OK - There appears to be a lot of dissatisfaction with the ASQ. Let's look at the other side...

Please - Let's hear from people what positive experiences you've had (and continue to have)!

PLEASE - NO Negatives in this thread. This thread is about the good things!

I have always had very positive experiences with the customer service people. I place orders all the time, and these folks are always polite and helpful. I recently had an issue with ASQ trying to recruit me as a member through a client of mine. The 'junk mail' was really starting to pile up. It was annoying! I called, spoke to someone, and she was extremely helpful. She apologized that I had to take the time to do this, etc. The junk mail has stopped.

I also had occasion to go to the ASQ open house a couple of years ago when they moved to the new corporate site. Again, met lots of nice, helpful people.

So far, I've not had those negative experiences that I know others have posted in other forums. Everyone I have dealt with over the past 10 years has been very helpful and polite. I am a satisfied customer!

I have repeatedly stated that many low-level customer service people at ASQ (publishing and certification matters, especially) are very competent and perform well.

It does irk me that some seem to be abused by higher level paid staff. Often the lower level employees seem to be in a revolving door with new faces the rule, rather than the exception. The new faces are replacements - the old faces are gone from the organization, NOT promoted, despite how competent or helpful they seemed to me.

I recall having several run-ins with mid-level staff who were firmly entrenched bureaucrats and who treated me as an "intrusion" on their day. Folks who read my posts probably know by now - "I do not suffer fools gladly!" The last thing I want to hear is "That's not our policy!" from some fool who has no clue where to find the written policy or who in a position of authority made such verbal policy. Worse, when the same person is merely telling a lie to cover ignorance on how to do something or on how something is supposed to work. We are a Quality association. The last thing I expect is inability of any worker to show me a written work instruction or written policy - that's a management failure, not the failure of the individual worker. When the flustered worker lies to cover a gap in training or knowledge, that means there is FEAR in the workplace because the worker is afraid to acknowledge the gap.

THE BIGGEST VALUE
The biggest value I ever got from ASQ (and ASQC before the name change) was from the programs and networking at the Section level. I have always found the volunteers and instructors at the Section level to be pragmatic, helpful folks, truly dedicated to helping fellow members pass exams, find jobs, and deal with tough situations at work. I belong to two large Sections, with some overlap in geographic region and thus in membership. I can't recall one instance of a "bad" or "incompetent" local officer in either Section.

The staffs of ASQ HQ have always been very helpful from every function I have dealt with. Most of the staff responds within 24 hours of receipt of my questions.

Even at the Senior Level, now ASQ has provided me a management contact to work with for the ASQ India initiative. Also have offered a share point space for discussions. I see interest from ASQ side to set up the ASQ India version of International Member Unit.

Our Local Section officers and executives have provided excellent opportunities for networking, volunteering and to move up in the section hierarchy.

ASQ HQ has provided me several opportunities to volunteer for Certifications, Quality Press, Discussion boards, conference and many.

Volunteering opportunity offers good networking contacts, knowledge and experience.

No wonder ..Volunteering for ASQ is nearly one third of activities I do in my everyday life! :)

Regards,
Govind.

I've been a member since 1987 (and a CQE since 1989). I've had good and bad experiences and observations. Here are the good:

- As Qualitygoddess says, customer service - especially at Quality Press - is great. I would consider them a benchmark.

- The employment boosting certifications have had a remarkable effect on my career growth. Although I think the plethora of new certifications available (esp. on the SS side) is diluting the clout of the original CQE, and a few others.

- The publications (books, journals, and magazines) have been essential to me in keeping up with the latest methods and tools in quality. Nowhere else are they as comprehensive. NOTE: Quality Progress would be better if greater emphasis was placed on actual and effective case studies and other practical applications (outside academia).

- Conferences and seminars have also been very helpful over the years (particularly as a resource in joining quality practitioners with suppliers of tools, software, etc.).

- The Discussion Board is also good (albeit not as effective as it could be). But then again, we have the Cove!

As for the bad, I've been gagged and muted. :censor:

In the 35 plus years I have been involved, I pretty much agree with Rob Nix.
Local section education and training courses, meetings, contacts, CQE.
Good service. All in all provided an opportunity to advance knowledge and quality carrer.

I recall having several run-ins...Let's all remember - This is a POSITIVE discussion thread.

The ASQ may not be exactly what some of us want - But let's state the GOOD aspects of the ASQ!

(No - I am not getting paid or otherwise compensated for this thread and/or my thoughts - By anyone or any group or any corporation {etc}.)As for the bad, I've been gagged and muted. :censor:
In this thread, yes. By me. This is a Let's talk about the GOOD discussion thread.

