Delivery statement in quality policy - Does it warrant an NC?

[JoeQNovice]

This is a multple question, I think I know most of the answer, but: I recently audited a supplier. Their Quality Policy was "We strive to make the best products possible and deliver them on-time for our customers, while trying to do so better."

Does "trying to do so better" meet the requirement to continually improve the effectiveness of the QMS?

Also, I found that they had a work instruction that stated that they only has to be on-time for Tier 1 customers (the bulk of their business) but could be 3-7 days late for Tier II customers and 7-10 days (or more) late for Tier III customers. Doesn't this conflict with their policy statement that they will "deliver them on-time for (their) customers"?
How can the registrar let them get away with this?
Would'nt this warrant a NC?

 

[Jim Wynne]

Re: Quality Policy Statement and conflicting procedures

This is a multple question, I think I know most of the answer, but: I recently audited a supplier. Their Quality Policy was "We strive to make the best products possible and deliver them on-time for our customers, while trying to do so better."

Does "trying to do so better" meet the requirement to continually improve the effectiveness of the QMS?

Also, I found that they had a work instruction that stated that they only has to be on-time for Tier 1 customers (the bulk of their business) but could be 3-7 days late for Tier II customers and 7-10 days (or more) late for Tier III customers. Doesn't this conflict with their policy statement that they will "deliver them on-time for (their) customers"?
How can the registrar let them get away with this?
Would'nt this warrant a NC?

It's hard to say from this distance what might warrant a finding. Note that they don't say they deliver on time, they say they "strive" to. It's possible to strive like heck and still be late with everything. As for the varied definitions of "on time," I think I'd like to see some evidence of customer approval. If the customer says that if their order is delivered within 7 days after the due date and not be considered late, then a WI explaining it shouldn't be necessary. Also, I don't understand the "3-7 days" thing--does that mean that if it's 1 or 2 days past the due date, it will be considered late? The whole thing sounds fishy.

 

[Randy]

Re: Quality Policy Statement

You policy is an auditable document, so what you say you need to be able to provide evidence of.

If you say you're going to do something then be able to demostrate how you are going about doing so. If you say that you are the best, you need to be able to show that you are. If you say that you are world class or that are going to be world class, you had better have some world class benchmarks to compare yourself with.

A policy is much more than meaningless words and gibberish, it's a promise and statement of intent that you must demonstrate that you're meeting.

 

[zancky]

Re: Response to Quality Policy Statement

Some auditors feel better

Of course it really doesn't matter how the auditor feels. As for all those numbers and other stuff.........they don't really need to be in the policy and actually they'll litter it up.

 

[BradM]

Re: Delivery statement in quality policy-Does it warrant and NC


NOTE: As this was a new question attached to a really old (and different) thread, the initial post and question was split off to a new thread.

Please contact me or another moderator if there is a problem with the thread or the title.

 

[Big Jim]

Re: Delivery statement in quality policy-Does it warrant and NC

This is a multple question, I think I know most of the answer, but: I recently audited a supplier. Their Quality Policy was "We strive to make the best products possible and deliver them on-time for our customers, while trying to do so better."

Does "trying to do so better" meet the requirement to continually improve the effectiveness of the QMS?

Also, I found that they had a work instruction that stated that they only has to be on-time for Tier 1 customers (the bulk of their business) but could be 3-7 days late for Tier II customers and 7-10 days (or more) late for Tier III customers. Doesn't this conflict with their policy statement that they will "deliver them on-time for (their) customers"?
How can the registrar let them get away with this?
Would'nt this warrant a NC?

"trying to do so better" may meet the continuously improve portion but it does not address the commitment to adhere to the quality management system.

That work instruction certainly does not match the quality policy and is subject to a nonconformance.

 

[JoeQNovice]

Would I be correct to assume that this Quality Policy is also nonconforming?

"We are committed to satisfy our customers by delivering compliant product on time; continually improving our performance."

I saw this at a supplier we auditd recently. This company was recently re-assessed by DNV and claimed to have passed with one NC!

Joe

 

[Stijloor]

Would I be correct to assume that this Quality Policy is also nonconforming?

"We are committed to satisfy our customers by delivering compliant product on time; continually improving our performance."

I saw this at a supplier we audited recently. This company was recently re-assessed by DNV and claimed to have passed with one NC!

Joe

Joe,

What is it in this policy that you are concerned about?

If the supplier can demonstrate this with valid data, would you be OK with it?

Personally, I do not get hung up on phraseology, I care more about what the supplier is able to deliver.

And, did they?

Stijloor.

 

[JoeQNovice]

I somehow fail to see how this addresses the requirement to continually improve the effectiveness of the quality management system. It merely states that they will improve performance of OTD. This is closer to a Quality Objective than a Policy... As to whether or not they have attained their goals, well OTD is just about as poor this year as it was last year. They have met few of their objectives, OTS being one of them. I am more concerned with this as a Quality Policy. Is it nonconforming or not by most estimations - I am anxious to hear opinions.
Perhaps I am being too judgemental...

Joe

 

[BradM]

Joe, I am not a road-warrior auditor like many here, so feel free to discount whatever I mention accordingly.

The Quality Policy is supposed to be the Thesis Statement, or summary statement, if you will, of what the quality management system is supposed to be about. The Quality Policy is supposed to be reviewed/authored by upper management in the organization. A work instruction may not make it above mid-management. So if the quality policy states the QMS is supposed to be about on-time delivery, and work instruction states that late deliveries are not only OK but accepted procedurally, to me that is objective evidence of non-fulfillment. Minimally, I think management would want to know that at least one element is not fulfilling the Quality Policy. Unless they had other evidence to demonstrate that they were indeed objectively measuring their delivery times and have improved on it, then there is an issue. For example, the delivery times listed in the work instruction may have been an improvement from 2 years previous.

I go to Sam's Wholesale Club for new tires, and in the shop they had a huge sign that said "Mounting done within an hour or the Service Charge is free". The sign was prominent, and in big letters. Well, 80 minutes later they were done with my vehicle, and in a casual way, I mentioned the 60 minutes or no service charge sign. Oh did the excuses start: That is an old sign, we should take it down; corporate don't understand; they make us have the sign but don't give us labor hours, etc. etc. I was nice and was not trying to get anyone in trouble, but at this point, I did ask him if we was going to honor it, which he did.

My point was that the sign was hurting everyone, and if that is not their policy, they need to take it down. If Upper Management believes in the policy, they need to devote resources and such so that the branches can meet it. As it is, it's a joke and irritates the workers and their customers.

I think it would be worthwhile to at least notify management of this observed discrepancy.