Quality, your company's shield and defender

The road to quality is a long one, a journey filled with many challenges that only the "smart" companies can persevere. It takes a company a couple of decades before realizing its desired quality, that matches with the customers' expectations. For instance, it has taken 40 years of scramble, stiff competition and hard work for the Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL) to achieve its long desired quality objective-according to a report in the Daily Nation of Friday August 5, 2011. Quality calls for employee commitment, ownership of the processes and continuous improvement of the entire production processes over and over again. "As we look back and celebrate the success borne out of our team's cooperation and commitment to continuous improvement........", explained Moitalel Ole Kenta, the Board chairman of KWAL. People are the driving force of a company desiring to produce better quality products. "From its employees within, to the clients and consumers, we ensure that all our policies, strategies and products are in the people's best interest", reported one of the KWAL's administrators. Employees need to be empowered through training, working in self managed teams, and participation in decision making, which in turn will lead to a sense of belonging and a positive attitude towards work. Problem solving tools like the Deming Wheel, should be effectively utilized to continuous plan and monitor the production processes and improve them for better quality products. Quality goes hand in hand with flexibility. A company that is ready to alter its operational strategies, venture in other external activities and acquire new and advanced technology is in a better position to satisfy its customers better than those companies that stick to their policies and strategies. Let quality of your products raise each customer's eyebrows in excitement and delight.