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What Is a Quality Management System? Defining Industry Standards

Quality management systems (QMS) help industries set standards for improved quality and excellence. Explore the various types and functions of QMS here.

Duration: 12 minutes

Exploring Quality Management Systems: Definitions and Industry Insights

In today’s fast-paced business environment companies need to work harder than ever to differentiate themselves from the competition.

The most effective way to make your company stand out is to hone in on one keyword –– quality.

From customer satisfaction to your bottom line, quality is the answer. It’s no wonder so many businesses, from small to midsize to Fortune 500, employ a quality management system.

If you’re curious about how you can take your company to the next level, follow along as we explore quality management systems, why they’re important, and how your business can benefit from implementing one.

Table of Contents

What Is a Quality Management System (QMS)?

A quality management system (QMS) is an organizational system that helps businesses document and implement processes, policies, procedures, and objectives. 

This system allows organizations to improve the customer experience by consistently meeting customer expectations and enhancing satisfaction.

Different types of QMS exist to meet the unique needs of various industries and to address business challenges including sustainability, transparency, health and safety, and more.

The Importance of Quality Management Systems

In addition to helping companies meet the requirements of customers, QMS provides the framework to identify and fill gaps in quality and reliability for continued advancement.

A QMS builds a structured system to aid organizations in continuously delivering high-quality products and services that meet internal and external regulatory requirements.

Quality management systems are developed to improve communication, collaboration, and consistency across your organization while reducing waste and fostering improvement.

However, even the best QMS can be augmented with UpKeep’s innovative maintenance software solutions. 

The computerized maintenance management software system (CMMS) from UpKeep is designed to streamline your maintenance and facility management processes.

As a stand-alone, or partnered with a QMS, Upkeep’s revolutionary CMMS integrates seamlessly to collaborate in cost savings, improved asset longevity, quality management, and overall operational excellence for organizations seeking to optimize their maintenance practices.

 

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Core Elements of a Quality Management System

Nine core elements guide the standards of a quality management system.

Each element helps achieve the overall goals of meeting customer and organizational requirements.

A QMS should address an organization’s unique needs and although those needs can vary depending on the organization type, these nine core elements are common across all quality management systems:

  1. Quality policy and objectives: A quality policy is a high-level statement from management that provides direction for the QMS. Quality objectives are specific, measurable goals that support the quality policy.
  2. Quality manual: The quality manual is a document that provides an overview of the quality management system. It includes the quality policy, quality objectives, and other information about the QMS. 
  3. Organizational structure and responsibilities: The organizational structure acts as a framework for the quality management system, defining the roles and responsibilities of individuals within the organization. 
  4. Data management: Data management is the process of collecting, storing, and analyzing data. This data is typically used to support efforts to improve quality. 
  5. Processes: Processes — including purchasing, are the activities performed to achieve quality objectives. Purchasing processes include procuring materials, supplies, and services. 
  6. Product quality leading customer satisfaction: Product quality is the degree to which a product meets objectives. These quality objectives lead to a degree in which customers are satisfied with the quality of a product.
  7. Continuous improvement: Continuous improvement is achieved by making small, incremental changes. Continuous improvement often includes a process for addressing quality issues and preventing quality problems from occurring in the future. This process is commonly called corrective and preventive action (CAPA).
  8. Quality instruments: Quality instruments are the tools used to measure quality, including calibration and testing equipment, which must be maintained to a high degree of quality to ensure accuracy. 
  9. Document control: Document control is the process of creating, reviewing, and approving documents. Documents must be controlled to ensure accuracy and currency. 

Utilize the capabilities of UpKeep’s indispensable CMMS tool to augment each core element of your QMS with digitized and centralized operations to ensure streamlined implementation of quality management processes. 

Quality instruments, like our SensrTrx monitor the conditions of machines and equipment and trigger reactive or preventive maintenance work orders to reduce downtime, improve processes, and increase product quality leading to customer satisfaction.

Book a demo today to find out how we can improve your QMS experience.

 

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What Is an Example of a QMS?

Every business has a unique set of products, goals, values, and beliefs and a QMS should reflect those differences.

Six Sigma is an example of a QMS used by multimillion-dollar companies like Motorola and General Electric.

Focused on improvement and consistency by applying specifically outlined processes, Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach aiming for quality perfection.

Common Types of QMS

The most common types of QMS are developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The following quality management systems serve as an internationally accepted quality assurance system by businesses and organizations across the globe.

ISO 9000 

The standard and most common QMS series, ISO 9000, encompasses a series of QMS developed to help manufacturers effectively document the quality system elements that need to be implemented to maintain an efficient quality system. 

The series includes:

  • ISO 9001:2015: Quality Management Systems — Requirements
  • ISO 9000:2015: Quality Management Systems — Fundamentals and Vocabulary (definitions)
  • ISO 9004:2009: Quality Management Systems — Managing for the Sustained Success of an Organization (continuous improvement)
  • ISO 19011:2011: Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems

Many industries can benefit from ISO certification including construction, manufacturing, and engineering.

ISO 19011

The ISO 19011 provides guidelines for any organization looking to implement an audit program or manage external audits.

