Today, in the era of market economy, a person daily faces the problem of choosing among numerous brands, brands and models of goods. At the first glance, one and the same product is significantly different in its price and appearance. At the same time, each buyer tries to purchase the product that will last a long time, will be easy to operate, economical and safe.
In this regard, each manufacturer tries to provide high quality products that will contribute to the competitiveness of products, satisfy all the needs of the buyer and bring the maximum amount of profit to the organization.
Quality and factors influencing it
In the Russian Federation, the concept of "product quality" is enshrined in the interstate standard GOST 15467-79 "Product quality management. Basic concepts. Terms and definitions." According to this document, product quality is a complex of consumer properties of a product that determine its ability to satisfy certain needs depending on the purpose.
There are a number of conditions and circumstances that ensure product quality.
Product quality factors include those that:
- affect the formation of quality - research of the product market, the creation of product requirements, the quality of primary raw materials and supplies, the quality of design and construction, the quality of production (processing), control of the finished product;
- stimulate quality - economic and social feasibility, production efficiency, specifics of management and pricing, fines for the manufacture of low-quality goods, material incentives for employees to produce goods of good quality;
- contribute to maintaining quality - packaging, transportation conditions, labeling, storage, use and sale conditions, technical maintenance features, specifics of disposal after use.
Quality indicators
Product quality indicators (PCT) are quantitative characteristics of one or more product properties that make up its quality and are considered in relation to certain circumstances of its creation and operation (application).
Each product has its own range of indicators, depending on the purpose of the product, the conditions of its production and use, or other factors. PCT can be expressed in various units:
- physical: for example, meter, square meter, cubic meter, gram, kilogram, etc .;
- conditional: for example, ruble, percentage, score, etc.
Also, the quality indicator of a product can be dimensionless, for example, the probability of an event.
The PCT nomenclature is formed at the stage of product design taking into account its purpose, analysis of consumer requirements, structure and composition, characterizing the properties of the goods, as well as quality management tasks.
At the production stage, the quality indicators of the goods find their realization, and at the stage of operation of the products, they become an individual characteristic that distinguishes it from other goods, making it competitive.
For some specific conditions of production and use of goods, there are mandatory, unchanged indicators.
Types of Quality Indicators
Quality indicators of goods can be divided into the following types:
1. Based on the stage of determining the value of the indicator:
- predicted - estimated values of indicators established in advance using forecast methods;
- design - the values of indicators that are adopted in the relevant documentation;
- production - the values of indicators that are evaluated at the stage of production of goods;
- operational - indicators that are applied at the time of use (operation) of the product.
2. Depending on the application of the assessment:
- basic - used as a basis for a comparative assessment of the quality of goods;
- relative - indicators characterizing the ratio of the quality indicator of the evaluated products to the corresponding base indicator.
3. Depending on the number of characterized properties:
- single - indicators characterizing one property of the goods;
- complex (group, integral and generalized) - indicators that combine a number of features, each of which is described by its parameter. With their help, new characteristics are obtained.
4. Based on the selected unit:
- indicators in kind;
- indicators in value terms.
5. Based on the consumer properties of the goods:
- technical indicators;
- economic indicators.
Technical PCT
Product quality indicators are divided into technical and economic, which, in turn, have a gradation. The first group of FCT is combined with technical requirements for products. The following criteria apply to it.
1. Reliability indicators:
- Durability - the ability of an element or the entire system under certain conditions of use of the product to maintain its performance to the limit. At the same time, working capacity is understood as the state of the product in which it is able to realize the task with the parameters established by the documented technical requirements.
- Reliability - the property of the product under certain conditions of use to continuously maintain its performance until its first violation.
- Maintainability - the ability of the product to maintain and restore its performance through maintenance and repair.
- Retention - the ability of the product to maintain continuously required performance during and after the period of transportation and storage of goods.
2. Destination metrics:
- performance requirements - characterize the functions performed (required power, load capacity, etc.);
- efficiency requirements - characterize the level of effectiveness of the use of the goods for the purpose;
- design requirements - indicate the advantages of the selected design (dimensions, weight, etc.).
3. Ergonomics - characterizing the features of the product as part of the "man - product - environment of its use" system and take into account some features of people, such as hygiene, physiology, psychology and anthropometry.
4. Safety indicators - these are the quality properties of the goods, indicating the exclusion of possible accidents that occur under normal working conditions, during unskilled actions, as a result of external influence, during accidents.
5. Environmental performance - characterizing the degree of coexistence of the product with the environment. For example, the leakage of lubricants, the release of heat into space, the clogging of nature by wear products.
6. Multifunctionality - This is an indicator indicating the ability to use products in several activities, in various works.
