Please read the post below and comment on it and give your opinion about it using 100 words or more.

For 23 years, I worked for a company called Volta which manufactured electrical connectors and neutral bars. I had originally been hired to install their computer network, maintain their accounting software and computerize their inventory. For 20 of the those years, I also ran their Telcontel division, which manufactured telephone protector panels. Telephone protector panels are devices that prevent a high voltage line spike, usually from a lightning strike, from reaching a telephone. This is accomplished by a metal oxide varistor, that would route any over voltage from the telephone line to a ground strap. The protector panels had to be shipped with zero defects for two reasons. First, and most important because it is a safety device. The second was more pragmatic. The customer would wire the protector panels up in an assembly, which would cost them hundreds of dollars. If the assembly failed testing because of our protector panel, we could be subject to sanctions and possibly loss of business.

While all the employees were conscientious, there were two or three that I trusted to act as final checks. One checked the protector panels at the end of the soldering process, and one checked them after pins were inserted and twisted. They had 100% authority to reject parts. Extra compensation for their added responsibility was minimal and not within my authority. It was having the right people in the right position.

Ten years before the company closed the quality control manager died and was not replaced. His interaction with Telcontel was minimal, limited to testing the hardness and plating of the copper straps and pins. Quality testing of those components was minimal after that and we relied on what was, fortunately, high quality suppliers. It can not be overstated the importance of reliable suppliers. Any quality issues Volta had over the years was related to trying to save money on inventory supplies.

Five years before Volta closed, they fired the production manager and he was not replaced. Another title for me. Where Telcontels products were created in a sequential manner, Voltas, by this point, were generally received semi-finished and only needed screw insertion. Previously we had struggled to make parts with outdated machines. They were also subject to quarterly UL and CSA physical inspection. The UL and CSA inspector would come into the warehouse and randomly pick several parts for inspection. They would check the parts dimensions, plating and markings. We always passed. My conversation with them was often related to what businesses closed and which companies moved to China. The remaining employees were older and reliable and generally performed their own inspection.

What killed Volta ultimately was our customers switching to Chinese made parts. I cant imagine their quality was as good as ours but they were much cheaper. The purchasing manager at the largest purchaser of protector panels told me that the Chinese made protector panels cost 1/3 of what ours cost, which is about half about what ours cost to make. I am proud of our quality to the last part.

Suggestions for improvements to the Quality Culture:

I would like to take this opportunity to make some suggestions regarding the quality control of our company. First, I have several key Telcontel employees, Pat, Erlene and Barbara, who are vital to the zero defect rate, that our customers require. While I know how tight cash is, their oversight is vital to operation, and I would ask that they be properly compensated for that.

I would like to bring to your attention the state of our equipment. I know you designed them but they are outdated and create barrels and barrels of scrap. Fortunately, our Quality Control person, Brian, will not allow the defective parts to go out. Brian turns the malfunctioning equipment off and the production manager turns them back on. We should consider having all of connectors semi-finished by REF in Canada and concentrate on stamping and screw insertion.

I would also like to bring to your attention the quality of the screws we get from Michigan trading. They are imported from Asia, from a variety of counties, and cause repeated problems with our automatic screwdriver machines. Many of the screws are missing their slot or the slots are off center. Some of the screws are even missing their threads. The automatic screwdrivers, that you designed, jam and often require a mechanic to get going again. Fortunately, Katie, who counts and boxes the neutral bars will not allow any defective ones to go out. We should also consider compensating and recognizing her as I know she is considering leaving.

The computer system that you had me install has saved us a great deal of time with our accounting, order entry and inventory ordering and tracking functions. It is still lacking in the tracking of the work in process because we lack the people to update the information. The process of assembling the part before sale is working well. I would suggest that we hire someone, just out of school, to convert our paper part drawings to CAD. It would make the RFQs more efficient if we had them available in CAD format.