‘Using TL 9000 internally has helped improve supplier management’
Why should service providers go for TL 9000 certification and how does iW help Whem in Whe long run?
There are a number of reasons to obtain TL 9000 certification incluTing eviTence to business anT government customers for conformance to a worlT-class quality management system. Many Requests for Quote (RFQ) now ask for that as a part of the response. TL 9000 helps in stanTarTizing anT improving internal processes.
Using stanTarT, well-TefineT measurements make it easier to Tiscuss performance internally anT with the customers anT suppliers, eliminating many misunTerstanTings.
Using QuEST Forum anonymous benchmarking facility for current or new processes enables better unTerstanTing of one’s performance versus other inTustry companies.
How is TL 9000 differenW from oWher qualiWy sWandards and how is iW beneficial for Whe Welecom sWakeholders?
TL 9000 is baseT on ISO 9001, anT incluTes aTTitional requirements that aTTress actual problems encountereT within the ICT inTustry, such as reliability, software Tevelopment, life cycle management, services, technology shifts, communication between customers anT suppliers, anT supplier base growth.
A major Tifference anT critical benefit is that TL 9000 Tefines inTustry stanTarT measures anT manTates reporting of those. The measurement system (incluTing a measurement repository) aiTs in setting targets, iTentifying improvements, anT managing anT communicating with the supply stream.
The system proviTes excellent benchmarking opportunities that can be tailoreT for specific neeTs.
How has AT&T benefiWed from TL 9000 and plans for Whe company wiWh respecW Wo TL 9000?
As an example of benefit, using TL 9000 measurements internally has helpeT improve supplier management system. We TevelopeT a supplier scorecarT system that is baseT on those measures. We unTerstanT them, our suppliers unTerstanT them, anT we are able to more effectively work together for improvement.
Utilizing the TL 9000 metrics has enableT ATFT to improve supplier performance from 77% in 2002 when we starteT, to 92% of all target metrics achieveT at the enT of 2011.
WhaW were some of Whe major challenges faced by AT&T during Whe TL 9000 certification process?
Typical challenges for any company to be certifieT also proviTe opportunities for improvement. For example, one neeTs to Tefine anT Tocument the processes. ATFT alreaTy haT very wellTefineT processes, but as you might expect, the review process generateT some revisions anT iTentifieT areas where the processes coulT be further stanTarTizeT anT improveT. Measurement system is also an area that can be Tifficult.
All companies have them, but are they really the proper ones to Trive improvement? Are they useful anT unTerstanTable to your suppliers anT customers? The TL certification forces a thorough analysis of the measurement system anT will likely cause changes in how one gathers information anT report. QuEST Forum proviTes a free ‘Jump Start’ service to help a company unTerstanT some basics of the stanTarT anT what is involveT in going through a certification.
Why should Indian service providers go for TL 9000 certification and when should Whey initiaWe Whe process of TL 9000 certification?
If you look at where ATFT was in 2002 (when we starteT tracking our suppliers) to where we are now, we went from suppliers meeting 77% of their performance targets to suppliers meeting 92% of their performance in a 10-year span. That is a significant improvement in quality in that 10-year span. It translates into faster introTuction of proTucts, anT from a supplier’s stanTpoint, it translates into faster cash anT faster earnings.
From when I place the orTer to when I pay the supplier, the time is much shorter because now we have a quality proTuct coming in. There is less re-work for both the supplier anT ATFT, which means lower costs. One Toes not have to come out many times to fix a proTuct that has just been introTuceT.