With all the doom and gloom we hear about the "state of the economy" and whether we are (or are not) in a recession it may be difficult to focus on business activities and budgets. It's very obvious that prices have increased and nothing seems to be the same. We often hear that the quality department in an organization is one of the first to get downsized and employees layed-off. If that is the case then the respective department was probably over manned to begin with, however we think most quality professionals will agree that they are usually one of the leanest (and most misunderstood) departments within the organization. Because of this many companies are now calling their "QMS" - Quality Management System a "BMS" - Business Management System because we're not just referring to checking "quality of product" - usually performed by "QC" - Quality Control. The QMS representatives are responsible for "QA" - Quality Assurance and Process Controls throughout the entire organization, except for accounting (unless you are a large corporation who after 9/11 need to adhere to "SOX" Sarbanes Oxley.)

OK- so we just through out a bunch of industry jargon and anacronyms because it is important to understand the difference. Quality is not a bad word. Neither is a quality management system, as they are the glue in keeping an organization together, organized, streamlined, and operating at peak efficiency.

The point we want to make is take advantage of a downturn. Don't let it get the best of you! If your orders are slipping then it's time to find another avenue. For example, the aerospace industry is BOOMING and they have large contracts secured for at least the next 10 years. If you are an aerospace supplier and find that you are losing business, is it because you have been stubborn and resistant to implement quality systems such as ISO 9001, AS 9100, or LEAN Manufacturing? If you have a certification on the wall do you live by the system and make sure that everyone in the company implements this daily? Or is it just another wall dressing? There is a movement within the aerospace community that is transforming the supply chain. Suppliers are not only being required for certifications to quality and LEAN, but they are also handed more responsibility in delivering completed assemblies as opposed to individual parts. These assemblies may also include several outside special processes to be performed and verified by the supplier. It's a safe bet to say this is also happening in automotive, medical, and many other industries. Due to the changes in globalization and the world economy it's just become a better way of doing business. For the USA to become more competitive it has become a MUST. The afore mentioned questions may have sounded rather harsh and we're not bringing it up to offend anyone. The truth is - not everyone understands quality systems, and in many cases we are referring to upper management. They usually focus on "sales", however, everything that happens after the sales department closes an order is tied to a quality system - that is to say - everyone within the organization is connected to the system. Research has proven many times over that if an organization does not operate by a formal quality/business management system such as ISO 9001 and they are getting by via "Tribal Knowledge" that they are easily losing 10-25% of their profits. These are not exaggerated numbers.

The next point is: Now is time to be LEAN and efficient. Lean does not mean reduce employees, but rather, work smarter and produce products at a quicker, faster, and reduced rate. Implementing a QMS is only the beginning. If you do not have the time or staff to implement you can easily outsource to a company like WQN. Our research has proven that you will save time and money as well as receive better services by outsourcing. Also, it is imperative that the QMS be customized and set-up by a genuine consulting professional, someone who has experience in developing a system for many organizations in different industries who stays abreast of current trends and has a proven track record. Quality systems need regular maintenance and occasionally a "tune- up" just like any other mechanism.

The reality is there is only so much an individual can do. In these times, it just makes sense to outsource maintenance activities such as conducting internal audits and supplier audits. Getting a qualified professional in your facility over a few days with minimal disruption to your staff at a fraction of the price in hiring new personnel is what's it all about. That professional will usually provide more "value- added" suggestions and independent third party findings than those who are either too close or too busy doing their regular job. Please contact WQN to see how we can assist you with any of the above mentioned activities. Maybe we can help you with a little "spring cleaning" and QMS "tune-up".

We are pleased to announce that we are now offering RABQSA accredited Lead Auditor and Internal Auditor training at our facility in Camarillo, CA. We are offering a full schedule of courses including a one day overview for ISO 9001:2000, AS 9100, AS 9110, ISO 14001, TS 16949, ISO 13485, OHSAS 18001, and ISO 22000.

These courses are brought to you through our partnership with AQS Management Systems Inc. who have been doing this since 1989. We are happy to say that a number of WQN's contractors are also certified trainers for AQS and we are excited to bring them to you. We are looking forward to meeting all the new faces behind the certificates!

