Management

Are senior managers involved in total quality management?

If yes, how?
If no, why not?
How is communication done throughout the organization, especially with senior
managers?
Do you think that it is effective? If not, how can it improve?
Who initiates the quality management implemented by the company?
What are the quality values that the management embed in their employees?
Do you understand your role in the quality management?
If no, do you feel comfortable not knowing it?
Are you familiar with TQM concepts?
If yes, how does the organization ensure that everyone is aware of this?
If no, do you think it is necessary?
How do you ensure that quality is observed by each employee?
Do you use the reward-system in achieving quality?
What do you see as the companys public responsibilities to the public?
What are the processes that the company does to assure that these responsibilities are
met?
How do you proactively address public concerns?
Information
How valuable is data in this company?
How valuable is customer data? How do you track it? How do you use this in achieving
quality?
How valuable is product/service performance data? How do you track it? How do you
use this in achieving quality?
How valuable is internal operations data? How do you track it? How do you use this in
achieving quality?
How valuable is supplier data? How do you track it? How do you use this in achieving
quality?
How valuable is cost data? How do you track it? How do you use this in achieving
quality?
Planning

Is quality assurance a priority in your company? How does it affect the financial aspect
of the company?

How do you know what the customers want? What measures do you take in order to
know what they want?

How do you know what the competitor has to offer the market and what measures do
you take in order to make a competitive edge?

How do you plan the risks that you will take? In what way do you view risk in the
company?

How capable is your suppliers in meeting your standards? Do you give them
specifications and checklists that they should follow to meet your needs?

How do you plan when in comes to the day-to-day operations? How do you increase
productivity in the workplace? What plans do you have for controlling waste in the
workplace?

What happens if your plan in a certain situation does not work or does not comply to
what you have expected it to be? Do you adjust the plan?

What plans do you do in terms of assuring quality in leadership? Does quality in

leadership provide a better product/service?

How do you set short-term quality plans? Long-term quality plans? What are your
short/long term quality plans?

PEOPLE

How do you handle your people? Do you give development training? Are they crosstrained to do other work? In what way do you give rewards/recognition? What are your
criteria in hiring people?
Is employee involvement important in the workplace? In what ways are they involved?
Do you allow feedbacks from workers?
How do you increase employee empowerment in the company?
How do you link the training and development of your employees to the companys
strategies and career choices?
How valuable is recognition/reward to quality?
How is employee satisfaction tracked in terms of absenteeism, safety, turnover, and
grievances?
How is level of satisfaction linked to quality?

Design & Production

How does the company create/develop new product ideas? (Product Design)
o How do you take into account the suggestions of customers?
o Is it continuous?
How does the company keep track of production?
o How do you make sure that it is being followed?
Are there present issues concerning the quality of this certain product?

How does the company determine the root cause of the problems being encountered by
the system?
What is your way to continuously improve?
o On product design
o On main production
o On support services
How does the company determine the quality of the materials from the suppliers?
o Are the qualities fixed? Are they tracked properly?
o Do you ask for feedbacks from the suppliers?
Do you practice benchmarking within your products/within your industry?
What are your current research advancements?
o What are the technological aspects?
o Is it company-based or do you hire someone to do it for you?
Customer Relations

Do you have a system in assessing the quality of your products?

o If yes, what is the system/processes involved?
How does the company determine the customers expectations?
How do you handle customer complaints? How about customer assistance?
o Is there a feedback system?
o How do you track the complaints?
o How can the customers follow up about their query?