Complaints as a tool for continuous improvement
Complaints management ... where to start?
Complaints management is not necessarily the easiest or interesting task to perform, but there ways to make it enjoyable, efficient and even generate savings ...
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Where are the data on your complaints ?
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In binders?
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Who consults/look at them and why?
It seems that several companies keep a register/logbook of complaints for regulatory compliance purposes or to please customers during audits and that's it.
It's a good start but there is much more to it and it can be more than interesting
How to get there and make it enjoyable
Structuring your complaint data and computerizing them in a database can help you track them more efficiently, allow you to respond to requests from customers who complain, or request follow-ups from faulty suppliers.
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Who is the customer who complains the most? Why?
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What complaint or type of complaint is costing you the most money or time?
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What is the complaint most often occurs from your customers?
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What is the main complaint you have with your suppliers ?
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Are you still applying the same corrective measures?
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Is there a way to minimize the impacts?
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How much do complaints cost you in total including:
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the credits
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the returns
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reworked products
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etc.
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Don't have all the answers ?
Take the time to review the situation and start by categorizing the complaints with customer complaints on one side and supplier complaints on the other and ask yourself the same questions mentioned here. This is how you will decide if it's worth the effort to better manage your complaints.
What to do next?
Use the answers to the previous questions and set up a simple and effective complaints management system that will:
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Quickly detect and minimize recurrence, i.e. repetition of the same errors
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Help you to carry out a closer follow-up of your suppliers
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Provide tangible data to evaluate and reassess your internal operations and your suppliers , etc ...
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Help you to assess the merits of repetitive and/or costly complaints
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To save money
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To use complaint data to improve your operations
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Help you to use complaint data to train your employees
We are able to help you develop, implement or improve your complaints management system so that you are able to meet regulatory and normative compliance requirements and those of your customers (including those stipulated in the GFSI standards). This will simplify/streamline your approach and provide you with a tool rich in actionable data that can be used for continuous improvement as well as for setting more performance goals. clear and well defined.
... You may have money sleeping somewhere! ...