J
Re: Customers don't always follow their own system!
I feel for you - you have learned (by very unfortunate example) that poor auditing can cause enormous amounts of angst and eat up huge amounts of time.
I've had clients get into similar problems - one (large multinational) customer came along to a client's (also large multinational) premises to do a 'supplier audit'. They produced a lengthy & virtually incomprehensible report with incomprehensible and findings without evidence, stated in terms which were unintelligible, etc... and then demanded action on them.
I did think in that case that the audited organisation contributed to their own problems, because they didn't have a systematic process, they didn't manage it well, they did have a few internal weaknesses, and they didn't get from the customer any kind of audit scope or plan in the first place... they just allowed their customer personnel to come in and do whatever they did. (Not well in my opinion). It certainly drives one back again to look at the the various Standards and appreciate, yet again, why certain things are included.
As Wes very wisely says:
And both Jim & Wes have provided some fine advice on how to manage the situation.
Ultimately, as has been said, your management may have to swallow hard and wear it, depending on how much you want the business. But I would look at finding a better way of managing things in future, or at least aiming to prevent some of the worst of the problems.
It can be most helpful in your discussions/meetings to keep referencing back to the facts and the evidence (ie, stay objective) and quote an International Standard - eg, the Auditing one - whenever & wherever possible, as this keeps the focus on that rather than 'personalising' things.
eg, 'well, we assume the auditing process should be based on the requirements in this International Standard - I imagine you would agree that this is an excellent way to go? And it stipulates that ...'
PS: I don't favour the 'tell your customer your organisation is thinking about their proposals for improvement very carefully because they (the proposal) are so "wise"' approach. I never favour untruths.
I feel for you - you have learned (by very unfortunate example) that poor auditing can cause enormous amounts of angst and eat up huge amounts of time.
I've had clients get into similar problems - one (large multinational) customer came along to a client's (also large multinational) premises to do a 'supplier audit'. They produced a lengthy & virtually incomprehensible report with incomprehensible and findings without evidence, stated in terms which were unintelligible, etc... and then demanded action on them.
I did think in that case that the audited organisation contributed to their own problems, because they didn't have a systematic process, they didn't manage it well, they did have a few internal weaknesses, and they didn't get from the customer any kind of audit scope or plan in the first place... they just allowed their customer personnel to come in and do whatever they did. (Not well in my opinion). It certainly drives one back again to look at the the various Standards and appreciate, yet again, why certain things are included.
As Wes very wisely says:
systematic processes take the events out of the "special, emotion-charged, fire-fighting" category into "business as usual" where the real work gets performed.
Ultimately, as has been said, your management may have to swallow hard and wear it, depending on how much you want the business. But I would look at finding a better way of managing things in future, or at least aiming to prevent some of the worst of the problems.
It can be most helpful in your discussions/meetings to keep referencing back to the facts and the evidence (ie, stay objective) and quote an International Standard - eg, the Auditing one - whenever & wherever possible, as this keeps the focus on that rather than 'personalising' things.
eg, 'well, we assume the auditing process should be based on the requirements in this International Standard - I imagine you would agree that this is an excellent way to go? And it stipulates that ...'
PS: I don't favour the 'tell your customer your organisation is thinking about their proposals for improvement very carefully because they (the proposal) are so "wise"' approach. I never favour untruths.
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