The starting point of the career: A new journey in the Quality Center
On September 28, 2006, the company carried out a far - reaching structural adjustment. Amid the wave of this adjustment, a brand - new Quality Center came into being. And I, as if propelled by the gears of fate, embarked on a brand - new journey in quality work and officially became a "Quality Engineer", mainly responsible for handling customer complaints. It was like an unknown adventure. With a mix of nervousness and anticipation, I started my exploration in the field of quality.
First experience in handling customer complaints: The power of authenticity
I still remember that when I first dealt with customer problem feedback, my heart was in turmoil. On the one hand, admitting mistakes meant facing up to the possible deficiencies in my work, which would make me lose face a bit. On the other hand, saving face was like building a psychological defense line for myself. These two ideas clashed fiercely in my heart, like a war without gunpowder smoke. However, in the end, honesty prevailed. I summoned up the courage to admit the possible problems to the customer. Although I was scolded by the customer because of this, it was also from that moment that I deeply realized that there was no room for falsehood in quality work, and truth was the cornerstone of quality.
Forum learning time: Guidance in the quality direction
In 2007, it was an unforgettable time. Since there was no internet in the dormitory while I could access the internet for free at the company, I would make the arduous round - trip between the company and the dormitory every Saturday. The road connecting the dormitory and the company has long since taken on a new look, but every time I pass by, the scenes of that year clearly flash through my mind like movie frames.
Initially, I just went to the forum simply to search for materials and often stayed in a state of downloading materials and silently lurking. Until one day, I accidentally read the article "What Are You Struggling For" and got to know the female knight youyi. Her words were like a beacon, initially illuminating the direction of quality work for me. After that, I got to know more "heroes" on the forum, such as Panda, Tianxia Diqi, Master Ou, Diamond Dust, etc. Every time I read their classic articles, I could gain new insights and understandings. In this continuous learning process, my personal ability has been greatly improved. That's why, in March 2008, I was promoted to a quality assurance assistant, and in June of the same year, I was successfully promoted to a quality assurance manager, starting to be responsible for multiple important tasks such as process control management, shipment control, and customer complaint handling.
Profound insights into the quality assurance work
As the scope of my functions continues to expand, the things I encounter have become increasingly complex. During my tenure in charge of quality assurance, several incidents left an extremely deep impression on me.
At the beginning of my tenure, I introduced the 8D report. At that time, I was busy writing the so - called "good 8D" all day long, but I forgot about the most core on - site meetings and root cause investigation work, and completed it entirely based on my own imagination. As a result, it's predictable that the problem was not substantially solved. Now I understand that the answer to the problem is always hidden on the spot. An 8D report without finding the root cause is just a piece of waste paper no matter how perfectly it is written. The essence of 8D does not lie in what I plan to do, but in what I actually do through practical experiments and actions.
In the process of dealing with various problems, I also experienced a transformation in my way of thinking. At first, I was used to describing problems with some adjectives, but later I found that this couldn't accurately reflect the essence of the problems. Once when reporting a problem, I inadvertently exaggerated the facts. When the R & D manager questioned the authenticity of the data, I was so embarrassed that I wished the ground would open up and swallow me. Since then, I've deeply realized that exaggerating facts or using false data may give you an advantage in the short term, but it will ultimately bring negative impacts to yourself.
The path of system maintenance and promotion
During the process of doing quality assurance, I took the initiative to be responsible for system - related work, so the task of system maintenance was also transferred to the quality assurance department. Although there had always been some elements of falsification in the system work, I was purely in a learning attitude at that time and did a lot of work whole - heartedly. At the beginning of 2009, my leader assigned the factory audit work of several large customers to me. This was an arduous task. In the early stage, I had to organize manpower for full preparation; in the middle stage, I had to flexibly handle various situations on the spot; in the later stage, I also had to follow up on the emerging problems. After several rounds of hard work, although I was extremely exhausted, I also gained a lot. In June 2009, I got promoted again and became the deputy manager of the quality department, and began to lead the integration work of ISO9000 and ISO14000.
Challenges and pressures faced by the Quality Department Manager
At the end of March 2010, the manager of the Quality Department left the company, and I was naturally promoted to be the manager of the Quality Department. When I first took office, I was full of dreams and ambitions and brimming with enthusiasm. However, the reality was cruel. Previously, as a department supervisor, I only needed to take charge of my own part of the work. But when it came to being responsible for the entire quality system, there were huge changes in the perspective of thinking and the approach to handling problems. I not only had to do all the things related to the quality system well but also pay attention to the growth of the entire team. The rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the employees were all closely related to me.
The contest between pressure and belief
The boss often says that the key to evaluating a person's ability lies in three aspects: knowledge, courage, and insight. I'm well aware that I still have a long way to go in these areas. From 2010 to 2011, I was under the greatest pressure. The loopholes in the quality system were like naughty elves, popping up from time to time. The repeated criticism from my superiors left me speechless. The rebellious behavior of my subordinates also gave me a huge headache, and the unfair treatment in quality work was really hard for me to let go of. Facing all kinds of situations where people kicked me when I was down and the confusion caused by the constant splitting and merging of departments, a series of problems came at me like flowers blooming overnight. On the forum, I often heard people complaining that quality work was difficult, and I couldn't agree more. During that period, I wanted to give up many times and even wrote several resumes. However, there was always a belief supporting me: I must never give up halfway. As Feng Lun said, "A man's tolerance is enlarged by enduring grievances." If one can't even endure the humiliation of humble solicitation, how can he embrace a sunny tomorrow?
Active response: Regain confidence and take action
So, I firm up an idea: at present, I have no choice but to face things actively. I'm well aware that I have deficiencies in knowledge, courage and insight, so I'll make up for them with hard work. I take the initiative to shoulder more responsibilities, relearn the PDCA management method, immerse myself in the on - site work, actively look for problems, set goals, formulate plans, strengthen supervision and communicate frequently. Because I understand that the essence of management is to constantly discover and solve problems, and lead the team to overcome one difficulty after another. There is no perfect individual, but there can be a perfect team.
Future Outlook: Upholding a Positive Attitude
Next year, perhaps I will leave this position, but I will never lose this positive attitude. No matter what kind of job I'm engaged in and no matter where I am, I will learn to face problems actively and always strengthen myself in a positive way. This is my profound experience from doing quality work in the past few years, and I'd like to share it with all of you.