Do you remember your first mobile phone? What about the advantages that came with it? Ease of communication, mobility independent of your location, great portability. Fast forward to the present day. While mobile devices are everywhere – there are still manufacturers who don’t fully leverage mobile technology. Or even worse – they are too caught up in their routine to know that with cloud-based software even their QMS can fit in their pocket.
Enhanced mobility can bring true transformation to the shop floor. Let’s zoom in on this topic and see how it can boost daily operations and drive a culture of quality.
Are you mobile enough?
Not too long ago, shop floor operators had to walk through the factory to collect the information that they needed, perform quality checks, and make adjustments. While this traditional way of operating may have worked, it was very time-consuming and sluggish. Even more so in larger organizations – not to mention those with multiple facilities. Sure, walking back and forth may have been good fitness, but there were multiple challenges that came with it. In case of urgency, valuable time was being lost. And using pen and paper, was not only prone to error but having to later transfer scribblings to a computer meant double work.
Even though times have changed, and mobile devices are widely used, they still have not become the norm while monitoring quality on the shop floor. Working behind a computer may be one step up from recording activities on paper. Yet, with the new tech available, there’s no reason to be stationary. Using cloud-based software like AlisQI, manufacturers enjoy all the benefits of a modern Quality Management System (QMS) and full mobility.
With their QMS on their mobile device, manufacturers can drastically reduce time, eliminate double work, and minimize the risk of error. Digital documentation, too, significantly reduces the paper trail that complicates efficiency on the plant floor and often leads to lost productivity.
5 main advantages of carrying your QMS in your back pocket
- Immediate action, no time wasted. Imagine that you leave your desk to perform an inspection and while you’re away, there’s an off-spec alarm. If you’re not behind your desk, you may not see it for a while. Delaying action, the problem may even become more urgent. Using your QMS on a mobile device, however, allows you to learn more about the alarm and trigger the necessary follow-up actions. It can help you act immediately, by bringing departments together and connecting the right people with relevant data and prioritizing tasks.
- Real-time data, instant access. Whether you’re looking to retrieve information, or need to act on a task, you don’t need to send a bunch of emails or look for that one colleague who might have the answer. Your quality data is stored in your smart QMS, readily available whenever you need it.
- Instructions to guide your way. Keeping things structured and ensuring that staff are well trained and motivated is very important to maximize efficiency within the organization. A mobile QMS comes with visual representations of processes and documentation attached to each process step.
- Audit trail even on-the-go. To always be audit-ready, manufacturers need to ensure that their data is up-to-date, transparent, and easily traceable. Going mobile, they can easily monitor processes, track changes, and quickly pinpoint deviations.
- Business insights beyond the shop floor. While mobile devices empower the operators and supervisors, this data extends beyond the plant floor as well. Think about working from home, remote support, or account managers that need to access data from everywhere.
Using AlisQI, a cloud-based Quality Management System (QMS), you get all the benefits of your QMS on your mobile devices. Making your QMS truly mobile also means higher adoption and thus better process adherence and involvement because people can use their favorite gadget. Enjoy access to real-time data and analytics always at your fingertips with a smart QMS that fits in your pocket.