- I've met a lot of really great people from around the world (through attending conferences)
- I've been able to learn what is going on in other industries (through attending conferences, reading Quality Progress, etc.)
- I've been able to participate and contribute at the local section as well as division levels
- I've been able to keep up with trends in the profession (through conferences and publications)

ASQ has declined in membership as has membership in nearly all professional societies. This is partially due to the wide availability of information through many other channels, such as the Cove.

Is ASQ perfect? Of course not ... no such organization exists. An organization is a combination of individuals, each of whom has his/her own values, priorities, etc. Having members from many different industries and countries makes ASQ an especially difficult task. One really gets out of it in proportion to what one is willing to put into it.

Good things -

1. Good networking at the local section level. Until most of them moved away due to changes of job, we had a fairly strong bunch of Deming advocates in the section.

2. The CQE certification has "answered the mail" when someone in the government (US Department of Energy) starts asking what qualifies folks to do their jobs. Since there is no PE for statisticians, the CQE fills a good need.

3. ASQ has offered a publishing opportunity. I have had 4 articles in Quality Progress so far, and definitely dealing with the editorial staff (and the editor herself) has been very positive. These articles (and the discussion board) have really helped bounce some ideas around and reinforces what works and what doesn't.

4. Even in the differences of opinion, you run across folks who are genuinely passionate about Quality.

I'm positive the ASQ never did a thing for me. :D

ASQ through the certification process has created a market for quality professionals outside of the historic inspectors.

How many people are aware of what DIVISION do? Anyone participate in Division Discussion Groups?

ASQ has allowed me to begin a consulting practice through the networking.

Is it perfect? Nope, but nothing is perfect.

ASQ through the certification process has created a market for quality professionals outside of the historic inspectors.


It is good to know you feel postively towards the ASQ but your assertion is rather open to debate.

It has been the efforts of those people in quality (some of whom are indeed "professional") that created the market for the services of quality professionals. That market existed before any certification was offered "by the ASQ". It was the professionals who created the various BOKs underpinning the certifications; it was the professionals who developed the training courses, delivered the courses, marked examination papers and so on. And I may point out that many of us were practsing the BOKs and more long before the idea of certifications ever wafted through Milwaukee's halls.

Our services were in demand because we delivered beneficial results to employers and clients. If that had not been the case, those clients etc would never have engaged or indulged us.

Moreover, quality professionals existed long before the ASQ, IQA or any similar body was ever formed: they might not have been called by that title, but that is what they did along with their other duties.

Just to clarify, ASQ helped bring quality into the mainstream. Like I said it is not perfect, but it works. Though, I have been very critical of ASQ letting CQEs get their certification devalued by Six Sigma belt heads.

Moreover, quality professionals existed long before the ASQ, IQA or any similar body was ever formed: they might not have been called by that title, but that is what they did along with their other duties.

It may be useful to remember the history of ASQ. The founders were not just a bunch of good ol' boys who decided that they should band together to make money on quality. Shewhart, Deming, Juran, Grant, and many others of the modern quality movement were instrumental in its founding.

http://www.asq.org/join/about/history/50th.html

That said, there does not appear to be much change in some areas of argument. One of the first bylaw change discussions was increasing the annual fees from $3 to $5 (it was defeated) and instituting member bylaw voting. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Bill Pflanz

When I first got into quality, ASQ helped me to establish a local network of quality friends who have been helpful and a wonderful sounding board over the years.

When I was hired by a medical devices company, the bio-medical division provided a great orientation to that industry through their reasonably priced seminars and cadre of knowledgeable people.

Before the Internet, ASQ books and Quality Progress were key sources of information for me.

However, I have to say that most of the benefit I've gotten from ASQ was pre-2000.

Not sure this is the type of information you are looking for but if it were not for the ASQ I doubt I could have acheived my RAB certification - due to their volunteer audit program I was able to log the sufficient audit time needed. (Plus they picked up the tab for the pre audit planning dinner - always a plus!)

OK - There appears to be a lot of dissatisfaction with the ASQ. Let's look at the other side...

Please - Let's hear from people what positive experiences you've had (and continue to have)!

PLEASE - NO Negatives in this thread. This thread is about the good things!
I can think of a couple of things:
1) My CQE certification added value to my resume in 1996.

2) I learned about The Cove on their discussion boards. Had some good interactions and learning experiences on their discussion boards.

3) There was one Quality Progress article I enjoyed reading (Sept 2003). It was recommended on one of their discussion boards, (I'm sure Wes remembers the one).