Supplier Audit Request - Made be laugh

[AliPat]

Felt I had to share this with you. Received an email from a production manager at our site saying

"do we have an example of the kind of questions we are asked during an audit? Customer X want to audit us but don't know what questions to ask"

I did literally Laugh Out Loud

 

[Norml1]

That is funny, but the Production Manager should be able to answer that question him/herself!

 

[gavinfb]

It is probably a typo in the second half of his email but the first half is asking for typical audit questions from a customer audit. It is a very normal question to ask.

 

[Michael_M]

Or it was sent to the wrong person. I can see this as an e-mail to someone internally but with autofill e-mail, getting sent to the wrong person.

 

[PaulJSmith]

Would be hard not to answer with something to the affect of:
"What is your name?"
"What is your favorite color?"
"What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

 

[SteveK]

What do you mean? An African or European swallow?

 

[Colin]

Monty Python lives!!!!

 

[Steve Prevette]

And now for something completely different:

Working in the fairly specialized world of statistics, I've had several audits/assessments by customers over the years who state - I have to audit you but I don't know how. Actually that can be an opportunity, and also a way to curry favor with the customer.

I usually show them my work log and say - pick a analysis package at random. Then make me show you exactly where I go to get the raw data, walk through the data processing, verify the charted value matches the raw data source, then walk through the SPC process. It is also an opportunity to educate the customer.

Deming did say - the supplier is the expert, not necessarily the customer.