues that may have arisen at some point. Creating a supply agreement with your key suppliers is also a good idea, as it can assist in managing this relationship better. Keeping track of accountability for quality processes will also go a long way in preventing potential issues, thereby keeping your quality management goals on track at all times.
Compliant can help with your iISO process and provide a robust QMS. Why not speak to our dedicated team?