Total quality management

Lately the term “total quality” has expanded and became more and more popular. We will try to make a short presentation of the concept and to emphasize the most important aspects of it. Total quality is a philosophy, a strategy used to obtain higher quality and a better customer relationship. It involves all employees into a continuous improvement in order to satisfy and exceed customer’s expectation. 
Are the terms total quality and total quality management equivalent? Almost

In order to explain it better we can say that total quality is the objective and total quality management is the strategy that will lead to that objective. 

Total quality is not just about the product. It doesn’t necessarily mean that if you have the perfect product you’ve reached total quality. Total quality means doing every action with one thought in mind: EXCEEDING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS WITH MINIMUM COSTS. 

You would be surprised to know that although the idea of total quality management was first heard in United States, the actual implementation of it took place in Japan. The experts agree that this is the main reason of Japan’s progress. The implementation of total quality management in a company leads to change starting from the general manager to the cleaning lady. 

This concept is based on an older concept named quality management. The word “total” changes this concept in the following aspects:

• All the company’s departments all involved in producing quality. Before, quality was the job of the departments that make the product/service. 
• All employees are responsible for quality.
• The integration of the customers’ needs into all company’s processes
• The introduction of a universal norm of quality. The company doesn’t fix quality problems, they prevent them.

The most important ideas and principles when talking about total quality management are:

• Our client is our boss, he represents the highest priority
• Teamwork and cooperation are essential
• The best profit indicator is client’s satisfaction
• Long term improvements are more important than short term ones.
• When bringing an idea, give logical arguments, not improvisations.
• Find solutions to problems instead of finding who’s responsible for the problem.
• All personnel should be involved
• Top management should be involved as well

There are two systems behind the concept: the Social system and Technical one. Some say one is more important than the other and some say they are both of equal importance. We believe that one without the other is an incomplete quality management. 

The total quality concept is based on two assumptions:

• Nobody is perfect; therefore everything can be improved with the help of the whole staff. 
• Every employee is equally important in this quality chain. Each one can make the chain stronger or weaker. 

There would be a lot to say about Total Quality Management but we chose to have an introduction to the subject by showing the most important aspects of it.

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