How Japan kicked US ass in QC

[MrNaturalAZ]

IMO this is great news. I'm a big fan of 'root cause failure analysis'. I believe it's a critical part of Quality Assurance (as opposed to QC or inspection). [...] I've worked for enlightened places that replaced failed goods with new but did the root cause analysis anyway (then scrapped the units in one case, sold as 'refurb' or 'demo' in others). That knowledge was deemed to be 'well worth the expense', with up to 10% of COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) reserved for that purpose. Something like doing autopsies on dead livestock?

I once worked in the factory service center of a major Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer.

Back then most things were still repaired (tho replacement was just beginning to happen for some of the most inexpensive items like some portable tape players and clock radios) and returned to the customer. The defective parts were returned to Japan to be analyzed. We'd occasionally get bundles of reports back from Japan (on super-thin paper, presumably to reduce postage) detailing the analysis. They went as far as x-raying failed AC power cords to find the exact location and nature of the break, and x-raying integrated circuites to determine exactly how and in what part of the (on-chip) circuitry had failed. The detail and depth of the reports were truly fascinating! It was really amazing the extent they went to with failure analysis and post-production quality control.

[edited to remove now-off-topic parts and move them back to Ascent thread]

 

[OF]

They went as far as x-raying failed AC power cords to find the exact location and nature of the break, and x-raying integrated circuites to determine exactly how and in what part of the (on-chip) circuitry had failed. The detail and depth of the reports were truly fascinating! It was really amazing the extent they went to with failure analysis and post-production quality control.

Yep, and that exact philosophy WRT failures got us to buy Toyotas instead of Fords and Chevies...... Fun part is it was a Yank that taught them the value of it, we didn't listen, they did.

A lot of years ago I made a service call on an electron microscope at a Toyota research center in Japan, something like 1400 people. The parking lot was an ocean of all white cars in perfect condition (they don't like dents, dump damaged cars). We went up the hill to the top to the reserved parking. I noted all the signs on the spaces said the same thing (which I couldn't read of course.....). When I asked, my host explained 'For our honored guests'. Not big shots. I told him 'back home' this would be the president, this CEO, CFO and so on. He asked why, I explained 'because they're so important?'. He said 'if they are that important, they'll be the first here, they can park anywhere'.

I was still pondering the logic there when we entered a huge marble lobby. While waiting to be processed I looked back, taking it all in, and there above the door was old man Toyota and Deming looking at each other like some communist portraits. Deming, a Yank, right next to the old man. The guy who taught them SPC and through it how to kick our butts in our own game.

OF

 

[MrNaturalAZ]

The Japanese have a different idea of customer service (at retail) than we do. Or at least they did. A customer once told me a story about buying a camcorder in Japan. They had some sort of trouble with it, and the store they purchased it from not only replaced the defective camcorder, but they insisted the customer select an additional item to take as compensation for their trouble.

 

[Mr. Gweilo 420]

The Japanese have a different idea of customer service (at retail) than we do. Or at least they did. A customer once told me a story about buying a camcorder in Japan. They had some sort of trouble with it, and the store they purchased it from not only replaced the defective camcorder, but they insisted the customer select an additional item to take as compensation for their trouble.

The Japanese concept of customer service is very far removed from the Western concept of customer service. I can only shake my head at times.

 

[t-dub]

Having worked for Lexus for over a decade, and becoming Master Certified at the University of Toyota (a four year process of intense coursework while on the job) and maintaining that certification with customer survey scores above 98% in every category, every year, all while exceeding my sales #'s and gross profit #'s by a ton, and having the happiest customers on the planet, still gives me pride to this day. My family owned many dealerships while I was growing up: Honda, Pontiac, Volkswagen, Dodge, Subaru, Mazda, and even Acura. I have done factory training across all levels. Sales, parts, marketing, accounting, and even dealer principal. However it wasn't until I left my family's business and ventured into the land of Lexus that I learned the true art of managing customer expectations properly and absolutely committing to excellence as a habit and continuous improvement (kaizen) in all aspects without end. Its just that simple. Do the right thing whatever it takes, be humble, actively listen way more than you speak, keep learning and improving, and never, ever, give up . . .