Why is Quality Assurance Important in the Logistics Sector?

Customer satisfaction is the goal of every organization striving to survive in this growing competitive environment. For this, a business needs to focus on finding new customers, retaining existing customers, and satisfying each customer with the best products or services that they seek from the company.  

Businesses should also understand that Logistics Quality Management is a critical practice for their survival and growth. Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Quality Management are all interlinked in their benefits of process improvement, productivity increase, customer satisfaction/loyalty increase, and more. 

Quality Management Software makes it easier to keep track of processes and provide measurable improvements in an organization’s overall quality of goods or services. Unfortunately, some managers do not use Quality Assurance Software because they are unaware of its importance. Instead, they get done using traditional manual methods, which are often ineffective or inefficient. 

An ISO 9001 software can help management fulfil their mission more effectively by keeping them updated on each process followed under Quality Management in Logistics. Furthermore, quality management software helps manage quality control and quality assurance. Both functions are essential for any industry, especially in the Transport and Logistics sector, where Quality Control and Quality Management can be linked together and make a huge difference. 

Role of Quality Control 

Quality control provides tangible, initial evidence that quality assurance is being followed correctly, and quality control logs help quality managers in quality management. Quality control ensures that the required standards for quality are met consistently, and you can track it all back to one place, which helps managers with informed decision-making. 

Many logistics companies had seen a significant increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty when they implemented quality management software. A few examples of such companies include: 

1. FedEx Logistics – The Logistics Department of FedEx uses Quality Assurance methods to ensure the safety and accuracy of handling packages routed through their logistics network. 
2. Mercedes Benz – They use Quality Assurance techniques to prepare cars for shipment after production. Quality Assurance provides many benefits to companies like Mercedes Benz, who export vehicles to other countries for business reasons and use Quality Assurance methods to protect their global reputation. In addition, these Quality Control Techniques help them in Quality Management Systems (QMS), which they implement over their Logistics Sector. 

Many Quality Management Software providers are now available online. Managers can select what best suits their needs and pay monthly or yearly depending on customized software packages required by an organization.  

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The manual procedures require managers to ensure that quality assurance policies/procedures are implemented successfully with quality control guidelines. If they fail, it won’t be long before the company sees declining market shares and increased customer complaints due to poor quality. On the contrary, quality management software ensures that quality controls are accessible, consistent, and accurate. 

One of the main benefits of quality management in the logistics sector is the efficient monitoring of quality controls. It further helps increase process efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction. By utilizing software against manual quality control methods, you are doing your company a favor. 

The quality control & management software helps keep everyone accountable for their roles, so each department works towards achieving improvement goals required by top management. So, you will be able to increase productivity and achieve cost reduction. In addition, you will be able to eliminate redundant processes or procedures that follow duplication in work practices. This is known as 5S Quality Control.  

Quality assurance also includes inspections, as you can reduce expenses accrued towards the inspection. In addition, integrated quality management software allows conducting quality inspections efficiently because it tracks everything, even Quality Control Documents, Quality Management Systems (QMS) related data, and Quality Assurance policies/procedures required by top management. 

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By implementing the right software, you can stay ahead of your competition since you know exactly what goes through in the background of your quality control procedures. However, some managers still prefer manual methods when quality management software has proven that automated systems produce better results. The software also increases quality control over the Logistics Sector, which is a big plus for companies that have just started reaping the benefits of quality assurance or those who want to stay ahead of their competitors by keeping quality assurance standards high enough. 

Utilizing software helps assure that the data quality engineers, and auditors use is accurate, relevant, and up to date. In addition, the users can update quality standards in software required by top management daily, ensuring quality results. Quality control experts usually collect data related to operations like: 

1. Number of Shipments Accepted and Rejected 
2. Details of quality inspections conducted 
3. Quality checks on incoming raw materials/components 
4. Quality tests on finished goods 

Quality assurance policies/procedures can be documented directly into quality management software to help employees follow them as they work. The software allows quality engineers to produce quality inspection documents, Statistical Process Control (SPC) Charts, Quality Plans, Declarations of Conformity (DoC), Protocols for product testing, methods according to international standards, etc. It’s a complete package where data is collected automatically without any human intervention. You can also integrate quality management software with the existing system to leverage more control and confidence in managing your quality data, processes, and systems. 

Moreover, using automated systems like quality management software to carry out quality tasks saves your employees time since they can do more in less time, overall affecting company efficiency. This ensures that the company becomes efficient and productive because employees are given opportunities to improve their performance through Continuous Improvement activities driven by the Quality department’s continuous improvement process utilizing innovative ideas from people who have hands-on knowledge about Quality Centers, Logistics processes, and Quality Assurance.  

Quality Department’s ongoing improvement process typically improves Quality System (QMS) procedures and Quality Control Centers, constantly making Quality Inspections and Quality Assurance tasks more effective and reliable. This brings automated Quality systems close to the widely used Six Sigma Quality methodology, one of the most popular in the Quality Management segment. 

Quality Assurance procedures commonly involve: 

1. Documenting Quality Procedures 
2. Executing quality tests on incoming components 
3. Inspecting Manufacturing Processes like- Production quality planning, control, monitoring, and reporting 
4. SPC, Test Plans, etc. 

Quality Management software will help you maintain transparency because everything necessary will be kept under one roof, like managing processes, improving efficiency, and measuring performance. Once you automate all these processes, it helps you gain more accurate quality assurance reports, and quality control reports required for the smooth running of a business. In addition, new strategies for improvement can be formulated by the management and implemented with the help of a powerful Quality Management Software like Qualityze eQMS Suite. 

Related Article: Quality Assurance in Logistics - What Does It Mean

Conclusion: 

Quality Assurance makes quality control much more manageable and effective because it provides an entire system designed to track every step in the process to identify any flaws or loopholes immediately and perform quality control procedures about those steps that require special attention or treatment by management. Quality Assurance also ensures that risks related to compliance with government regulations such as health standards, environmental standards, etc.