One of the transcendental factors for the success of a company in the market is the quality of its products or services.
Likewise, it is generally known that in recent decades there has been a worldwide trend on the part of customers towards more demanding quality requirements.
Under this premise, it is indisputable that all the functional areas of a company must have an efficient and effective management, however one of the most important and traditionally critical areas in companies is the logistics area, which is responsible for adequate and timely supply of goods and services to the other areas of the company so that they can meet their strategic objectives.
One of the most widespread and influential management approaches in companies is that of Total Quality.
According to this perspective, suppliers are integrated into the company in the same language of efficiency and quality, so it is necessary to select them appropriately and establish relationships based on trust (in terms of quality, economic conditions, delivery times, etc..), moving from old conflict to cooperation, turning suppliers into partners in profits.
In this way, the old tensions and unilateral advantages that existed between buyers and suppliers are overcome, where the buyer-supplier relationship was fundamentally aimed at obtaining a greater advantage from the opponent, having as the main indicator the price of the product purchased or the service contracted and considering the rest of variables as of little importance. Finally, the end user was the victim, because he had to bear the deficiencies in the quality of what was purchased.
Among the general factors that must be taken into account to achieve a stable customer-supplier relationship, we can mention the following: the administrative and financial conditions, the quality characteristics and technical specifications of the products or services, the agreed delivery quantities (including conditions of container or packaging, means of transport and deadlines), prices and payment terms, needs communication procedures, mutual advice, certification and quality assurance, among others.
When we talk about a supplier under this new approach, we are talking about honest people and companies that surely had to be well documented before, in order to get to know them.
The process is not difficult, considering that the company can work with a small number of well-selected suppliers, who would process larger volume purchase orders, for longer periods that in turn offer advice and technological assistance.
Consequently, the development of suppliers is a crucial element for efficient administration of purchases.
Ensuring quality is a way of permanently guaranteeing customer satisfaction, which is based on compliance with technical design specifications or agreed specifications.
Although part of the quality of the final product corresponds to the production process carried out by the company, there is another part that corresponds to the inputs purchased from the supplier.
To evaluate its quality, there are a series of technical standards for inspection and testing, as well as quality audits, records and certifications.