This standard establishes a common framework for audits, ensuring they are conducted consistently and effectively.

In addition, using ISO 19011 can help organizations:

  • Structure audits to improve management systems and processes 
  • Implement auditing best practices
  • Foster consistent auditor training and evaluation; and
  • Demonstrate auditing credibility and capability 

ISO 220000

The ISO 22000 QMS food safety management standards help organizations identify and control food safety hazards.

Often paired with other ISO management standards, like ISO 9001, it helps sow confidence in food producers within the global food supply chain that their products can cross borders and land on dinner tables successfully and safely.

IATF 16949

The exception to the most commonly used ISO quality management systems is the IATF 16949.

Published by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) in 2016 to supersede the ISO 16949, the IATF 16949 is a technical specification for automotive sector quality management systems defining the requirements of a QMS for organizations in the automotive industry.

It is now the most widely used international standard in the automotive industry, combining the different assessment and certification systems in the global automotive supply chain.

7 Benefits of Implementing a Quality Management System

#1: Improved Customer Satisfaction

A key benefit to utilizing a QMS is that it establishes quality as an organizational priority.

When quality takes precedence throughout all levels of an organization, the focus turns to improving the customer experience. 

A case study on organizational implementation of quality management systems, like the ISO 9000, reported a significant correlation with customer satisfaction. 

The study further uncovered six factors through which a QMS can help organizations build trust and loyalty with customers and increase profit margins:

  1. Tangibles, including technical equipment and materials used, packing quality, the physical appearance of the product, and product fitness for use
  2. Reliability of the product, materials, and packing
  3. Responsiveness of the company to follow through on promises, solve issues, and deliver timely defect-free products with correct documentation and contingency plans
  4. Assurance with quick and responsive customer service to resolve queries 
  5. Empathy from a fair, trustworthy, competent workforce that exercises confidentiality
  6. Price and sales terms that are attractive and appropriate for the product or services

#2: Enhanced Efficiency

A QMS helps companies identify, document, and implement processes to ensure products and services meet or exceed customer needs. 

Through a quality management system, companies can recognize and eliminate inefficiencies, reduce waste, and streamline operations. 

Quality management systems also provide a structured approach to risk management, to help companies spot potential operational risks and minimize impact. 

A recent collection of surveys found that implementation of quality practices with a QMS can positively affect an organization’s performance through improved communication and collaboration among employees and a shared understanding of company processes, policies, and procedures. 

To maximize efficiency, pair your QMS with UpKeep’s CMMS solution to build a powerful duo that seamlessly streamlines maintenance processes, increases reliability, and reduces downtime.

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#3: Optimized Employee Engagement

In addition to improving employee communication and collaboration, a QMS can increase employee engagement.

With a collective understanding of quality management processes, a QMS can help companies eliminate employee confusion and reduce errors, improving the overall quality of the product or services.

A study reported that quality improvement programs within a QMS can increase engagement by improving employee perception and satisfaction. 

#4: Compliance With Regulations

A QMS establishes a framework to identify and document any applicable regulatory requirements. 

Additionally, a QMS can help institute and maintain effective quality control and assurance procedures. 

By implementing procedures that include documenting and regularly reviewing compliance requirements, a company can ensure that its products or services consistently meet the required standards and comply with relevant regulations.

#5: Increased Risk Management

According to the Harvard Business Review, employees of a top-quintile quality company resolved 46 percent fewer mistakes than bottom-quintile companies, resulting in an approximate savings of $350 million a year in potential additional costs due to error.

That means that a company with a cultivated culture of quality spends a yearly average of $350 million less fixing mistakes than a company with poorly developed quality standards.

In addition to an increase in operating costs, companies that fall out of compliance face the potential consequences and fines by regulatory authorities.

#6: Better Decision-Making

A QMS helps provide real-time data by establishing a mechanism for measuring customer feedback. 

Companies can utilize feedback to identify areas of improvement.

When used to drive decision-making about changes to processes, products, and services, customers feel heard and valued, increasing customer loyalty, sales, and revenue.

#7: Continuous Growth and Improvement

An additional benefit to utilizing a quality management system is that it helps companies fill in the gaps by providing a structured approach to continuous improvement as it creates universal standards for safety, service, and quality control.

Defining processes, procedures, and performance metrics enables organizations to track progress and identify areas for improvement. 

Thus, a QMS allows organizations to identify bottlenecks, eliminate waste, maximize productivity, and reduce process variability while implementing corrective and preventive actions to respond to issues and prevent problems from recurring. 

How UpKeep’s CMMS Capabilities Can Help Optimize Your Quality Management System

At UpKeep, we help organizations get the most out of their QMS with our CMMS solution.

UpKeep’s asset data and operations management platform informs data-driven decisions to optimize maintenance operations and identify recurring issues to improve quality and maintain compliance in one easy-to-use command center.

Our maintenance management software improves data management by efficiently storing and organizing data to decrease downtime and delays in production, leading to increased customer satisfaction.

Schedule, create, assign, and monitor work orders and track inventory to help CAPA processes.

Enhance the power of your QMS with UpKeep’s robust CMMS solution to harness the full potential of your company.

Request a demo today.

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