A medical technology company had filled the supplier management position with an interim solution following the departure of a long-standing employee. This person left the company again after just three months. As a result, the department was not adequately staffed for almost six months. Although complaints were sent out, they were not followed up by technical experts. As a result, many complaints could not be finally processed. The interim manager successfully took over the dormant supplier management.
Audit appointment with the supplier revealed a fundamental lack of information
At the beginning of the mandate, the interim manager initially dealt with particularly critical complaints. One supplier in particular stood out, whose faulty supplies for autotransfusion devices were significantly slowing down production and delivery. The interim manager contacted the Italian supplier. After unsuccessful talks, he arranged an audit appointment with the supplier. During this meeting in Bologna, it emerged that the supplier did not know exactly where the components produced would be used and was therefore unable to fully understand the requirements. Compliance with the specifications could not be guaranteed on a permanent basis on this basis.
Working workshop initiated for the supplier at the German plant
In order to remedy the situation, the interim manager invited the supplier to Germany. During this visit, the supplier's representatives were able to see the complete system with the installed components in operation and thus gain a much better understanding of the requirements. It also helped that the interim manager had invited the decision-makers from the design (technical implementation), marketing (appearance), supplier management (tolerances), purchasing (costs) and assembly (component knowledge) departments to the workshop.
Quality management professionalized by introducing a limit sample catalogue
In order to further professionalize quality management, the interim manager introduced a limit sample catalog for further collaboration. At the end of the workshop, there were two complete labeled sets: one for the supplier and one for the customer. To conclude the workshop and ensure a common understanding, all components were dated and signed by the responsible persons in order to obtain mutual agreement.
Successful basis laid for collaboration without major complaints
In the mandate, the interim manager successfully created the basis for a fundamental understanding between the individual parties and initiated a change in thinking between the parties. The new permanent supplier manager now has the task of maintaining this transparency and further strengthening the relationship. This resulted in further measures, which the new specialist is gradually implementing:
- Employee training on the new boundary patterns
- Reviewing the complaint statistics after three months: What successes are visible
- Testing further products and, if necessary, creating further limit sample catalogs
- Applying the new standard to component changes or new production
