As has been going around here, the issue of Quality and Cost, to many is counter-intuitive. In reality, in the long term, improved quality would result in cost reductions and improved customer loyalty. It's really a win / win.
- How much does it cost for THOR to have coaches in their Service Center, where an appointment can be a 2 month wait ?
- What is the labor cost of a Service Center Tech vs. a line person ?
- What are the material cost in making the repairs under warranty ? Non-warranty work is $100 per hour.
- And then, add to that the cost of the loss of customers based on a bad experience with THOR products ?
Some of us have mentioned Deming (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming) here. It's not a new concept, just one that, unfortunately, some industries in the US still resist. If you try to get a job in the Automotive industry, much of what is now referred to as "Lean Manufacturing" (
Lean Manufacturing and the Toyota Production System) stems from Deming and how the Japanese took to heart his teachings and made the US Auto industry improve, kicking and screaming, just so they could stay in business. It took some, in the Auto business, till about 2010 to realize that they just couldn't shovel crap anymore.
At Motorola, when it was a company that many looked to, it was called 6 sigma.
One of the 1st things you learn is that the "don't give a crap" attitude stems from the top. This is not something you do by just giving it lip service.
But I'm doing reruns. And as long as, we, the Customers don't put the heat on THOR, there will never be a change.
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