How to collect complaint data from customers

[Silex7]

Is that what YOU asked them (the Sales people) to have the customer do? Or is it simply the "spin" the Sales people are putting on it? It is a rare case that Sales folks like to deal with the negativity of customer feedback might be stimulating this response. Of course, the customer won't want to fill out any forms. If the next thing is getting Sales folks to do it, then, no, they won't want to do that either.

As Bev says, the customer shouldn't be fault finding for you. I'd be taking a close look at the product verification and validation processes you have in place...

No, I am actually asking Sales folks [ to have the customers to do it ] . In fact, Sales team praised it, because they keep sending emails to customers to extract information from our customers then to feedback to me ( or put me in cc), which I found it time-waste, if we should focus on solving customers problems and that time ( 1st ,final reply..etc) is very important, then wasting time in information collection is even worse in solving our customers problems.
I don't really understand where is the complexity in this? , As I explained to Bev, it's like a Doctor/Patient relation, even if it was my problem.
To make my point clearer , some complaints we receive not necessary be our mistakes ( as we have classification of claims, due to customers bad handling/customer production process ), which may defect our product , so we first check first if it was a problem in our site, or is it just a customer bad handling/ outsource materials effect...etc , in this case , I will need information to recognize the problem he had, also i can not undergo any verification or validation process to my product unless I really know what production data I already have, which I can easily get from customer's lot number, color...etc.

 

[Silex7]

Did you do a Design or Process FMEA?

Yes I did PFMEA for each process in the company, but as I mentioned I can not review my model/process unless I get information to detect which stage/ time did this defect arise? followed that, I can really decide how to handle it.

 

[Bev D]

So you are a supplier to another manufacturer? My same experience and advice still holds. The doctor patient analogy just doesn’t fit. Your Customer isnt’ Paying you to fix them, they are paying you to provide good parts. You are the expert in how the parts are made.

I’ve been that Customer and that supplier. I don’t need to know exactly how many defects were encountered to figure out how I made teh defects IF I put the Customer first, know my processes, and do the hard work to investigate cause. Certainly a bit more information from teh Custeomr like exact lot number makes things a bit more easier, it doesn’t make the hard work go away. To be a good supplier you must realize that the Custeomr needs to focus on producing their product with quality at a reasonable price. Your job is to supply the good parts that make that possible. It is not their job to add resources to track, quantify and investigate your defects.

Sorry to be harsh, but after 35 years of doing this Quality thing, I have learned some hard truths. And once I accepted them I could focus on the things that actually improve product quality and employee engagement. There is no magic, there is no shortcut, the answer isnt’ in the Customer data. The answer lies within your processes.

 

[AndyN]

Yes I did PFMEA

No one else was involved?

 

[Silex7]

So you are a supplier to another manufacturer? My same experience and advice still holds. The doctor patient analogy just doesn’t fit. Your Customer isnt’ Paying you to fix them, they are paying you to provide good parts. You are the expert in how the parts are made.

I’ve been that Customer and that supplier. I don’t need to know exactly how many defects were encountered to figure out how I made teh defects IF I put the Customer first, know my processes, and do the hard work to investigate cause. Certainly a bit more information from teh Custeomr like exact lot number makes things a bit more easier, it doesn’t make the hard work go away. To be a good supplier you must realize that the Custeomr needs to focus on producing their product with quality at a reasonable price. Your job is to supply the good parts that make that possible. It is not their job to add resources to track, quantify and investigate your defects.

Sorry to be harsh, but after 35 years of doing this Quality thing, I have learned some hard truths. And once I accepted them I could focus on the things that actually improve product quality and employee engagement. There is no magic, there is no shortcut, the answer isnt’ in the Customer data. The answer lies within your processes.

I understand closely your point, and I can see that you have much more experience handling this, that's why I wanted to share thoughts and benefits from others' experiences, so I am glad to hear yours . But I am -as a supplier to a manufactures- ( I am inter stage supplier) , I have my own suppliers too who I send them claims for receiving defects in raw materials, and when I claimed them, they send back a ''follow-up request''for my claim, frankly speaking, I don't know how that will impact to other customers in a situation like that, but in my case I felt more concern from their side ..more following-up and indeed, that speed-up the solving procedures, until receiving a replacement , but again maybe this would be individual cases, and you're right it's one of the hard truths.

 

[Silex7]

No one else was involved?

production manager, but, i am the one who take the full responsibility over that.

 

[sherniece]

Hello everyone,

As a part of my job as a Quality head management, I am having really difficulties in following up with customers when receiving a claim.
The issue is that when you ask your customer about information regarding his claim, in order to collect all possible information / Data , so that you could be able to trace and detect the root cause of his problem (which is not easy at all in case your customer is not fully cooperative ( or less aware)).

Our usual case , is that Sales department (through CS) contact the customer and ask for specific information, and it keeps going on emails between the two sides, till I receive the full information from Sales department about the customer claim, which I found it totally ineffective & time-wasted.

So, I thought to use a unified excel form, that will be having all needed information that we would need to ask our customers for, in case of receiving a claim, which will also ease the workflow of our claim information collection, but when I suggested this form to our Sales department, they told me that customer WILL NOT fill this form and they will ignore it, they usually just send the photo of the defect and that's.
So, I want to know your thoughts about this issue, how do you manage it in your way? how do you collect your data? and if I was able to spread this form, how do manage the customers to stick on it?

Thanks in advance

Hello, I completely understand this problem as a Quality Manager also this is the normal process and it creates a lot of wasted time. I do prefer to create a checklist or tool to provide to the customer for complaint investigations instead of going thus tons of emails from sales and customer service and missing key and relevant information from the customer in order to do a thorough investigation.

 

[AndyN]

production manager, but, i am the one who take the full responsibility over that.

How many people involved with production of the product?

 

[Silex7]

How many people involved with production of the product?

About 70 workers , and the PFMEA is covering their working practice of the process

 

[AndyN]

About 70 workers , and the PFMEA is covering their working practice of the process

It is fundamental to the effectiveness of an FMEA that a cross-functional team be used to determine potential causes of failure. I'm not surprised, therefore that you are having issues and trying to fight a "rear guard" action, when only 2 people were involved in the deployment of this really useful preventive measure. I'd recommend you go back to basics and do the PFMEA/Control plan correctly.