Supplier quality audits are a way to examine and really know your suppliers.  Many factors contribute to making a company successful, from both internal and external perspectives. While you can certainly ensure the success of your internal operations, your external operations – such as your suppliers, external providers, and outsourced processes – can sometimes be a riskier situation.

In order to continue operating an efficient quality management system, it is vital that your relationship with your suppliers and external providers is strong and reliable. And in order to maintain that relationship, it is just as important to sometimes perform a supply chain audit to determine what is working and what areas need improvement. Especially when risks or problems drive the need for supplier audits of their quality systems.  Ensuring the same set of standards across the supply chain will ensure consistency across QMS requirements, industry standards and regulations. A supplier audit should serve to improve collaboration between the manufacturer and its suppliers to ensure the relationship is meeting objectives and continues to be mutually beneficial. 

What you should know about your suppliers:

• What quality methodologies do they utilize? 
• How is the supplier monitoring its quality?
• Are they complying with QMS requirements, industry standards and regulations?
• How do they track lots and track non conforming materials etc.?
• How is their quality performance?  
• Are the metrics improving, declining, static or even erratic?
• What is the sampling and inspection procedure?
• What happens when a defect is discovered?
• How do they identify and manage risk in the quality, manufacturing, engineering change and shipping processes?

A supplier audit from simpleQuE can go above and beyond other auditing processes, and certainly beyond ISO and good manufacturing practices. When it comes to your relationship with suppliers, our audits can provide a number of services:

• Problematic supplier assessments
• Sourcing evaluations
• Ongoing supply chain strategy assessments and audits
• Corporate quality audits
• Assistance in the monitoring and closeout of corrective actions
• Improving your company’s measures of effectiveness
• Training

Our supplier quality audits and corrective actions will drive supplier development, and allow you to resolve both supplier quality and internal issues more effectively. 

With supplier quality experts from Fortune 100 companies, simpleQuE has the auditing expertise and certified resources to offer true value to your business. Whether you need help with problematic supplier assessments, sourcing evaluations, ongoing supply chain strategy assessments and audits, automotive 2nd party audits (including MAQMSR – Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements), or corporate quality audits – simpleQuE can deliver.  Contact us to discuss a customized strategy.