Italiano
Lietuvių
Polski
Español
ΕλληνικάQuality in a small fashion brand
Quality management system like TQM is more widely applied in large companies than in small ones. However, it does not mean that small and micro companies do not need or do not benefit from introducing quality policies. To the contrary, quality management should be a part of your business plan from the very beginning and should be subsequently altered depending on the company’s current situation – employees, products, suppliers, production partners, marketplaces etc. It might be useful to appoint an employee to monitor implementation of the quality standards.
If you work on your own, you might be reluctant to spend extra time on studying and preparing quality policies for your company. It can be overwhelming to hear about Six Sigma, business excellence, lean manufacturing and many other names under which systematized quality management methods are described. This can be discouraging at the beginning. Yet, as shown in the previous chapters of this module, quality has no single or universal definition which you must apply to your business. To the contrary, it is helpful to think of quality management as a way of improving your company’s operations. As a business owner this is what you strive for daily, is it not?
Source: Image by gpointstudio on Freepik
Stages of implementing quality management
Swedish researchers, Marcus Assarlind and Ida Gremyr (2014) point to six critical steps/factors in adoption of quality management (QM) in a small company.
- contextualisation,
- gradual implementation with realistic goals,
- involvement and training of employees,
- involvement of external support,
- management involvement, and
- fact-based follow-up.
| Factor | Description |
| Contextualization | The QM initiative should not be something separate or apart from remaining company processes, it should linke to them. QM is helpful when it is tailored to the particular business and its characteristics, for example, by using the company’s present advantages and strengths. To be able to do that, you need to be aware of your company’s situation, needs and challenges.
Advice: ● Set goals for QM initiative based on company goals, ● Prioritize customer focus. |
| Gradual implementation using realistic goals | QM should be employed step by step with constant attention to if and how, it benefits the company. If you decide to change everything at once, implementation might be very burdensome. There is no need to rush the process. Results of quality management may need time to show themselves.
Advice: ● Start with a small pilot project with potential for success. Choose one aspect of the company, e.g. customer service. ● Think of QM as an iterative process. |
| Involvement and training of employees | Small companies usually have the advantage of a flat structure with few layers of management. Work relations are more personal. Use this to your advantage and engage your employees in the process of QM implementation from the start. Organise a discussion or brainstorming. Ask for meaningful feedback and input on what should QM in your company entail. You can also introduce recognition and rewards for accomplished QM work.
Advice: ● Establish forums to offer plentiful information and communication, ● Reward employees for their involvement in the QM initiative with non-monetary rewards. |
| Involvement of external support | You may look for extra funding and mentoring for QM from national and European programmes. Learn from other companies. Other ideas include working across similar companies in your sector. Perhaps you know company owners who are also thinking of introducing QM? Sharing the work may be a solution when you cannot spend a lot of time doing QM. Interestingly, some researchers advise against hiring consultants as their expertise moves away from the company when they move on to the next assignment.
Advice: ● Research good (and faulty) practices of small and large companies. |
| Management Involvement | Managers and owners play critical role in QM. It is important that they dispay a positive attitute to change and become visibly involved by, e.g. sharing their expertise about the company’s needs and convincing others of the benefits of introducing QM. Reluctant attitude will effectively block progress.
Advice: ● Establish a team to coordinate QM implementation, ● Make sure management is showing public support for the QM initiative. |
| Fact-based follow-up | To ensure that QM actions are in alignment with the goals, and that improvements are made, you need to monitor what is happening in the company and its surrounding – number of production errors, sales, net costs, employees’ feedback, customer complaints, suppliers’ relations. Some of these markers are easily quantified while some you will need to establish and monitor in a more descriptive manner.
Advice: ● Collect data from internal processes to be able to follow up on QM efforts (do it regularly: pre, during and post QM implementation). |
Quality management – practical ideas for small business owners
If you run a fashion company, think of preparing a document in which you would state the quality standards you want to achieve and maintain. Define the standards of design, sourcing, production, delivery, retail and customer service. Each domain requires thought and analysis so do not rush, do each step by step, starting from the one which needs most attention, to your and your team’s best knowledge. Compile a document in which you can establish quality checkpoints to which you (and your team) can refer daily in your job before you think of a task or stage as complete.
If you outsource manufacturing, prepare clear and detailed instructions and acceptance criteria which you can share with third parties – your employees, subcontractors such as a group of local tailors or a large sewing factory.
Tips:
- make a quality checklist for each domain of your business (e.g. Garment quality),
- arrange it into sections (e.g. 1. Garment requirements, 2. Packaging requirements) and subsections (e.g. 1.1. Garment weight and dimensions, 1.2. Garment materials, 1.3. Garment color etc.)
- the more detailed the sections, the better,
- you can add sketches, pictures, graphics,
- consult the checklist with the contractor so that you are on the same page and have the same understanding of what passes and what fails in each section.
A quality checklist is crucial if you want to assure the quality of your items and avoid negative product reviews and returns. Even if it may appear difficult in the beginning, it will seve you stress, time and money in the long run. Quality control system is a must for any size fashion enterprise.