How To Handle Supplier Non-Conformance
August 27, 2015, 10:06 am -
There comes a time where all manufacturers must face the issue of receiving shipments of nonconforming parts from suppliers, regardless of their efforts in quality control. So how does one handle supplier non-conformance? The following tips outline the best strategies to handle these situations.
Whether you are dealing with a new supplier or a supplier you’ve had a long-term relationship with, there can be issues on non-conformance. This can happen for a number of reasons including staying competitive, time issues, and lower costs. Issues of non-conformance can lead to increased long-term costs, prolonged production or delays, and sacrificing relationships with customers and market standards.
If your business is experiencing an issue with non-conformance, rest assured that there are a variety of strategies to exist in rectifying these situations. Some strategies include:
- Increased communication:
- Explore the root of the issue:
- Find a short-term solution:
- Prevent future issues using data:
- Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) integration:
- Understand that deviation happens:
- Follow-up:
- Sever ties:
This involves having immediate, open communication with manufacturers in order to alert them of non-conformance as soon as possible. Establish a standard means for communication such as a web-based tool to alert the manufacturer of the issue in order to correct the issue.
We already discussed some of the reasons why non-conformance happens, but it’s different for every company. Find the root of the issue in order to truly remedy the situation.
Have a system in place to decide on a short-term corrective action in which all parties (engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, decision-makers) can have access to.
Use cause-analysis, tracking, and auditing to keep track of data and prevent future issues.
Use SRM tools along with product deviation strategy to prevent future problems.
As much as manufacturers strive to prevent non-conformance, inevitably, it can happen. Ensure that your manufacturer has a process they use to deal with these issues.
Establish a timeline and set a date to follow-up with the supplier about the non-conformance issue. For example, you could audit the process after three or six months to determine compliance.
If problems continue to persist, it may be time to re-evaluate your supplier and choose appropriate action to proceed in the future.
Non-conformance is a prevalent issue that must be addressed carefully and immediately. By taking appropriate action, maintaining communication and following specific protocol, the issue of non-conformance can be rectified. Ensure that you implement the aforementioned strategies to arrive at a solution that is suitable for all parties involved.
