Total Quality Management (TQM) is a systematic approach, orientation, and management system aimed at improving quality by aligning product and service specifications with customer satisfaction and understanding their requirements. The objective of TQM is to produce defect-free goods and services through comprehensive strategies that establish a cycle of continuous improvement, enhancing productivity, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
How TQM Works
To succeed, TQM programs require managers to:
Evaluate Customer Requirements
Understand both current and future customer needs, and design products and services that not only meet but exceed those needs in a cost-effective manner.
Distribute Quality Responsibility
Identify the main issues in the process and work toward nearly zero defects.
Train employees to use new processes.
Establish effective quality metrics for products and services.
Create incentives tied to quality goals.
Promote a “zero defects” philosophy across all operations.
Encourage leadership by example.
Develop feedback mechanisms to ensure continuous improvement.
Benefits of TQM for Companies
TQM helps companies improve profitability by addressing internal quality challenges. It can:
Increase Productivity: Encourages teamwork, creating added value and meeting consumer needs.
Reduce Scrap and Rework Costs
Enhance Product Reliability: Operates under a high-performance system ensuring continuous product improvement.
Shorten Market Cycle Time
Minimize Customer Service Issues
Boost Competitive Advantage: Enhances efficiency, flexibility, and competitiveness across all operational systems.
To become a skilled and competent professional, consider enrolling in the British Academy for Training and Development, which offers programs in quality control and institutional excellence. Courses include:
Team Development
Principles of Strategic Management
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Results-Based Implementation
Quality Assurance Management
Organizational Effectiveness
Total Quality Management
… and more.