7. Aesthetics - properties that characterize the manifestation of a product that is beautiful in appearance: compositional integrity, rationality of form, informational and artistic perfection of product execution.
8. Disposal indicators - defining methods of destruction of goods after its use.
9. Design and technological indicators - indicating the effectiveness of technical solutions.Include indicators:
- level of continuity, unification and standardization;
- manufacturability (the possibility of releasing the product at the lowest cost and in as soon as possible);
- transportability (ability to move with minimal expenses);
- safety (the ability of the goods not to depend on the adverse effects of the external environment).
10. Patent Law Indicators - characterizing the degree of use of technical solutions that are not subject to patents in the Russian Federation and countries of intended export, and the degree of protection by patents of the Russian Federation and countries of intended export.
Economic FCT
The second group of FCT combines economic requirements for the product, it includes:
- cost of goods - valuation of raw materials, fuels, natural resources and materials used in the course of production of a product, as well as producer costs associated with the sale and further maintenance of products
- product price - the amount of money for which the seller is ready to transfer to the buyer a unit of goods;
- profit - a positive difference between the amount of income and expenses for the production, acquisition, transportation, storage and sale of goods / services;
- operating costs.
Expenses for the operation of the goods consist of:
- expenditures for consumables, spare parts and tools;
- maintenance costs: payment of security, maintenance personnel, training in the rules of use of products;
- repair or disposal costs: payment of repairmen, craftsmen, dismantling of the product and its transportation to a landfill or to a factory for processing;
- energy costs;
- other deductions: insurance payments, taxes, etc.
PCT Measurement Methods
Product quality indicators are measured by various subjective (expert, questioning, organoleptic) and objective methods (instrumental and registration).
Expert PCT Measurement Method - this is a way in which indicators are determined on the basis of decisions of experts (scientists, technologists, designers, etc.).
Interrogation method - this is a method by which consumer qualities of a product are identified by collecting and analyzing information about the opinions of real or potential consumers of a product. Information is collected through questionnaires, oral surveys at exhibitions and conferences, auctions, etc.
Organoleptic method - one in which PCT are determined on the basis of an analysis of the perception of the senses: hearing, vision, smell, taste and touch. The advantage of this method is its cheapness, accessibility and speed, minus - subjectivity.
Instrumental method - This is a method of measuring performance using laboratory tests. This method is necessary to identify accurate results, for example, the chemical composition of the product.
Registration method - This is a method for measuring PCT based on observations and calculations of certain events, costs or items. For example, defective packaging or damaged products are recorded and counted in the consignment at the time of acceptance.
Quality control
Assessment of the quality of goods - determining the conformity of goods to the needs of society. It includes a number of actions, the purpose of which is to determine the level of product quality.
Evaluation of the quality of goods is carried out in a certain sequence: setting goals, selecting a range of indicators, choosing methods for evaluating the indicators used, establishing requirements and standards for FCT data, comparing actual FCT with the baseline.
Methods for evaluating indicators, depending on the methods of comparison, are divided into differential, complex, mixed. First method It is implemented by comparing single FKT products with single basic indicators that are established specifically for this type of product.
Second method - This is the application of one common FCT, which combines several indicators designed to assess the quality of a product. Using this method, all indicators are converted to dimensionless, the coefficient of their weight in the overall quality assessment is determined and the generalized value is calculated. The advantage of the integrated method is that it takes into account the importance of the individual properties of the product and as a result one holistic assessment is obtained.
Third method based on the use of single and complex indicators at the same time. It is used if the set of PCT is large and one complex indicator is not able to fully characterize all the features of the product.
At the last stage of product quality assessment, product indicators are compared with the basic FCT. In this case, the indicators selected as samples are those that are feasible and at the same time provide the optimal level of quality of the goods for some period in the future.
Quality control
Quality control of goods is the verification of compliance with the FCT established in regulatory documents (standards, rules, norms) or technical requirements.
Quality control should be carried out at all product life cycles (during production, sale, operation, etc.). Requirements for the quality of the goods during the transaction can be specified in the terms of the contract.
Product quality control, based on the place in the production process, is divided into:
- input - produced for all incoming items;
- operating - carried out at the time of execution or after the end of the technological operation in the production of the product;
- acceptance - is the final stage in deciding on the suitability of the goods for supply or use;
- inspection - is carried out by auditors, supervisors at any time.
Depending on the duration of the control is divided into:
- continuous - control, in which information about the controlled parameters is received systematically; necessary with frequent recipe changes, unstable technological processes, etc .;
- periodic - control, in which information about the monitored parameters is received at certain intervals;
- volatile - produced at a random moment, all of a sudden.
