Definition
Total quality management (TQM)
Total quality management is an approach focused on continuously improving product quality and customer satisfaction through collaboration, data-driven processes and proactive problem-solving.
Total quality management (TQM) is a management philosophy that asks all of a company’s employees to work together to improve product quality and customer satisfaction. It is based on the following practices.
- Understanding employee and customer needs (using surveys, discussion groups, interviews or other means).
- Designing products and services that meet or exceed customer expectations while being easy to make and use.
- Using an operational process that predicts and prevents or reduces errors.
- Verifying and measuring results and using this data to improve the system.
- Working constantly to improve products and services.
- Applying improvements to the entire supply chain, from suppliers of raw materials to distribution.