Is a Sales Growth Objective a 'Quality' Objective ?

[Randy]

Quality makes sales grow, not vice versa. Just ask the Japanese car industry that's proof enough.

Sales driving quality was the US auto industry way of thinking...which US car maker's are not considered junk stock at this time?

Sidney is more correct

 

[chergh - 2008]

I completely agree Randy.

I do believe that "sales growth" is a valid quality objective, especially if you have a good quality product but sales are poor. The sales process can be in need of improvement as much as any other process and if this is the case "sales growth" would seem a valid way of determining if improvement is happening.

I wouldn't personally choose sales growth as a quality objective for my current company, some of Sidneys suggestions would be a much better choice rather than sales growth, I just believed it was a valid one which was the original question. I was just curious why Sidney didn't consider it to be a valid objective and was wondering if I was missing something.

 

[Craig H.]

It may just be semantics, but I respectfully disagree. Sales growth, to me, is the result of successfully attaining quality objectives, among other things (design, pricing, terms and conditions, etc.). To say that sales growth is a quality objective is, in a way, backwards. Just MHO

 

[Patricia Ravanello]

"Quality Schmality...."

Hi All


Is a company objective to achieve a sales growth of a product a 'quality objective' as defined by ISO9000 ?

Just one more "opinion"...

The use of the word "Quality" as an adjective for the Management System (as seen in the ISO 9000 Standard 4.0 QUALITY Management, 4.2.2 QUALITY Manual, 5.3 QUALITY Policy, etc.) is very misleading. So much so, that, most companies have relegated the responsibility for this "Management System" to the "Quality Manager", which is no more a propos than having the Human Resources Manager responsible for Environmental Systems.

No matter how you cut it, what you are creating is an integrated Business or Management Operating System which encompasses all Key Processes of the organization, not quality alone.

Nonetheless, the Standard requires that:
1) You identify "4.1.a...the processes needed for the QUALITY (ignore this word) management system and its application throughout the organization"...
2) You ensure that you have stated objectives (which must be measurable/quantifiable) for all key processes (the metrics are how you ensure that your "Process" is effective and efficient).

It stands to reason, that if Sales is defined as a key process, you'll want to ensure that it meets stated objectives.

Some people might refer to all their objectives as "Quality Objectives", when they're really talking about overall "System" performance objectives. Company goals, aspirations and beliefs are identified in the Policy Statement. The Policy Statement is deployed through the Business Plan. The Business Plan defines the objectives or performance expectations. The objectives are assigned to respective "Key Process" owners, who identify the measurements or metrics which will be created to monitor the performance of each process. That is how the company ensures that the Policy Statement is deployed.
So...I suggest you just drop the word Quality, except for when it applies specifically to Product Quality or the Quality Department.

Your sales growth objective then, is an Management System / Business Plan objective. I think it’s very important that the language is clarified and standardized for the benefit of everyone in the organization.

...Just another perspective to consider...a rose by any other name...
Patricia

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Just one more "opinion"...

The use of the word "Quality" as an adjective for the Management System (as seen in the ISO 9000 Standard 4.0 QUALITY Management, 4.2.2 QUALITY Manual, 5.3 QUALITY Policy, etc.) is very misleading. So much so, that, most companies have relegated the responsibility for this "Management System" to the "Quality Manager", which is no more a propos than having the Human Resources Manager responsible for Environmental Systems.

No matter how you cut it, what you are creating is an integrated Business or Management Operating System which encompasses all Key Processes of the organization, not quality alone.

Nonetheless, the Standard requires that:
1) You identify "4.1.a...the processes needed for the QUALITY (ignore this word) management system and its application throughout the organization"...
2) You ensure that you have stated objectives (which must be measurable/quantifiable) for all key processes (the metrics are how you ensure that your "Process" is effective and efficient).

It stands to reason, that if Sales is defined as a key process, you'll want to ensure that it meets stated objectives.

Some people might refer to all their objectives as "Quality Objectives", when they're really talking about overall "System" performance objectives. Company goals, aspirations and beliefs are identified in the Policy Statement. The Policy Statement is deployed through the Business Plan. The Business Plan defines the objectives or performance expectations. The objectives are assigned to respective "Key Process" owners, who identify the measurements or metrics which will be created to monitor the performance of each process. That is how the company ensures that the Policy Statement is deployed.
So...I suggest you just drop the word Quality, except for when it applies specifically to Product Quality or the Quality Department.

Your sales growth objective then, is an Management System / Business Plan objective. I think it’s very important that the language is clarified and standardized for the benefit of everyone in the organization.

...Just another perspective to consider...a rose by any other name...
Patricia

I was going to reply to this thread, but frankly, Patricia, your explanation was so perfect, I simply say I concur completely with Patricia's reply. Sales is a process, and the company must define criteria (cl 4.1.c) as to how they will know if that process is effective. And while a company may define meeting customer needs promptly as a worthy criteria, I am sure every company regards good sales as a fundamental criteria for Sales.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Quality makes sales grow, not vice versa. Just ask the Japanese car industry that's proof enough.

Sales driving quality was the US auto industry way of thinking...which US car maker's are not considered junk stock at this time?

Sidney is more correct

However, the Sales process has little impact on the uality of a product. And 4.1.c requires they define the criteria whereby the will know the Sales process is effective. It should be something within the boundaries of the Sales process activities, should it not?

 

[Randy]

Sales doesn't drive quality, sales are derived from quality.

If it ain't no good, not too many folks will buy it.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Sales doesn't drive quality, sales are derived from quality.

If it ain't no good, not too many folks will buy it.

Of course. I don't think anyone would disagree with the fact that quality is critical to the company.

I certainly would expect to see quality product defined as a key criteria for the manufacturing process. But If I am auditing Sales, I have to determine if that Sales process is effective. So, I'll ask what they defined as "effectiveness" (4.1.c) for that Sales process. If they say Quality product, won't I have to ask what do the sales guys do to make the product have quality?

 

[Peter Fraser]

However, the Sales process has little impact on the uality of a product. And 4.1.c requires they define the criteria whereby the will know the Sales process is effective. It should be something within the boundaries of the Sales process activities, should it not?

No - in many situations the Sales process can be a major influence on how the product is produced and on its quality. If you take on more than you can cope with, corners may be cut, less reliable suppliers and raw materials may be used, delivery times may be affected etc. So increasing sales needs to be supported by increased efficiency and capacity. I think that it is called systems thinking!

 

[M Greenaway]

Randy

You say that sales growth would be determental to quality, or at least does not support quality improvement, however in many cases significant quality improvement initiatives require some financial investment from the company - hence an increase in sales could result in the release of funds for improvement projects or capital investment in new machine tools (for example) could it not ?

Again I accept that this could not be the only objective, and balance is needed for this objective and in fact any single objective such that they are not achieved at the expense of all other important activities.