The courses can also be provided at your facility if you meet the minimum requirements. This can also be done in any city or location where we have access to a training room. As mentioned in the previous article, it's important to keep your system tuned-up and perhaps it's time to train newer employees on conducting internal audits if you have chosen to perform these internally. For more information on scheduling please see our website or contact us directly at 877-WQN-TODAY.

If you haven't already done so you may want to watch to watch our little FLASH movie. In just 3 minutes you will get a very good idea of WQN's capabilities. This is FLASH presentation so feel free to forward this to a colleague as the file isn't very large. (If you need to download FLASH on to your computer we have an easy link on our homepage.)

We are very proud of our little movie and hope you enjoy it! It's actually pretty cool...

J. M. Juran's major contribution to society was in the field of quality management and he is often called the "father" of quality. Perhaps most importantly, he is recognized as the person who added the managerial dimension to quality-broadening it from its statistical origins. So important were his contributions to quality that he is written about in many publications, such as, the Harvard Business Review, BusinessWeek, the Financial Times, and many quality related journals.

Dr. Juran became well known to the world after his first visit to Japan in 1954, soon after World War II. Professor Kano of Japan recalls, "He impressed top executives here with his managerial aspect of quality and contributed to the quality development in Japan by helping to establish the reputation of "made-in-Japan" products."

Dr. Juran wrote the first standard reference work on quality management, the Quality Control Handbook, first published in 1951 and now moving into its sixth edition. This handbook is the reference for most quality and performance improvement change agents since it provides important how-to information dedicated to improving an organization's performance by improving the quality of its goods and services.

His classic book, Managerial Breakthrough, first published in 1964, presented a more general theory of quality management. It was the first book to describe a step-by-step sequence for breakthrough improvement. This process has evolved into Lean and Six Sigma today and is the basis for quality initiatives worldwide.

Question from CHRIS: Why are auditors so inconsistant? What I mean by that is that I usually get a differant auditor for our surveillance audits. It seems like they always want us to "change" what the previous auditor had us "fix".

Answer:That is a tough questio to answer because uniformity in meeting the standard requirements effectively should have proven themselves during your initial audit - unless the changes are obvious, necessary, or will definitely improve an area. We understand what you are saying and it comes down to this: Some auditors (and clients as well) seem to have a slight twist of interpretation on the standard of what "they expect to see". In some cases auditors want to help by adding value or providing an opportunity. This is not always favorable and sometimes they write it up as a "minor". They want the client to report root cause and corrective action, which can become a challenge when you don't undertsand them in the first place!

You always have the right to challenge the auditor (because the reality is they are not always right). The auditor should have discussed this with you in the initial meeting. Also, if you feel you aren't making progress don't hesitate contacting the registrar...this should not be held against you. In our experience we have challenged auditor write- ups many times with great success in simply asking, "Can you please show me where it says that in the standard?" You will get their attention may get a change in opinion.

We are looking for input from all of you. Clients and Potentials, Registrars, Consultants, Auditors, Partners, even our competitors! We will protect your privacy by not publishing your organization or name without your permission. Please submit anything you have to news@wqntoday.com Subject - What's Up?

WQN, Inc. provides professional quality consulting to internationally recognized quality standards and applications including; ISO 9001:2000, AS9100/9110/9120, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 17025, TS16949, SIX SIGMA, 5S, LEAN Manufacturing, Reorganization and more. Our services range from consulting, gap analysis, on going maintenance, internal auditing, full system development, customer/regulatory requirement integration workshops (on or off site). We are also the only training organization to offer the "Baustein Koncept" (building block) series of workshops. Build and customize your own training program from these building blocks or different workshops that cover - Process/Quality Improvement, Tools for Teaming, Training and Organizational Development, LEAN Manufacturing, JIT/CTM Practice, Cycle Time Management, Process Mapping, Customer Satisfaction, Surveys, Employee Motivation, and many more. Log on to: WQN's Baustein Workshops Now offering ANAB Certified Lead/Internal Auditor Training in our Camarillo facility. Call us today for a FREE analysis or at least to answer any questions you may have and offer some realistic option. You can do it on our dime... 877-WQN- TODAY (877-976-8632)