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10月22日 5 Keys to Quality when Working with Chinese SuppliersClick here to see the original post. ---------------------- Working with factories here in ChinaWhen it comes to working with Chinese suppliers the issue of quality is one that consistently frustrates overseas buyers and often leaves their manufacturing partners feeling confused. There are many reasons for this, but in my experience the conflicts and questions that arise over quality are almost always a result of poor communication on both sides. A conflict-averse nature often leads Chinese suppliers to avoid disclosing potential issues during the product development and quoting stages of sourcing. A fear of creating “more problems” and delaying time sensitive production can cause buyers to keep their mouth shut when they really need to be speaking up about their expectations. Anyone with a few years of sourcing experience knows that this artificial silence between parties is a recipe for disaster. Over the past 7 years while working in the quality control industry I have developed these “5 Keys to Quality” to keep in mind when working with factories here in China: 1. Detailed Documents The number one key to quality when working with factories in China is documentation. Having bi-lingual, detailed, factory agreed upon checklists in place that document an item’s specifications and the criteria for inspecting the product before shipment, is essential to controlling product quality. One can not say for sure, but I would be willing to bet that the factories responsible for products recently recalled for lead paint did not have bi-lingual documentation on hand from their customer stating the type of paints that could and could not be used. Sure, this type of documentation takes time and hard work to create, but putting such processes in place is the first and most important step in avoiding quality issues. QC Checklists should describe in detail: a) Item Packaging b) Item Defect Classification (what is considered an defect and at what severity) c) Item Size and Other Specifications d) Item Functionality and How it is Checked 2. Factory Presence Having a presence at the factory ensures that both factory staff and management really know who you are. Either through a 3rd party QC company or your own staff, ensure that you are being represented at the factory in person on a regular basis, and that the factory clearly connects your presence there with your production. Success in China is all about relationship (Guanxi), and dealing with quality is no different. Work towards a state where the factory has a personal commitment to you and your products. 3. Inspection Perform regular product inspections (either with your staff or a via 3rd party), not only on the final product shipment, but also during production (otherwise knows as DUPRO). Ensure these inspections are consistent and based on clear inspection criteria. Always review the inspection results with factory management and their own QC team. 4. Keep Approved Samples Some say that a picture is worth a thousand words. I say that a sample is worth a thousand headaches! Items often get revised and modified several times in the sourcing process, and then again after production begins. Keeping an approved sample in your office, and also one in the factory that can be used to verify the production product by the QC team, is essential in seeing eye to eye with your Chinese suppliers. 5. Take Responsibility Nothing will alienate your Chinese suppliers more than a mistake on your side for which you take no responsibility, and blame their misunderstanding. I’ve seen hard-headed buyers make this mistake more than once, to the demise of their hard earned factory relationships. So, make sure you have all the facts before you start to blame. Recognize when it’s possible that a mistake or production issue may have been caused by your own fault, or your own team’s mis-communication. Take responsibility when this happens, even if it means a financial loss. If you are working with the factory on a long term basis, the credibility you will gain will outweigh what you have given up. The message here is don’t take anything for granted. You and your suppliers most likely come from two vastly different cultures, have different values, and see quality differently. By making sure quality standards and procedures are in place and clear to all parties you will definitely avoid costly production issues. 引用通告此日志的引用通告 URL 是： http://leonyu0532.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2FC5593324B93D85!1280.trak 引用此项的网络日志
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