Davis & Shirtliff (D&S) quality culture draws principally from the corporate guiding principle that says “One person working alone is limited in their endeavours but many people working together have no limit to their achievements”, by Poul du Jensen founder of Grundfos. This principle is known by employees and encompasses many aspects beyond teamwork. D&S has developed a culture of hard work, integrity and transparency where information is shared widely across the company. Employees feel empowered by management and because the overall strategic direction is frequently and clearly expressed, with constant feedback, there is less internal politics.
The integration of ISO 9001:2000 into the fabric of D&S’s daily operations has made a huge difference in improving the quality processes and products from the company. The ISO certification is a system of innovations that are constantly being introduced into the company. They already heavily customized enterprise resource planning software, Navision, is always being improved by a n in-house software programmer who receives suggestions for improvement from all departments.
D&S has involved its suppliers, customers and employees in its quality efforts. The company’s primary equipment suppliers are either ISO certified or have other international quality certifications. Through the routine “How do you Rate Us?” and service questionnaires, customer feedback is regularly sought and acted upon. The annual staff survey and performance appraisals provide further opportunity to improve management of the issues raised.
The Management - August 2008
