As an importer, it can be difficult to manage a supplier relationship in INDIA from thousands of miles away, but that doesn’t mean quality control has to take a backseat. It’s easy to control quality remotely. Here are six ways to utilize quality control in India so you can avoid defects, delays, partial shipments, and other headaches.
Find out how to effectively control quality of imports from India.
1. Understand different “quality” points of view
Everyone has a
different point of view when it comes to quality, and these differences are
amplified even more when you begin working with suppliers in other countries,
particularly India. Because of the great distance between importers and
manufacturers, most communication is limited to English written documents
submitted to the factory, which opens the door to a lot of misunderstandings.
This is partially due to the lack of language skills: Indian suppliers usually
have sales teams with a basic English knowledge while factory workers don’t
even speak English. Moreover, Indian suppliers produce goods for buyers from
all over the world, each one with varying standards and regulations for each
specific country of origin. That’s why you should avoid
asking your manufacturers to use common sense. The best
way is for them to rely solely on the importer’s requirements that are provided
at the beginning of each job, so it’s necessary to clearly explain your quality
expectations to Indian manufacturers.
2. Get ready for the right quote
Perhaps the most
important step when purchasing in India is to prepare very clear product specifications.
These include product dimensions, characteristics, functionalities,
customizations, individual packaging, labelling, shipping packaging, etc. This
should be done as early as when you request the price quote from the supplier
to make sure the number you receive is accurate. Plus, the more detailed your
request, the better the supplier can meet your manufacturing needs. He can
ensure the proper equipment, human resources, and lead time to produce your
order. Not only that, providing detailed product specifications helps increase
the quality of your goods. If the actual job ends up costing the supplier more
than the original quote, many would rather lower the quality of goods than increase
the price.
3. Verify and keep record of approval samples
Approval samples
are a vital component to control quality of your products, so make sure it’s
part of your supplier agreement that you receive and approve at least three
samples before production. That may seem like a lot, but you’ll soon understand
why. When you get the samples, pay very close attention to every single detail.
If you prefer a professional eye, some quality control companies will verify it
as well. Either way, the goal is to test the product and verify that it meets
each one of your product specifications and quality requirements. Make sure you
keep one sample on your side and send back an approved sample to your supplier
and one to your QC inspector to control quality.
The supplier uses the golden sample as a reference, and compares it with
production. If there are discrepancies, the production should be adjusted. The 3rd
party inspection company then uses it as reference to verify the
conformity of the production to your product’s requirements.
Be aware! An approval sample alone is not enough to confirm that production will go smoothly, because the two product types come from different places. A single sample is created in a sample room, while the final products are created on the manufacturing line: it is made by different hands in different conditions.
Be aware! An approval sample alone is not enough to confirm that production will go smoothly, because the two product types come from different places. A single sample is created in a sample room, while the final products are created on the manufacturing line: it is made by different hands in different conditions.
4. Control quality during the production
Every supplier
has its own manufacturing skills, but it also has limitations. Unfortunately,
these are not always conveyed to the importer; in fact, many manufacturers have
difficulty saying that they’re unable to fulfill a particular request, whether
it’s due to cultural differences, a weak quality management system, peak
season, or shady business practices. The only way to ensure that your instructions
and quality requirements are clearly understood and respected is to verify the
goods while in the manufacturing process.
To track your
goods quality during the production, you can ask your supplier to send you
production samples and pictures from the finished goods for review. But these
measures are oftentimes not enough to confirm product quality and useless to
verify the production speed. A less-than-reputable supplier could use smoke and
mirrors to create the illusion that production is conforming to your
requirements, when the reality might be very different. Collaborating with a 3rd
party inspection company gives you an on-site expert
to confirm the goods’ quality and production status on your behalf. This
service is called a During Production Inspection and helps limit consumer goods defects
while still under manufacturing process.
5. Identify quality problems before it’s too late
When the goods
are manufactured and ready to be shipped, you have one last chance to verify
their conformity before their arrival at destination. Rather than relying on
production samples and pictures of the goods packed, you have several options
to control quality of your order in-person. You may prefer to travel to India
to inspect the shipment yourself. You can also rely on a 3rd party
inspection company to save yourself time and money: this service is called pre-shipment inspection.
While fully trained and certified, the inspector can follow your own quality
control procedures so you know the shipment is exactly as you requested before
it arrives. A 3rd party quality control company
guarantees a neutral point of view and provides an additional set of eyes to
catch any errors or other red flags. Once a poor quality or incomplete shipment
arrives, you have few — if any — options to return the goods or get your money
back.
6. Take the opportunity to improve future quality
Remember that the
results of previous quality controls on goods are an opportunity for
improvements, not an automatic reason to go looking for a new supplier. In
fact, every non-conformity or quality problem has a solution if you take the
time to communicate and negotiate. The most important step is to analyse the
root cause of the problem together with the supplier and identify the
corrective actions to put in place, which is used by certified third party inspection
companies and most professional Indian manufacturers. When you have an
ongoing relationship with a supplier, quality control is the
best way to work hand on hand, to regularly improve goods quality and
conformity to requirements.
Implementing an
effective quality control plan in India doesn’t have
to be difficult, even if you live on the other side of the world. Luckily, you
have plenty of solutions available to make sure your product is manufactured to
your specifications and shipped on time. Start by preparing your order well in
advance, with clear instructions for your supplier. Then pick the right quality
control plan, from creating your own QC team to hiring a neutral third party inspection company. You will then minimize
business risks and maximize your professional success.
INHOUSE is a
reliable partner for “YOUR” Product Quality & Project Management.
We are the 1st Indian Independent Quality
Assurance Organization, a globally trusted partner, specialized in,
Professional Quality Assurance & Strategic Services.
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