Alignment of after-sales services with measures to improve quality: A case study in a major auto assembly plant in Brazil

The study presented here is guided by a strategic vision of the operations area, involving the processes of administration of quality assurance and opportunities for continuous improvement in auto assembly plant located in Brazil. It examines the use of information from after-sales services in the improvement of products and their manufacturing processes. This article analyzes the correlation between the actions undertaken by groups to improve the quality and the information obtained from the customer´s services. Data were collected in the quality management system of the automaker, which uses as a primary source of information the system of quality assurance. It is through this computerized system the company manages the repair and service performed by its network of distributors, during the warranty period of the vehicle. Information obtained in the system of quality assurance was complemented with data recorded in the technical support service to the dealer and from the 24-hours customer service, for the same period. Occurrences of the sector of technical support to the dealer come from defects difficult to solve, involving the unavailability of the car for a long period of time. In the case of 24-hours service, the car crashes during its use. Both situations cause major customer dissatisfaction. The events obtained from the three sources of data were compared with the actions of improvement proposed by cross-functional teams of quality. It follows that the assembler emphasizes the cost dimension. It´s also suggested ways of using information from 24-hours service and technical support, if you want to give more importance to customer satisfaction.