What are the Different Kinds of Quality Control Procedures?

Quality control procedures generally aim to ensure that products or services meet the standards to which companies commit themselves. A company may, for example, implement a date-driven inventory system. Material sampling is a procedure that allows goods to be tested during some phase of their existence. Equipment inspections are used to help prevent machinery and other tools from being the cause of substandard quality. Employee monitoring is a tactic that is commonly used by service-based industries.

The business type is one of the factors that must be considered when determining which quality control procedures should be used or those that are likely to be most effective. For example, in businesses where perishable goods are used, it is usually imperative to implement procedures that prevent goods from spoiling and that detects them if they have already spoiled. This is often achieved with systems that use dates to determine how goods are stocked, when more materials are ordered, and when materials are discarded.

Material sampling is one of the quality control procedures often implemented by manufacturers. This normally involves randomly testing a portion of produced goods. Depending upon the type of products that are being analyzed, it can be important to ensure that sufficiently and consistently sized samples are used.

Consider, for example, that a chemical mixture is being produced. If the sample is not of sufficient quantity, the test results may not be accurate. If sample sizes vary, the results may not be dependable for making comparisons. There are a number of ways by which material sampling may be conducted. These include aggregate sampling and mixture sampling, which may also be done in several ways.

Although some people may initially fail to make the association, equipment inspections are important quality control procedures for many businesses. It is important to realize that the quality of a product can be jeopardized at various stages of its existence. Production equipment, when failing to operate properly, can prevent products from ever meeting outlined standards. Other equipment, when in disrepair or in substandard condition, can be the cause of a deterioration of quality, although products originally met or exceeded standards. Considering this, inspections can include analyzing equipment, visually or electronically, that is used for production, storage, and distribution.

In service based industries, employee monitoring tactics are common quality control procedures. Monitoring may be conducted in several ways. Some employers listen to telephone conversations or review correspondence between staff and clients. Others attempt to make use of their own services so that they may assess the experience. There is often a set system implemented for handling the results. For example, if service quality is found to be substandard, staff members may be required to engage in retraining programs.