As a quality management professional, you rely on timely metrics to do your job right the first time. The problem is that your quality system may actually be hindering how well you glean actionable, accurate information. If you struggle to analyze quality metrics manually, this blog post will reveal why it is so important to leverage the automation capabilities of enterprise quality management software.
Quality metrics: the old-fashioned, manual way
It may come as a surprise that many organizations still depend on slow, manual quality processes to generate metrics. Despite the rise of quality management software, a sizable percentage of manufacturers have not taken concrete steps to automate quality processes or even data collection. Survey data by LNS Research supports this finding. Thirty-seven percent of respondents said that they heavily rely on accurate quality metrics to operate efficiently. In this context, it is clear that quality metrics are key to your company’s operational success.
Quality-related data may be the leading source of data in your entire organization. Think of the endless stream of critical data generated on the shop floor and the processing power necessary to yield real-time quality metrics and visibility. Nevertheless, LNS Research revealed several surprising findings, which show that you can still gain an edge on competition by improving the accuracy of your quality metrics.
According to the survey, 29 percent of manufacturers still rely on manually keyed spreadsheets for quality metrics. If your company falls into this category, you would be wise to move away from such a slow, error-prone process because you can make better use of your time with an automated quality management software solution. Along those lines, seven percent of respondents said that they still record metrics manually; another 17 percent of those surveyed said that they do not know how their company collects quality metrics in the first place. The most surprising finding of all is that a mere five percent of respondents actually generate quality metrics in an automated solution, such as quality management software.
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Automating Quality Metrics
The benefits of automation speak for themselves. If you implement EQMS well, you can simultaneously improve operational efficiency and increase visibility into quality issues before they spin out of control. Generating accurate, timely quality metrics is how you accomplish this goal. The impact that real-time metrics can have on quality management is substantial and worth a long look.
By creating an integrated, holistic quality system with a single source of truth, you can record measurable improvements in the quality metrics that matter most to your organization. Take supplier defect rate as a prime example of what is possible when you automate quality metrics. Managing your company’s supply chain is a constant challenge in today’s world of global manufacturing. If you work in the automotive industry, you already know what a challenge it is to work with multiple tiers of suppliers.
Companies that enable real-time visibility into quality metrics report a 19 percent lower supplier defect rate than those who lack this capability. In the end, quality metrics matter because the opportunity to become an industry-leading manufacturer depends on your company’s ability to make the most out of automated quality processes.
