The Quest For Quality: Total Quality Management

IMPLEMENTATION. Obviously, there are several step-by-step programs that can guide an organization to a TQM philosophy. Each company needs to establish the best way for it to put the TQM principles to work. What follows is a list of seven steps as described by James McCrory based on the book Implementing TQM in Small and Medium-Sized Organizations by Richard M. Hodgetts.

1. Develop a quality focus by creating a vision and/or mission statement.

It is important to develop an individual understanding of what “quality” means in a specific company. If quality doesn’t have a concrete meaning, then the company isn’t ready to move to step two.

2. Identify customer needs.

Surveying internal and external customer needs is a key step. What problems are out there that can be solved by improving quality? This grounds a company’s efforts firmly in reality and allows it to deal with real-world needs and problems.

3. Design an organizational structure that helps implement a quality-driven strategy.

According to Hodgetts, the most important step is to find a person who can lead the TQM effort and make it a success.

4. Train the associates in the necessary tools and techniques.

A good way to reduce wasted efforts is to train workers in effective problem identification so they don’t waste time solving the “wrong problem.”

5. Give and get feedback from both internal and external customers.

Feedback from employees will show how management is perceived, while feedback from customers will tell the manager what they like and dislike about a new company philosophy.

6. Develop an effective recognition and reward system.

Identify meaningful rewards for a specific organization, and make sure everyone has a chance to participate and qualify for rewards.

7. Create the necessary climate for maintaining continuous improvement efforts.

This is the final and most powerful key where real gains are made. This allows the company to continually improve and enables the development of many other competitive advantages.

PITFALLS AND CHALLENGES. Although these seven steps may seem easy enough, there are plenty of hurdles that get in the way of creating a TQM environment.

According to Lied, one of the hardest parts of implementing TQM is establishing the priorities and working towards them.

“One of the hardest things for the champions to do is walk the talk,” Lied added. “The hardest thing to do initially is to separate the mental concept of what quality is. Only the customers know that.”

Another challenge seems to be the time that is necessary in making TQM work. “I would say there is a lot of work involving meetings and diagramming. A lot of employees’ input and involvement is needed, and this makes it time consuming,” Kluznik noted. “This is a hard concept to understand so the hardest part is producing tangible results. It’s a lot different than training someone on new equipment. This is a never-ending process.”

Kluznik’s sentiments were echoed by Bell when he described the number one pitfall he sees happen to many organizations. “Not only is it the lack of involvement, but don’t expect implementation to be overnight,” Bell remarked. “It’s more evolutionary than revolutionary.”

ADAPTING TO THE CHANGE. One key principle that individuals who have implemented TQM programs note repeatedly is that employee involvement is critical to TQM success. Sometimes it can be difficult to convince employees that a major shift in the whole company’s thinking and philosophy is for the good of the organization. Change is not often perceived as good, so different organizations have different ways to present the concept.

“Getting it past some people who were pretty narrow in their thinking was difficult,” DeSantis explained, adding that the concept wasn’t formally presented. “We are presenting it all of the time when there is turnover and new people come in. We have to teach them that we’re a company that is going to succeed together.”

At Yardmaster, TQM was presented to managers and they were responsible for training their own teams. “I think it was positive and I don’t think it’s a controversial approach,” Kluznik said. “But it might be a little confusing because it’s a difficult concept to grasp.

Reactions to the concept can obviously vary and for Ken DeSantis, a maintenance supervisor at DeSantis Landscapes, TQM has been beneficial.

“Actually, my reactions were open. I had come from the Air Force Reserves and they had been going through TQM, so I was excited to see us adopting the policies,” Ken DeSantis explained. “Now, my voice has a place where it’s heard. If I have an idea I know it will at least be considered. Through the whole period, I felt that I had more say and ownership.”

Similarly, Jud Griggs, manager of landscape design and development for Lied’s, has also gained responsibilities under the TQM principles.

“It’s more of now understanding my authority and responsibility and knowing when I can make decisions,” said Griggs. “It’s not everything from the top down anymore. I also give my staff more responsibility. I try to be there as a resource instead of a dictator.”

Another benefit to the philosophy is that the managers are given more time for planning and overseeing the organization while the other employees are given more autonomy in the daily activities.

“Now, I spend most of my time with long-range planning and general overseeing,” Tony DeSantis said. “I sometimes miss the operational things that I used to do more of, but there are payoffs both ways.”

Kluznik also mentioned similar changes. took place with his job responsibilities. “The number of people who report to me has been reduced. I don’t have as many daily responsibilities as before,” he related.

After management and the employees have learned to make the necessary adaptations, the benefits can be worth the effort. In order to make the implementation a success there is one last rule to keep in mind during the entire process.

“One important thing is that TQM has to be important to the specific company,” Bell explained. “The company needs to make the philosophy as big as it needs to be. Make sure that every step of the way, TQM is adding value.”

The author is Assistant Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine.