Customer Specific Contractual Requirements

[Tomf2]

For a new ISO 9001 implementation for a business that maintains the commercial vehicle fleets of multiple customers, what is the best way to deal with contractual requirements that are customer specific? Typically an annual contract is drawn up with each customer to stipulate requirements, fees, etc. This often means having to alter processes from customer to customer.
Should each contract be 'translated' into customer specific procedures or does the contract itself constitute a 'record' or 'work aid' that alters a standardised process? This is very central to the business so I'd like it to be as neat as possible. Advice and suggestions welcomed!

 

[Duke Okes]

Re: Customer contractual requirements

Whatever works best for your organization.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Re: Customer contractual requirements

Should each contract be 'translated' into customer specific procedures or does the contract itself constitute a 'record' or 'work aid' that alters a standardised process?

Certainly, the customer specific requirements must be communicated in a way that the work force is aware of and can follow them. It can be done in a multitude of ways, such as quality plans, work instructions, procedures, work orders, routers, etc. But a typical contract is not an effective communication channel in the shop floor.

 

[Randy]

Re: Customer contractual requirements

The contract or actually the successful delivery of the contact is your product and it's from that successful you'll achieve customer satisfaction.

The customer requirements are nothing more than design elements you have to meet in order to deliver the contract.

Because you say that each contract is different you are going to have to design your services using common elements thay all have and those elements unique to them individually

I went through the same process a few years back with a $200+million service contract and our system certification

You do the same QMS stuff for services as you do for tangible product

 

[Tomf2]

Re: Customer contractual requirements

Thanks, Randy, this is helpful. It points to an improved contract review process to properly integrate the customer needs into our working processes. Let me go and get on with it!

 

[ERO0316]

Re: Customer contractual requirements

OK, I'm "butting in", here, but this kind of dovetails with something I've been researching. First off: I'm a LONG TIME TS16949 guy who has currently taken a job in a "jobber" ISO9001 shop. I don't see the Customer Specific Requirements called out as plainly in ISO as I did in TS. I am getting a runaround from our quoting team as to just exactly what they are, and I have not achieved success.
I know 7.2.1 a & b reference CSR's, as well as 5.2, but cannot get any traction. Am I missing something? We don't even have the customer's SQM's on-site and we supply aeronautic and aviation components. We have been an ISO certified shop for 8 YEARS, and no one's ever picked up on this deficiency during either an internal or external audit.

OK, so my question is Are we actually required to have the SQM's here? I have always thought you have to have them to understand the SCR's. have I been confused for YEARS?

Thanks, as you can tell, my level of frustration is pretty high. I uncovered this after I started (about 4 months ago) and am writing in internal audit report for this exact issue and getting beaten down because I'm challenging some paradigm I wasn't aware existed .. .. ..

 

[John Broomfield]

Re: Customer contractual requirements

OK, I'm "butting in", here, but this kind of dovetails with something I've been researching. First off: I'm a LONG TIME TS16949 guy who has currently taken a job in a "jobber" ISO9001 shop. I don't see the Customer Specific Requirements called out as plainly in ISO as I did in TS. I am getting a runaround from our quoting team as to just exactly what they are, and I have not achieved success.
I know 7.2.1 a & b reference CSR's, as well as 5.2, but cannot get any traction. Am I missing something? We don't even have the customer's SQM's on-site and we supply aeronautic and aviation components. We have been an ISO certified shop for 8 YEARS, and no one's ever picked up on this deficiency during either an internal or external audit.

OK, so my question is Are we actually required to have the SQM's here? I have always thought you have to have them to understand the SCR's. have I been confused for YEARS?

Thanks, as you can tell, my level of frustration is pretty high. I uncovered this after I started (about 4 months ago) and am writing in internal audit report for this exact issue and getting beaten down because I'm challenging some paradigm I wasn't aware existed .. .. ..

ERO,

Each customer's requirements have to be understood well enough to quote and to accept the contract.

Then they are usually translated into production, verification and delivery requirements via a router or some sort of quality plan.

The contract may or may not be documented but the customer's spec and the internal requirements to fulfill the spec must be understood by those doing the work.

Are you insisting on documentation where none used to exist? If so what evidence do you have of a nonconformity with clause 4.2.1d?

John

 

[dmp06]

Re: Customer contractual requirements

If you don't know the method to obtain the customer requirements then how do you know you know them?

A "router" or any other communication mechanism is only as good as the inputs. If the inputs are incomplete, missing or inaccurate (ie. "customer requirements" (written, unwritten, spoken, unspoken) then the output requirements are definitely not clear.

The most ignored process I see in organizations is related to obtaining, understanding customer requirements followed by determining feasibility, prior to signing any contract, purchase order or agreeing to deliver any product.