posted 04 July 2000 01:58 PM               

From: [email protected]

> I asked my registrar which ISO 9002 element they felt was most
> applicable to managed inventory programs and they stated 4.3.
> I wasn't convinced, so I went to my trusty copy of ISO 8402 to find the
> definition of "Service".
> I am not too proud to confess ... that I am now completely confused.

You are certainly not the first to become confused over "Service" and "Servicing" in the Standard. Your example is compounded because your "product" actually consists of a continuous-loop of activities, and because of that, the notion of a single point of sale (or time of sale) is impractical.

You need to see your processes more globally, more in their totality.

In general terms, "servicing" in the Standard refers to the "tail end" of a typical linear manufacturing activity that is contractually agreed to prior to sale. The "servicing" words in the Standard work good with TV's and helicopters and such; gets pretty slim when your actual product IS "services" and gets even more confusing when you think that your product which is a service, should somehow be "serviced" after the time of sale. (Worst case: dog breeder ;o)

Based on the two scenarios you described, you should (1) consider your "product" as your role in the retailer's (customer's) supply chain and apply 4.9 Process Control to that overall role; and (2) always think of the "Servicing" clause of the Standard as those activities that:

(2a) are not normally carried out as a usual part of your typical post-sales activities (but in fact are specified in "this" or "that" individual contract, purchase order, and the like...) and

(2b) are those activities that are "extra" or "beyond" any agreed to warranty.

Paragraph 2a above, is valid because activities that ARE a normal part of your typical post-sales activities (such as returning on a regular basis to monitor inventory levels) would be a part of your normal product's process, subject to 4.9 Process Control (and NOT "Servicing").

I threw Paragraph 2b above into this because warranty provisions (especially "boilerplate" warranty text) are very easy to overlook, and even easier to confuse with "Servicing" in the context the Standard intends. To tell the difference, think of this: a warranty is something that is triggered by the buyer, receiver, customer, etc. (such as when customer returns the TV or helicopter for repair...) and "Servicing" is something that your firm does proactively and because it is agreed to contractually -- the Standard simply requires you to "do what you say" in this regard.

(clear as mud?)