Sorry folks, but I have to get this off my chest!!! :mad:

I have been working on updating procedures and getting them into a suitable format for an intranet based quality management system since August last year. The entire premise was that there would be no paper, no printing. The system is nothing fancy- just PDFs in HTML table of contents style pages - but it works.

The company is a wholesale and retail distributor of electrical goods, with 76 storefront outlets scattered throughout Australia, so a central system makes a great deal of sense, one would think - right??? :nope:

Early this week I was told that the stores only have one computer capable of internet access, which is on the manager's desk where he carries out lots of his daily duties. It has taken me until today to really convince myself that this is real - all other computers are dumb terminals, so unless the manager vacates his desk no-one else can get at the quality management system!!! :bonk: :bonk:

How the h&*l are they supposed to use the latest forms? Read the updated procedures?? Even receive the email notifications of revisions??? :mad: :mad: :mad:

Excuse the expletive, but it's just so much b*^%*$t!!!

Thanks for listening :o

Hi Trish,

I totally understand your frustration, the situation seems a wee bit moronic to me too. Is this typical of the company you work in, sounds like at least middle management is not really into the QMS? Perhaps it is time for a little bit of internal auditing to get a picture of the efficiency of the system? :bigwave:

Hi Trish,

One common phrase we use here is "do what suits your company best". Despite the best of intentions, you can't literally forced the horse to drink water. In fact you are as guilty as the horse - you should know when it needs to drink and/or how to entice it to drink.

I had come across similar situation in a spare parts retail business over here. When I approached management, I found out that the budget for computers is there but the problem is with the people. They are not computer literate, in fact they have a phobia for IT and they fear that they may be inched off should the company go ahead with its computerization program.

It takes time - be patient about it. At least you had done your part.

Trish,

Is the problem simply that only one computer has Internet access? It almost sounds like the other computers are linked within the facility but terminate within the building (no Internet).

If that's the case, could you simply copy your current (on-line) documents to a controlled internal directory? This could be set up for read-only access for the "dumb" computers. Maybe not as good as direct access but they are still controlled and accessible.

Dave

Trish,

Is the problem simply that only one computer has Internet access? It almost sounds like the other computers are linked within the facility but terminate within the building (no Internet).

If that's the case, could you simply copy your current (on-line) documents to a controlled internal directory? This could be set up for read-only access for the "dumb" computers. Maybe not as good as direct access but they are still controlled and accessible.

Dave

We also have this, only a handful in each division has internet access,, however most have intranet access, they can access procedures, forms, etc.

The company is a wholesale and retail distributor of electrical goods, with 76 storefront outlets scattered throughout Australia, so a central system makes a great deal of sense, one would think - right??? :nope:



I think you might be close to answering your own question here. Let's say ("assume" so this may be wrong) that you do not have the option of having the remote, "dumb", terminals download the documents, and they are not networked to the local machine that is hooked to the internet. What options do you have? I see one (there may be others). You can load the docs on a cd, or multiple cds, copy the cds 76 times, and mail a copy to each of the 76 stores.

Now, take a look and see how many cds it will take to copy all of your docs once. Multiply that number by 76, and make a phone call or two to find out:

1) how much it will cost to have the copies made, and
2) how much it will cost to mail said copies to each store.

Then, find the cost of hooking one more computer to the 'net at each store. Compare and contrast the alternatives, including the fact that even if the cds are not lost in the mail, there is no guarantee that they will be loaded once they get there. Also add in the fact that this mass mailing would have to be done each and every time a change is made. Stir well and pour this info into a memo to your management.

Show me the money.

You can get mad or get results.

I would think a review of how yor organization performs the requirements of 7.1 (planning) might be in order.

Sounds like terrible process planning.

Regards,

Dirk

ISounds like terrible process planning.

Hmmm - that's a great concept - must suggest it to management and see what they say! :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

Show me the money.
Craig - this is a great idea, but wouldn't solve the problem. The dumb terminals are literally that - just a screen and keyboard connected to the Linux-based financial management computer at head office. Not even able to access anything on the same local network.

The company is going down the certification path for the same old reasons - (1) it's a good idea, and (2) it might be good for marketing - not necessarily in that order. :lol:

Thanks everyone for your valuable support and feedback. I'm feeling a little better this Monday morning, having slept on it over the weekend. I've known from the start that this would be a problematic project. It just got the better of me on Friday. Back to the old drawing board. :magic:

Craig - this is a great idea, but wouldn't solve the problem. The dumb terminals are literally that - just a screen and keyboard connected to the Linux-based financial management computer at head office. Not even able to access anything on the same local network.



Drat! I am at a loss, then. You have your work cut out, but remember, please, again: Show me the money. If you can show management where your idea will save or even make them money, you will have the 2 x 4 board with which to "get their attention".

I don't know that you need to re-think your distribution policy all that much. Let me share with you the frustrations of success.

Implementing an on-line document control system was a real eye opener for me. I had the same vision as you -- no paper, instant access to all forms, procedures and work instructions. A real tool for empowerment!

The reality was somewhat different. People worked as they had before without referring to the on-line documentation. They solved problems same as always and pretty much ignored all the documents. The power to enforce procedural requirements remained where it had always been, with the management team.

And so it will probably be in your company. So consider, then, who really needs access to the current procedures, forms and work instructions? I would claim that it's the remote manager whose job it is to run the business.

Certainly there are some things that everybody needs to know, like the quality policy, quality objectives, how their jobs affect the achievement of objectives... And you may have to resort to paper distribution for some of those.

Another thought - isn't a lot of the business process embedded in the order entry system? That should reduce the need for work instructions at remote sites.

Another thought -

Talk to your IT group. Even a dumb terminal can display text.

There's a text-only browser application called lynx. You could render your documents as html, with hyperlinks and the like. I think MS Word since 1997 has had the ability to save docs as html, and OpenOffice has the same capability.

A text-only browser won't help for your flow charts, if you used 'em. But then, do the guys at the sales counter need to check the flow charts on a daily basis?

Thanks, Cliff. I'll do that.