Can a quality inspection solution improve my business?
We hear this question often at FORM, and the answer is always a resounding “yes.” Reliable, consistent, and timely information is the key to understanding quality throughout the product life cycle. Quality inspections using paper and spreadsheets aren’t competitive in today’s market. Simply put, manual methods will never match the speed, reliability, and connectivity of digital forms.
Meanwhile, if you’re using a freemium or off-the-shelf app instead of paper, there’s still room for improvement. Apps can’t offer the depth of analysis that solutions with custom reports and dashboards can. They won’t help you automate workflows or task management, and they aren’t able to integrate with your other systems.
What problems can a quality inspection solution solve?
Unlike manual observational data collection methods, such as spreadsheets and paper forms, a mobile quality inspection solution can manage all your forms from a single device. However, it’s not simply organizational woes that a mobile solution resolves. With mobile forms, you’ll see fewer mistakes, take less time to complete tasks, and communicate issues more clearly and easily.
- Fewer mistakes, faster results: Autofill forms based on contextual data, like the user’s login information, their GPS location, and previous responses.
- Communicate changes clearly: Cloud sync ensures that users always have the latest and most up-to-date forms available.
- Automate corrective actions: When quality inspection form are uploaded, workflows automatically trigger task assignments, API calls, and notifications without any manual interaction.
At the administrative level, you need deep analysis tools that drill down into data sets to find patterns and insights. You should be able to stay ahead of trending issues and understand the results of your initiatives by creating your own charts and graphs, like the ones offered in FORM’s dashboard functionality.
Which quality inspection solution is right for me?
Start by thinking about how you plan to use your solution. In a previous blog post, we discussed how important it is to understand who your end users are, what their environment is like, and how they perform their tasks. Simply put, if your quality inspection process is one-of-a-kind, you won’t get by with an off-the-shelf solution.
Choosing a solution provider who can mirror your current process will help your veteran workers transition more smoothly. More importantly, matching your current processes will allow you to integrate your new solution with your existing systems. A flexible solution should offer deep API integrations that can transact data across all your systems, both old and new.
The right solution provider will take the time to understand the universe surrounding your unique quality inspection process. Instead of boilerplate forms and a one-size-fits-all mentality, look for a company who can replicate your workflows and demonstrate a genuine passion for your way of doing business.
What are the biggest red flags when looking for a solution?
There are three signs to look out for when shopping for a quality inspection solution:
- Hidden fees: A solution provider should be clear and honest about the cost of ongoing maintenance, customization, and support. If you bought a solution based on a feature that ends up loaded with “installation” and “service” fees, it’s probably best to look for a new provider.
- Deployment woes: While most homegrown solutions crash and burn on the runway, the same can happen with solutions created by industry specialists. This is especially true if your workflows are complex or you have a unique process requiring custom development. Simply put, don’t trust the developers; demand rigorous, real-world QA tests—or find a new provider.
- Change management: Some companies take days or weeks to make simple changes to your forms or workflows. Make sure you understand how a provider handles changes to your solution before you enter a long-term contract.
While there are certainly more warning signs to look out for, the best way to avoid wasting your time with an under-equipped solution provider is to always ask for proof. FORM provides deep, interactive Proofs of Concept (PoCs) before any engagement with a potential client. We’ll make sure you’re satisfied with our ability to replicate your unique process before you spend a single cent.
How do I get the most out of a quality inspection solution?
It’s critical to recognize the potential of an integrated quality inspection solution; it’s not just a 1-to-1 digital version of your paper forms. It can help you optimize workflows, automate task management, distribute scheduled reports, and much more. The best way to find out everything a solution can do for your company process is to get in touch with a solutions expert.
FORM’s solution experts can walk you through your options, make suggestions, and offer their expertise in automating and streamlining inspections. With FORM, you can take complicated data transactions and fully automate them, making quality inspections clearer, faster, and more connected than ever.
Want to learn more about how FORM can improve your quality inspections with a mobile solution?
