What is Total Quality Management and Why is it Important to use Software for TQM?

What is TQM?

Total Quality Management system or TQM is an approach followed by an organization to improve its profitability and enable success by satisfying the customer needs. This management technique was introduced by William Edwards Deming. This is practised by involving all the employees in the organization and continuously improving their ability to work towards enhancing the quality of products and services in demand. The term “total” is mentioned because this management approach includes all the members of the enterprise and involves the improvement of all the processes from planning to development to support for quality assurance.

How TQM is achieved?

TQM is a continuous process in identifying errors in the company’s internal processes and practices and reducing or eradicating them thereby streamlining every step to have improved quality of products and services offered. This is done by engaging all the employees in the organization from every department, recognizing their current roles and providing continual training for them to work on all aspects of products and services that add value to the customers.

To achieve this:

• It is required to understand what your customers expect to be delivered out of a product or a service.
• Check if your organization has the necessary resources and the workers have the required skills to consistently meet those customer expectations.
• Clearly define a flowchart of all the processes and the links between them so that when an improvement is required, the specific steps can be revisited separately and proper actions can be taken. This continuous improvement will result in enhanced output quality.
• Also, clearly state all the customer requirements in the process, how much you satisfy those requirements and what you will deliver. This will give a clear idea for the customers and also for you to reduce unwanted costs in the future.

The need for TQM Software:

To improve TQM in your enterprise, one must try to improve the areas such as supplier quality management, proper planning, designing, process control, evaluation, customer focus, employee engagement and training, continuous improvement. Every area is vast and needs to be addressed properly with the right skilled people. Proper coordination and communication should take place to execute a smooth process flow between these areas.

To simplify managing these sections in an organization, a software system like Total Quality Management System software is required. Because TQM software has various modules using which an organization can define the customer requirements, refer to industry standards, maintain customer, supplier, employee data, provide a communication platform, plan and define the processes to satisfy the customer needs and improve the quality.

Since TQM focuses on customers by reducing errors through the involvement of all levels of workers, the following benefits can be achieved:

• Since all the employees are equipped with needed skills through frequent training and recognition, the morality and performance of the workers will improve. So, work efficiency and high productivity will be obtained. Job security is guaranteed.
• Improved skills mean that the organization can adapt to the changing needs of the market.
• If work is done in an efficient manner, errors and wastage of resources will be reduced. Rework and remanufacturing are reduced.
• Reduced rework will help in managing the costs in a better way. Cost-effective solutions evolve.
• Quality of the products and services will enhance day by day.
• Improved Customer focus, hence customers will be satisfied. There will be an increased number of coming back of existing loyal customers and they will spread word-of-mouth about your organization to others resulting in an increased customer base.
• Reaching benchmarks and outstanding brand value. So, your enterprise can be competitive with other similar parties in the same industry.
• Relationship with vendors and suppliers will improve due to proper coordination and maintenance of quality.
• Continuous chances of improvement in quality and processes will open room for innovation.

Whom to approach to achieve TQM?

Confused and worried about how to satisfy the huge array of TQM requirements? We, Harrington Group International (HGINT) is here for you with our fantastic total quality management system software solution (Harrington Software total quality management system). It includes modules for managing your customer compliance, tasks, assets, training, audit, supplier quality and document control. With our budget-friendly, flexible, robust and access control software, you will have full control over the information related to employees, processes, assets and suppliers. You can plan, define and change a process according to the market trends and changing industry regulations. As the word “Total” in TQM suggests, HGINT’s TQM software will be the total solution for your organization to meet all your quality needs by rising the employees’ involvement.