Introduction
In the following work, some alternatives will be exposed which seek to give a solution to a problem presented in a calibration laboratory in the pressure magnitude in which a decrease in the efficiency of the calibration process was observed, this in turn generates disagreement in the customer as there are delays in the delivery of the calibrated pressure equipment.
In each of the following alternatives, advantages and disadvantages of the same can be observed in order to evaluate the degree of feasibility of each one, thus observing which is the most viable for its application. These alternatives are presented in a comparative table to facilitate their analysis.
Problem Statement
The laboratory, a calibration laboratory accredited by, is in charge of carrying out its activities for the calibration and maintenance of measuring instruments in the pressure magnitude, complying with Standard 17025, which establishes the requirements that testing and calibration laboratories must meet.
Within the calibration process for pressure gauges, a low efficiency on the part of the worker and an increase in non-conformity on the part of the customers has been detected, although there is a specific well-established procedure, no time limits were provided to carry out said calibration.
According to the above, it can be determined that the company's problem is that there is no time standard for calibrations and thus they justify that they need more time to carry out the calibration. Which has generated dissatisfaction in customers at the time of fulfilling their request.
Analysis of the alternative solutions
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Alternative solutions |
Advantage |
Disadvantages |
| Prepare a study of times and movements to determine the standard time of the calibration. | · Know the standard time to perform the calibration.
· The deficiencies that exist in the process are identified. |
· The time of the study of times and movements. |
| Design incentive programs for excellent customer service. | · Motivates staff to provide good customer service.
· It can be used with a factor to measure the performance of the workers. · An environment of competition will be generated, causing continuous improvement of the work team. · Establish a healthy relationship between managers and employees, they see that their work is appreciated. |
· It can cause a rejection by the work team by setting unattainable goals to obtain incentives.
· The competition to achieve the incentives could be misinterpreted to cause an environment of little union and companionship. · In operators who fail to meet the objectives can generate feelings of inferiority or low self-esteem. |
| Hiring personnel with a suitable employee profile to carry out the laboratory activities. | · The operator will have better flexibility to carry out his work.
· It will not generate loss of money and time for training. · Will fulfill the established objectives by having adequate skills for the development of their activities. |
· The hiring of personnel generates expenses and loss of time.
· The number of operators with the specific characteristics that the laboratory is looking for is scarce. |
| Establish recognition policies (not monetary) for providing good customer service. |
· It will produce an increase in the self-esteem of the worker since they prefer a satisfaction in their work over monetary rewards. |
· There may be a misinterpretation by the work regarding these acknowledgments.
· The worker can understand these policies as a means of "control" and not recognition, causing him to reject the proposal. |
| Periodically conduct customer satisfaction surveys, where laboratory conditions are evaluated. | · Applying a survey invites clients to share what they think with the laboratory.
· It will give the laboratory a vision of what it is doing right and what it is doing wrong. · These types of surveys can generate innovative ideas or can help you discover important trends towards which your customers are pointing. · Establish feedback from the best possible source, customers. |
· You will need personnel to support the application of the surveys, which generates a cost. · It is not possible to control the quality and accuracy of the answers. |
| Establish internal communication mechanisms between the client and the operator. | · Increases productivity in the worker since he will know where the organization is going and therefore he will feel
part of it and better develop his work. · The work team will unify efforts to raise among all the objectives. · Promotes the exchange of knowledge in the work team, developing new skills in workers. |
· If the operator falls into an excess of information due to all the technological advances that are within his reach, I can
create a significant waste of time. · Many times the information that is only considered is that which comes from the higher command, leaving aside that which comes from the operators. · If there is no formalization of the communication system, the quality of this could go down. |
| Eliminate as much bureaucracy as possible to streamline the process. | · Processes that do not add value to the service will be eliminated.
· A reduction in calibration time will be achieved. |
· Investment of time. |
| Hire more operators, in order to speed up the calibration process. | · The calibration process will be streamlined and more productive.
· The calibrations will be delivered in a timely manner.
|
· As there are more workers, more salaries must be paid and this would be a cost that was not foreseen.
· Time and money will have to be invested in training new operators. |
| Give talks to workers so that they understand the importance of delivering the work in a timely manner. | · After listening to the talk, the workers will be aware of the importance of delivering
the work in a timely manner since it is a factor for customers to lean towards the service and be preferred. |
· Time and money will be wasted on material for lectures that is valuable for the calibration process. |
| Post signs indicating the estimated calibration time | · Through visual devices, signals will reach the brain of the estimated
calibration time to workers faster.
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| Review of current procedures. | · Improvements in calibration procedures will be achieved.
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| Post signs indicating the estimated calibration time | · Through visual devices, signals will reach the brain of the estimated
calibration time to workers faster. · Low cost to implement. |
Post signs indicating the estimated calibration time. |
conclusion
Taking into account and analyzing all the solution alternatives, it was possible to decide to choose not just one but several alternatives and combine them by implementing one after the other since they do not imply excessive costs and disadvantages that affect the company, on the contrary, they improve the calibration process, however not all the alternatives are feasible since some had more disadvantages than advantages for the company, therefore the alternatives that will be implemented in the process are the following:
- Conduct customer satisfaction surveys periodically, where laboratory conditions are evaluated Review of current procedures Prepare time and movement studies of the calibration process to determine the standard time in the calibration process Give talks to the workers so that they know the standard calibration time and the importance of delivering the work in a timely manner.
