An improved vendor quality control (VQC) method

VQC is first examined in connection with the quality requirement and supplier requirements. The author then describes a VQC approach which eliminated much of the necessary manual audit and data-collection efforts. By including the NCR requirement for bar-coding of all products with the capabilities of the existing electronic mail system, a cost-effective methodology is added to vendor management. As the supplier performs his tests, inspections, and out-of-box audits, the bar-coded product identification data are automatically read into a PC or workstation; the electronic-mail system software collates, formats, adds the inspection results, and stores the data which is then forwarded to OISQA (office information systems quality assurance) at a convenient or less costly time of day