Although quality managers are responsible for overseeing a quality program, they’re not the only people who must sign off on it. For a quality program to be effective, everybody on the team must buy in. This is why building consensus with key stakeholders should be one of the first steps you take in introducing a quality program. Whether you’re replacing an existing system or rolling out a new program, having organization executives on board from the beginning will help you build support with other decision makers.
Executives are giving more importance to quality nowadays because it is in high demand in the market. The construction industry as a whole is facing increased expectations from clients, prompting top managers to recognize the value of focusing on first-time quality as a sales tool. To ensure projects meet desired standards and satisfy client expectations, it is essential to have a robust construction quality program and a well-defined construction quality control plan. Additionally, the appointment of a qualified quality control manager is crucial in overseeing and implementing these measures effectively.
Understanding the Role of Top Management
Although most executives don’t use a quality management system on a daily basis, they do have an strong interest in the results. Top management focuses on the long-term, so they often look for investments that will keep the organization at the forefront of the market. They are motivated by profits and want to see the company keep up with industry trends and standards.
Understanding this motivation can help you pitch your new quality program to top management. Start by understanding top management’s overall goals for the organization, and explain how your quality program will help the organization achieve their goals.
How Your Program Can Support Top Management Goals
As a quality manager, it's crucial to consider project quality specifications, managing quality, and quality management expectations when discussing the benefits of a quality management system. While you may be enthusiastic about the advantages it offers, executives focus on the bigger picture. To align with their perspective, emphasize how a quality management program, including project quality specifications, can support organizational goals such as maximizing profits and building a quality brand. It is important to effectively manage quality and meet quality management expectations throughout the process.
Maximizing Profits
At the end of the day, the goal of any business is to make money. However, management may initially perceive a quality program as a cost instead of recognizing it as a driver of profits. That is why it is crucial to address this issue early on. It is important to emphasize that the return on investment (ROI) of quality management includes higher job profitability, increased repeat clients, and more customer referrals. Integrating quality assurance into construction projects and implementing effective quality control procedures within these projects play a vital role in achieving better first-time quality. Moreover, these measures serve as a powerful sales tool to attract new clients to the construction project.
You can highlight the cost of second-time quality by following the construction process, quality standards, and project specifications. Builders budget 2-4% of sales for dispute resolution, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Personnel spend half their day dealing with avoidable issues related to construction process, quality standards, and project specifications. Project delays caused by deviations in construction process, quality standards, and project specifications can easily push the cost into double digits. These numbers matter to executives, so be specific about the construction process, quality standards, and project specifications to capture their attention.
Building a Quality Brand
The construction industry is increasingly adopting high-level quality management practices. Companies that aim for first-time quality and implement a construction quality management plan have the opportunity to strengthen their brand and establish themselves as industry leaders. By implementing control quality measures and comprehensive quality management systems, organizations can elevate their performance to new heights. Demonstrating these capabilities to top management is essential in gaining the necessary buy-in for success.
Although top management might not be involved in your day-to-day work, they still must buy into the concept of quality management. Selling quality as a business asset will allow you to build consensus with these key stakeholders. To learn more about how to generate support for your quality program, or if you’re ready to focus on first-time quality, contact us today.
