Volvo 2005 Annual Report Download - page 36

32 Volvo Group 2005
The Volvo Group is a customer- and
quality-driven organization. Our prod-
ucts are often crucial to our custom-
ers’ success and must therefore meet the
highest stan da rds. Our long -term goal is to be
number one in terms of image and customer
satisfac tion .
The conditions for reliability and customer
benefit are already established at the product
design and development stage. Our quality
concept is based on the customers’ needs,
which include how we perform service, how we
provide access to information and how we
treat people. By measuring customer satisfac-
tion, we know that we are focusing on the right
items and the result is built into our efforts for
continuous improvement. To be able to con-
tinuously offer high-quality products and ser-
vices requires strong commitment from the
organization, which is why the Volvo Group
management assigns a very high priority to
quality issues.
Ambitious quality policy
Volvo Group’s quality policy stipulates that the
Group shall rank as leader for quality among
the world’s producers of vehicles and trans-
port-related products and services. This goal
is to be achieved through a customer focus
based on:
• commitment from managers
• the active involvement of all employees
• a process-oriented approach.
Clear customer focus
Quality is a measure of how well we succeed
in the eyes of our customers. Our success in
the market depends on our ability to under-
stand and fulfill customers’ needs and exceed
their expectations. To achieve this, we must be
better than our competitors, which requires
that we listen to our customers and work sys-
tematically to bring about lasting improve-
ments based on their observations.
Management commitment
All managers are expected to show clear com-
mitment to quality issues by communicating
clear targets and proceeding from words to
actions. It is also vitally important that man-
agers help to ensure that the competence of
all employees is strengthened, by seeing that
employees are given the opportunity to achieve
their targets and by delegating responsibility
and authority as far as possible.
Employees involvement
All employees within the Volvo Group, as well
as the employees of suppliers, distributors and
dealers, must be given the opportunity to
understand both their importance in efforts to
achieve quality targets and their responsibility
for quality in their daily work. Employees must
be well-informed about established targets
and are expected, together with their col-
leagues, to actively contribute to the achieve-
ment of the Group’s goals.
Process-oriented approach
The Volvo Group strives to be a proactive
organization with the aim of always getting it
right from the start. We continuously identify,
document and develop our processes by:
• working to achieve maximum customer sat-
isfaction and zero defects
• s tr iving t oward t a rget s a nd m e asuring re s ults
against them
• comparing ourselves with others and always
learning from the best.
Established and extended quality
organization
All units within the Group have their own qual-
ity managers and apply a common method for
process improvement and product develop-
ment. Among other tools, this involves check-
points with clear requirements about what
results must be achieved before product
development projects are allowed to proceed.
Safety and environmental requirements are
included in the same process.
Quality work is coordinated at Group level
by the Quality Council. The members of which
comprise the quality managers from each
business area. Group management is repre-
sented by Michel Gigou, Senior Vice President
of AB Volvo, who is responsible for quality
issues.
The Quality Council supports executive
management and the Board in overseeing and
reviewing quality systems. The Council serves
as an advisory body on Group-wide quality
issues.
External awards
Volvo Penta’s new IPS drive system
received several international
awards during the year, notably the
innovation prize “Best Technological
Innovation Trophy” at the Genoa
International Boat Show and US
boating magazine Motor Boating’s
“Best of the Year Award.” Volvo
Penta’s IPS system was also
rewarded with Volvo’s technology
prize for 2005.
In October, the Renault Magnum
was named the world’s most beauti-
ful truck by the international jury
charged with selecting “The World’s
Most Beautiful Automobile.”
The Volvo FH16 HP “Black Metal”
came second and the Renault
Premium fourth.
Customer- and quality-driven organization