Masonry Magazine October 1996 Page. 9
Quality will increase your gross sales
did this happen? Because the automobile industry forgot about the customer and they lost their market-share to the Japanese.
In the late 1970's FORD stood for "Fix Or Repair Daily", or "Found On Road Dead". The United States had to bail out Chrysler. In the 1980's, General Motors went through substantial economic upheaval. All now have turned to the Quality Process in order to survive in this new marketplace.
So, what is this Quality Management Process all about any way? Simply put, Quality Management (or Total Quality Management) is a system of operating your business which focuses your company's attention on your customers and their needs; and then establishes a management system that consistently and profitably allows you to meet (or exceed) your customer's needs.
Specifically, Quality teaches a contractor those time-proven skills which are necessary for a profitable company. And it's not rocket science. Quality involves basic skills that make sense in any business. Those skills include:
Establishing a system of frequent communication with your customers-asking them how you are doing and how you can better satisfy their needs. Customers are not used to this and will respond in a positive way by giving you more business, and by telling other customers about you.
Setting goals for your company that are directly related to the needs and requirements of your customers. Then relating those goals to each of your employees.
Building teams of employees involving employees in more than just a "9 to 5" existence. Employees are motivated by well-defined goals.
Seeking information from your employees on opportunities for improved efficiency. Employees know the answers to most of the problems that you face in your company if you will just take the time to ask them. Typically, it's our pride that gets in the way.
Eliminating costly errors through proactive systems of continuous improvement.
Establishing systems of measuring and evaluating all of our programs and performances. People want to know where they stand and how they are doing.
Recognizing and rewarding the efforts of those who are accomplishing your goals and increasing the profitability of your company. An employee will work only for a pay check if that's all they have to work for. The power of recognition is overwhelming.
So, having studied the Quality Management Process, it was clear to MCAA that they would develop and
offer Quality Management training to their members. MCAA realized that the only way to improve the quality of the mason industry was to start at the contractor level, one contractor at a time.
It has been a slow process for MQI. The majority of MCAA contractor members have not attended an MQI program. Why? Here are the objections we hear and our responses:
Too expensive... too much time. I simply can't afford it.
Our response is simple. With everything that is going on in our industry, how can a contractor not afford to learn about their customers. For this industry it is a question of survival. And, MCAA has taken away the objection of "too expensive". MCAA has a no-questions, money-back guarantee. If after the MQI program you are not satisfied for any reason whatsoever, you'll get your money back.
I don't see the need to implement the Quality Process.
We've already made this argument. Look again at the automobile industry. They didn't see the need until it was almost too late.
I'm not willing to change.
For those of you who have this objection, read the warnings of every management consultant. They all talk about the changing business environment and what it takes to succeed. In order to survive, we must change.
The Quality Process is for large contractors.
In every one of our previous MQI programs, we have had small contractors who have benefited substantially from the process. Don't let size be an excuse. As long as you have customers and want to make more money, MQI will help you.
Let's look at the benefits that have been realized by MCAA's Quality Contractors those who have implemented the Quality Process.
Increased Sales
By focusing our company's attention on consistently satisfying customer needs, Quality Contractors have not only seen increases in sales from repeat customers, but also sales from new customers through referrals. Quality will increase your gross sales.
Loyal Employees
Not only have the demands of our customers changed, but we also have a changing (and sometimes frustrating) labor force. One of the biggest complaints we hear from our contractor-customers is the inability to find good people. Those Quality Contractors who have focused on the principles of Quality Management have created positive