Based on the completeness of coverage, product quality control can be continuous or selective. Full control - This is a check of each unit of production in the party. As a rule, it is very accurate and requires long-term conduct by a large number of auditors.
At sampling Only some products from the batch are checked for quality. This method, on the contrary, is quick, but it has a high degree of risk, therefore it should be based on a scientific basis. In selective control, statistical methods are used to determine errors of the first or second kind.
An error of the first kind is considered to be a check in which the entire batch is considered unusable in the sample (the supplier incurs losses and risks). A mistake of the second kind - the entire batch in the sample is considered good and accepted (the buyer risks).
In some cases, after a spot check, continuous control is carried out.
Acceptance of products at the warehouse, based on its quality
Acceptance of goods for quality is carried out in accordance with the SCRF, Article 513, and the “Instructions on the Procedure for Acceptance of Industrial Products and Consumer Goods for Quality” (the document applies only in those situations when it is provided for by the supply contract).
The Civil Code of the Russian Federation states that the buyer is obliged to inspect the goods received within the time period established by law or contract, check its quantity and quality, and immediately inform the supplier in writing of any product deficiencies, if any.
The above instruction clarifies the timing of acceptance and fixes some of its features.So, for example, acceptance of goods for quality and completeness should be made at the buyer's warehouse at a certain time:
- for non-resident deliveries - no more than 20 days, and perishable goods - no more than 24 hours, starting the countdown from the moment the product was delivered by the transport authority or it arrived at the buyer's warehouse when transported by the supplier or when exported by the recipient;
- upon delivery within the same city - no more than 10 days, and perishable goods no more than 24 hours, starting the countdown from the moment the goods arrived at the buyer's warehouse;
- in the Far North or other inaccessible areas, industrial goods are accepted no more than 30 days, industrial goods - no more than 60 days, the quality of food products and their acceptance are made within a period not exceeding 40 days, and perishable products - not exceeding 48 hours .
Sometimes quality products are accepted at the seller’s warehouse, if this is specified in the contract.
If manufacturing deficiencies are detected at the time of preparation of the goods for retail sale by trade organizations in terms exceeding the above, they have the right to note these defects for another 4 months after receiving the products.
Together with the receipt of the goods, the buyer must accept the correspondingly completed papers confirming the quality of the products received.
If the requirements for the quality of the product are violated, and the corresponding condition is specified in the supply contract, the acquirer must call the representative of the manufacturer (seller) for acceptance.
Consumer rights when receiving goods of inadequate quality
The buyer who bought the goods of inadequate quality, if it was not agreed in advance with the seller, has the right to:
- free-of-charge elimination of product defects or return of expenses required for independent (with the help of third parties) correction of them;
- proportional reduction in the value of the goods;
- replacement with an identical or similar product of another brand or model with the corresponding recalculation of the price;
- termination of the contract and the requirement for a full refund of funds paid for the products (if the seller requires it, the buyer will have to return the goods purchased with defects);
- Compensation for losses incurred related to the sale of defective goods.
All of the above requirements can be put forward by the buyer even in the absence of a receipt confirming the purchase, if there is other evidence of the transaction.
If the goods of inadequate quality are returned to the seller, an appropriate act is drawn up.
In the case when the return of funds to the buyer is carried out simultaneously with the transfer of low-quality goods to the seller, the amount may be refunded:
- by money transfer by mail;
- by transfer to a bank or other account of the buyer;
- cash at the location of the seller.
All expenses that are necessary to return the money to the buyer must be borne by the seller.
Product quality examination
In accordance with clause 5, article 18 of the law of 07.02. 1992 "On the Protection of Consumer Rights", in the event of defects in the goods and disputes in this regard, the seller examines the quality of the goods. At the time of its holding, the buyer has the right to attend and, in case of disagreement with its results, to challenge them in court.
If as a result of the audit it turned out that the product’s shortcomings did not arise as a result of actions and circumstances for which the supplier is responsible, the purchaser must reimburse him for the costs associated with the examination, as well as the costs of storage and transportation of goods.
An examination of the quality of goods determines:
- generic and species affiliation of the goods (containers), its grade, article and completeness;
- compliance of product and packaging quality with standards and requirements;
- the presence of a trademark or production mark on products for which they are mandatory;
- causes of deterioration in the initial quality of the product;
- weight of products (containers) and other unrealizable parts in cases when it is prescribed in the standards or provided for by technical conditions.
Drawing conclusions after considering the fundamentals laid down in the concept of “quality of non-food products and food products”, having studied in general terms what quality control and its assessment are, what can be PCT, it can be noted that quality is a multifaceted concept that is ensured only by combining the practical experience of many specialists and their creative potential.
