When a product is purchased, one of the most important factors a consumer considers is the

quality of the product. In consideration of quality, aspects such as the product’s comparability
o other products, characteristics ad degree of excellence are what are looked for. In
production it is important for the raw materials used to possess the required level of quality.
These are some of the ways in which a company can ensure that the quality of goods bought
in remains high.

Product evaluation - samples

It is important to have variety. When sourcing, one must try to find as many suppliers of that
particular item as possible. This allows the procurer to have options and select the most
suitable product. Once a list of suppliers has been created, request for samples should be
done. Sometimes good faith based on a description can result in products of poor quality,
therefor physical inspection is necessary. When the samples arrive, they should be viewed,
analysed and maybe tested to see if they meet what is required. Having a sample allows for
physical inspection and therefore the quality can be observed and tested to meet the
requirements that the procurer needs to make the product. For example, a food manufacturer
in Zimbabwe can request for samples of flavouring to be shipped by a supplier in South
Africa for testing how the product applies on the food they manufacture as well as
appreciating the taste of the product to ensure it is the exact one that is required. This may
however not be possible due to the cost effectiveness of transporting a small sample in terms
of monetary and time.

Product specification

Each product has its unique characteristics that define it. These include the properties,
material used, dimensions, weight and presentation (colour) to mention a few. It is important
to provide supplies with complete details of the required product. No information should be
left to be assumed to be a standard of a product as manufactures have different standards that
affect the applicability or use of the final product. As a procurer one must know what exactly
they require so as to be able to order the correct item. For example, a hard wood furniture
manufacturer might need a resupply of router bits for decorating their furniture. An order that
simply gives the dimensions of the bits required is insufficient as the supplier might deliver
bits made of a weaker metal that does not handle heat well and as a result cause the bits to
break quickly. Those bits are specially for soft woods and as a result, the quality of the
product purchased will be poor due to lack of adequate information from the buyer.
Test Products  

Product testing has multiple applications, from determining if the specifications are being met
to finding solutions to various issues or shortcomings of the product.  Using applicable
regional and/or industry-related standards to measure the product’s properties and evaluate
performance provides assurance of quality throughout the production process.  Used as a
proactive strategy, applicable product testing can avoid costly delays and rework down the
line. Therefore, the product must tested before large consignments are committed to, to
ensure the quality meets what is required.

Establish strategic partnerships with fewer suppliers

For goods that are specialised, it is important to create strategic partnerships. These could be
in the form of social interactions as well as business courtesy such as corporate gifts. Having
these relationships allows for the company to have communication lines where negotiations
can also be made and hence better bargaining power. A company is more likely to change its
production process for a customer who they have worked with for long or have good close
relations. That way, they are also enticed to make good quality goods to keep the good
relations.

Product standardisation

Internally, the organisation should be in a position where possible to standardise its product
that requires outsourced inputs. If the product is standardised, it will require inputs that are
standard, and since the inputs are the same, there is reduced risk of the goods being of a
different quality as the processes in making that input are the same and goods that are of a
repetitive manufacturing process are usually uniform. When the input requirements vary, the
risk of imperfection is high.

Compliance policies

There are quality standards that have been set internationally, ISO standards. Products
supplied are expected to meet the requirements of these to be regarded as being of high
quality. In short, compliance ensures a manufacturer or supplier of a product meets the
requirements of accepted practices, legislation, prescribed rules and regulations, specified
standards, or the terms of a contract. It would be advantageous to partner with suppliers that
are ISO certified. That way, there is assurance and guarantee on the products that they are of a
good quality.

Supply chain involvement

The supply chain looks at the whole process of a product from raw material state to delivery
to the final consumer or user. From our current perspective, it would be beneficial to
familiarise itself with the supply chain of its suppliers. Having an appreciation on the process
that the required products go through can give a great amount of detail on the quality level of
the raw materials that we intend to purchase. Knowing how they extract the raw materials,
the processing that the materials go through and how they are handled speaks great amounts
to how they become to be. Shortcuts in the production cycle or mishandling can affect the
final product. For example, if the material is temperature sensitive, the transport and storage
facilities for the goods while in transit from say another country must be fit to maintain the
required temperature. If goods are bonded at the border, the refrigeration should be able to
sustain the wait so as no to degrade the products. Other aspects in the supply chain such as
sustainable harvesting are necessary to ensure the same quality of the material will be
available for years to come.

Engage supplier involvement

Suppliers could be made part of the organisation’s quality system. When the company clearly
shows the supplier their quality problems, the supplier can then take these problems into
consideration their production processes as well so as to solve issues from the root cause.
This might involve some supplier familiarisation with the company’s production processes as
well as integrating the systems of both companies so as to bridge any communication or
technological gaps to ensure that all communication is clear and the goals of quality that are
trying to be achieved are met. Having accountability from the side of the supplier Your
quality issues need to be your suppliers’ problem as soon as they arise.

Third party engagement

In the event of distance constraints, the use of agents might be necessary. Their purpose is to
engage the suppliers to find out the genuinely of the organisation as well as whether the
goods are of the required quality and they are available internationally. Examples of the third
parties are supplier partners. Some companies may decide to partner for marketing purposes
while others for convenience. The presence of partners allows for easier communication as
well as trade references, provided the partner themselves are trustworthy.

REFERENCES

 Huynh M, 2015, 6 Steps to Ensure High Quality Products from Suppliers,

Accesses 7 march 2023 1645, available at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-steps-
ensure-high-quality-products-from-suppliers-meghan-huynh

 “Supply-Chain Management”, section 9.2 from the book Global Strategy (v. 1.0)
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike ,
https://opentext.wsu.edu/mktg360/chapter/10-3/