How do you prevent customer complaints about food and beverage quality?

I agree with setting guidelines, creating working SOPs and having a robust training program. Being in quality you learn quickly how many different areas have a large impact on the quality of the product you provide; whether distribution and sales, maintenance, or contractors; everyone has an impact in one way or another. The best mindset to have is to always be proactive and not reactive. Never waste a good failure; there is opportunity all around us.

In my experience, giving clear and consistent guidelines in a short way helps workers to follow SOPs and work instructions. Also, empowering workers to report any quality issue before left the company is a great tool to prevent consumer complaints.

Define Quality criteria for each products with clear expectations and make sure to have trainings for all relevant employees. continuously monitor for improvement points.

I agree, absolute clarity is very important. The QCFs as well as the production team all need to understand what is expected. Quality involves all departments and getting everyone on the same page of what great quality product is will help reduce many complaints. Everyone involved will know what to look out for should there be sub-std product and how to prevent it.

Quality should be first preference considered in manufacturing F&B OPERATIONS by setting check points to tackle the problem.

Based on my experience, Complaints can be controlled and prevented by ensuring the following - 1. By following the SOP's strictly and training personnel on their job responsibility as well as monitoring their performance 2. Regular / Frequent internal audits or self inspections to ensure program in place is being followed properly and any look for any improvements if required 3. Regular in process and product quality checks 4. Monitoring KPI's regularly to ensure they are within the company standards 5. Product handling and storage conditions need to be monitored (Eg: Stability studies can be performed based on product type and determine the optimum storage conditions and shelf life).

Empower the staff by being genuine. Avoid slogan that you are not following and eliminate fear. Break barriers, lead by example. I had a food operator telling me once :” you see the big banner at the entrance of the production that says Safety Quality Production? It is just for decoration” He continues to say :” we all know that production is first, quality if we have time”. If the KPI are only on production empowering for quality is vain. Quality issues will be seen as production deterrent which won’t be reported.

Coaching and Team Involvement with Gemba walks for Continuous improvement. Communication is key. Set achievable expectations Equally balanced Qualitative and Quantitative goals. Coach! Empower! Motivate! Promote Emotional Intelligence. Avoid hierarchical terminology utilize more inclusive terms. See something say something Notify stakeholders asap. Plan and develop strategies to strengthen for quality deliverables and a Winning Team. Monthly F&B Trainings: Production,Maintenance,Sanitation and Quality. Topics: CCP's, GDP's, and Risk Management,GMP's. Engage through reward based games and mock scenarios to ensure proper procedures are being utilized. Allow time for feedback. (Poke Yoke) to establish a food safety culture.

Train staff very important role One of the things I said always to my team. We sell meat and somebody will Eat it can be our family or even Ourselves,well I buy meat where I work RWA [raised without antibiotics]very taste . Well yea that’s what I said to my team ,follow the standards,providing good quality of protein resource,and also very very important ,The label the expiration date ,you have to check printing the right labels It happens sometimes with the new guys when the are in training .that’s why you have to keep an eye on them to make sure they are doing a good job Happy ?? for the company selling a quality And the costumer happy too??because buying a good quality of meat .

I’ve seen company take complaints as an opportunity for improvement and I have seen others hide under a rock once an issue is reported. In my experience I can say only the first type company strives. By taking responsibility of the complaints they are able to find flaws in their system and improve it. This in turn increase their product quality and safety. The ROI is a better customer trust ,confidence and better customer relationship. A solid relationship key to get the many feedback necessary to optimize your product and improve it.

A great tool to improve quality is to perform a proper root cause analysis of each customer complaint. Be sure to involve different departments in the analysis to conduct the investigation of the complaint. Follow up all strategies established as part of prevention and measure how effective they are before a complaint is closed.

Passion of Food Keep the sparks in the eyes of your staff about their sacred mission: feeding people by products coming directly or indirectly from Earth. The satisfaction of our consumers is a noble motivation to keep working hard to maintain the system running and also improve it. Human to human, smile of satisfaction. Global change will provide significant changes into the society, the need of delicious and safe food will stay.