Published on
Managing documents is a crucial part of every business. It affects workflow, efficiency and your bottom line. A company lacking a proper system for handling documents is at risk of making devastating mistakes. Here are three keys to effective document management.

Single location

An effective system compiles all documents in a single location. They are well-organized and easily accessible from various devices. The search options are very important. You must be able to find the necessary documents. Having a centralized archive of all data is the best way to avoid losing vital information.

Classification

In order to remain organized, your documents must be classified into specific categories. Consider how you group and label these items. Make sure everyone with access to the data understands the classification procedure. It should be clear and concise to avoid confusion. Improperly filed documents create chaos.

Integration

This is a top priority. Businesses today use many different applications and platforms for creating documents. Your archive management system must incorporate all the various types. If your business uses certain document types which are not compatible, you must either switch platforms or implement an entirely new integration system. Either way, it is of great significance that you have a properly functioning system for integrating all document types

Managing documents within a business is too important to overlook. It is a primary consideration in order for a company to perform at optimal levels. If your current system is not working, rework it immediately. It may seem like an overwhelming task but it is a necessity. Once everything is in place and all employees are on the same page, you have a seamless system in which to work efficiently and effectively.

For more information on how Accupoint can help to streamline your document management system, please visit our website or contact us to schedule a demonstration.

Published on
A comprehensive QMS should include components for monitoring and measuring customer feedback. It should contain effective procedures for the receipt, logging, evaluation, investigation & reporting of all issues raised by the customer. The results of this analysis should then be used as a driver for designing and implementing improvements to your system.

For more information on integrating customer satisfaction into your Quality management program, contact the Accupoint team toll-free at 800-563-6250 or visit us on the web at www.accupointsoftware.com

Happy and satisfied customers are the lifeblood of your business. Everybody knows that, but did you know that customer satisfaction should be built into your quality management system (QMS).

When you think about it, quality performance is first and foremost about meeting the needs and expectations of the customer.  Therefore, we need to expand our definition of quality management to include customer satisfaction as a means of improving performance over the long term.

The following chart helps to illustrate the concept:
Picture
Published on
A chain is only strong as its weakest link. When it comes to controlling your supply chain, the better you are at understanding the entire chain and identifying weak links, the better your company will be in the long run.

In today’ post, we would like to present a couple of tips to help make managing your supply chain more effective.

Tip 1:     Understand the big picture. Gather performance data on each vendor in the chain and update it constantly.  If your data only includes some vendors or incomplete performance data, the picture of your supply chain is as incomplete as a jigsaw puzzle missing half the pieces. Without concrete data, you may have an idea of potential snags but ultimately you are guessing.  As a result, you're not able to make the best decisions on how to resolve issues related to your operations.

Tip 2:     Use integrated technology to manage your supply chain.  Technology enables more efficient and effective data collection and analysis, giving you increased response time to head off potential problems.  In addition, by using integrated technology you can improve communications with relevant stakeholders resulting in minimized disruptions to production.

The efficient use of supply chain controls enables your company to reduce costs and satisfy customer requirements.   How well do you know your supply chain?  Accupoint can help your organization to get a handle on comprehensive supply chain management. To find out how, visit us on the web at www.accupointsoftware.com or call toll-free 800.563.6520.

Published on
Internal audits are a key requirement of any Quality Management System.  As you are aware, the internal audit is designed to measure the effectiveness of the system.  With that in mind, let’s take a look at two basic components that are critical to audit success.

First, understand the motivation.  Many look at internal audits as a necessary evil—a time consuming effort that drains people and resources away from daily operations. This thinking makes it difficult for the internal audit to be successful--unless your definition of success is that it's done and out of the way. We need to communicate the importance of the internal audit function to the rest of the organization. In addition, staff members should understand the benefits a successful internal audit program provides to the effectiveness of the organization.

Second, define the objective of the audit before beginning.  In other words, plan the audit and execute to that plan.  Determine specific processes that you are measuring and the acceptance criteria for determining success or failure.   We can't make suggestions for improvement, if we don’t understand the status of the current process.
When successfully executed, your internal audit is much more likely to result in streamlined operations and positive impacts to the bottom line.

Finally, keep in mind that an internal audit is a means to an end. It's like practice for a sports team. Practice isn't always the favorite part of any team’s schedule.  However when the players become committed to practice as a way to evaluate and work on gaps, the end result is improved play during the next game. The same is true with an internal audit.

To learn more about how Accupoint can help your organization maximize the internal audit process, visit us on the web at www.accupointsoftware.com or call toll-free 800.563.6250.

Published on
A Quality Management System (QMS), when properly designed and implemented, provides great benefits to companies in the oil service industry. It enable the companies to do a better job of meeting customer demands while also improving the ability to deal with health, safety, and environmental issues. If you are given the responsibility of helping to design, evaluate, or implement a quality management system, here are some items to consider.

Be sure to include all parties in the process, not just the Quality Control Manager or Supervisors. Including members of all work groups and departments insures that various perspectives are considered in the creation of training and procedural manuals. This structure also insures that all of the final documentation is easily understood by the end users.

