Manufacturers - How Do You Answer This
This is one aspect of why I am leery of an aluminum framed camper, not to mention a newer, expensive camper. Of course the extremely poor quality craftsmanship could be duplicated in a wood-framed cam...
Forum Discussion
I recently retired after 30 years in manufacturing. In those 30 years, I was a quality manager for 15, and an operations manager for 15 actually running a factory for several large defense projects. In addition, I spent ten years as a professor teaching quality management techniques to our MBA students.
I won't go into a long dissertation on the benefits of producing defect free materials, but I do see that the American RV industry is very similar to 1960's and 1970's American automobile manufacturers. They don't "get" quality concepts. If they don't get their act together, they are poised for intense competition from foreign manufacturers who will bring a higher quality product to the consumer base at a lower cost.
If any of you are ever interested in this subject, and would like a good read, check out Philip Crosby's "Quality is Free". It was printed 25 years ago as a primer for manufacturing executives to get a grasp on quality concepts.
Prevention is not hard to do, it's just hard to sell when manufacturers are set on a certain way of doing things. The industry is primed for a quality revolution, and those that will lead the way can be very successful. In the long run, we are the consumers who will ultimately guide the industry through our purchases.
So there!
I won't go into a long dissertation on the benefits of producing defect free materials, but I do see that the American RV industry is very similar to 1960's and 1970's American automobile manufacturers. They don't "get" quality concepts. If they don't get their act together, they are poised for intense competition from foreign manufacturers who will bring a higher quality product to the consumer base at a lower cost.
If any of you are ever interested in this subject, and would like a good read, check out Philip Crosby's "Quality is Free". It was printed 25 years ago as a primer for manufacturing executives to get a grasp on quality concepts.
Prevention is not hard to do, it's just hard to sell when manufacturers are set on a certain way of doing things. The industry is primed for a quality revolution, and those that will lead the way can be very successful. In the long run, we are the consumers who will ultimately guide the industry through our purchases.
So there!