Avoid the downfall of creating paperwork just for the sake of having some type of documentation on file when the results are not really used or implemented. Instead, consider adding control plans, flow charts, and work procedures that are continually evaluated, revised when needed and put into practice. These documents can help to simplify the operations in a variety of locations throughout the company.

Finally, when designing your preventive maintenance program, don't just go by the manufacturers recommendations. Be sure to include the input of the operators who are actually using the equipment on a regular basis. Input from "real world" application can prove to be extremely valuable.

These are just few of the issues to consider when designing and implementing a QMS. The benefits of a well-designed QMS are numerous and include easy-to-access documentation, elimination of unnecessary documents, fewer on-the-job mishaps, more customer recognition, and of course, a benefit to the bottom line.

To learn more about how Accupoint Software can provide solutions to develop and simply your quality management system, call  us toll-free at 800.563.6250 or visit us on the web at www.accupointsoftware.com.

Follow us on Twitter: @Accupoint_ and LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/accupoint-software
Published on
Not too long ago, only large companies could afford the advantage of software to improve production, efficiency, and safety. The high price tag resulted from the nature of on-site software. Not only was the price for the product high, but also clients were charged fees for service and training on the software that could dwarf the cost of the product. This structure prevented many budget-conscious firms from purchasing software that could benefit them.

Times have changed.

The increased availability of SaaS (Software as a Service) applications have made it possible for companies of all sizes to achieve the benefits that were once only attainable by larger firms. On-site software has the distinct disadvantage of requiring installation whereas SaaS requires no installation because it operates in the cloud. This eliminates the need for additional personnel expenses to manage an on-site system. SaaS applications also do not require the frequent maintenance that is common with its on-site counterparts.

The SaaS model is ideal for firms that choose to operate in a cost-effective manner. You may have thought about software for your business but quickly dismissed it because of perceived costs. If your firm could benefit from a software application, don’t assume that it won’t fit your budget.

For more information on how Accupoint's flexible, cloud-based platform can provide your organization with a cost effective alternative to manage your compliance management systems visit Accupoint or call us at (800)563-6250 to learn more about our SaaS applications.

Published on
Following the traditional headlines, there is a deeply misguided pessimism in the media when it comes to manufacturing in the United States.  Given the recent political/economic issues, it seems the days when the Big Three automotives, US Steel, and other industrial giants dominated the global landscape are long gone.

Moreover, people seem to have lost faith in the opportunities manufacturing can provide as a career. Production is seen as something dirty, unsafe, with long hours and low pay that will only worsen as employers outsource production to China and other BRIC nations.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

America remains the wealthiest, most productive country on Earth, due, in large part, to the resurgence of manufacturing and the burgeoning shale-energy industry. Moreover, the United States continues to lead the world in technology, innovation and advanced manufacturing. Furthermore, as with the rise of the middle class in emerging markets and the maturing of the global labor force, more companies are looking to “homesource” production in the United States. Organizations such as the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition are similarly dedicated to showcasing the wonderful opportunities present in the manufacturing sector, from skilled laborers to quality inspection to supervisory/management roles.

Today, on October 4th, we celebrate National Manufacturing Day, during which we celebrate our roots as the greatest industrial power the world has ever seen and aim to change the perception of manufacturing.  Accupoint is proud to take part in this educational effort. We service some of the country’s most innovative. Every day, we grow more and more impressed and excited at the prospects for manufacturing.

Please join us today in sharing in the pride of the companies that built America’s past and will continue to build its future.

To find out how Accupoint can help you build a world class organization, call us toll-free at 800.563.6250.
Published on
There’s a great discussion regarding QMS going on over at the ISO 9001 LinkedIn boards. Unfortunately, we’re still seeing the mindset that QMS software can’t or doesn’t add value to companies, much less create a competitive advantage or generate profit. Our friend Dave Gentile even goes so far as to suggest that Word documents are sufficient for navigating today’s complex quality control operations. At Accupoint, however, we believe QMS is more than compliance or preparing for quality audits. QMS is about creating better prepared, more agile organizations.

It’s an old cliché that “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Yet, like all clichés, hidden just beyond its inanity is its truth: the first step to making decisions that positively impact your organization is possessing high-quality information. Furthermore, to set yourself apart from your competitors, it’s imperative that you find new and innovative ways of collecting that information, provide enterprise-level access to that information, and then use that information correctly. An effective QMS, particularly Accupoint’s solutions, can help you do just that.

All across the manufacturing and oil & gas sectors, Accupoint’s family of knowledge management solutions have given our clients the power to transform information into knowledge that gets results. Our intuitive user-interface integrates quality, health and safety, and environmental management modules into one seamless application. This results in less training, less hassle, and more accurate reporting. Furthermore, our solutions are cloud-based and designed specifically for point-of-operation use. This means everyone from your production managers to control/compliance officers to your c-level executives can access our application on any mobile device. By making it easy to report quality issues and access real-time data, our application helps organizations emphasize prevention, rather than crisis management.

QMS isn’t just about compliance. QMS is about creating progressive, flexible, adaptable organizations that are always seeking improvement. The fact that you’ve found us is the first step. Let us help you make the next one.

For more information on how Accupoint can help streamline your Quality Management Software needs, call us toll-free at 800.563.6250


Categories