8.2.3 Review of requirements related to products and services
Last week, we established our methods of communication with customers and soliciting input regarding their needs. Now it’s time to talk about understanding and reviewing those needs in order to fulfill them.
Let’s have a look at each requirement individually.
“The organization shall review, as applicable:
a) requirements specified by the customer, including the requirements for delivery and post-delivery activities;”
This is a general statement by the customer of what they’re looking for. It may be in the form of a request for quote, inquiry, or even skipping right to the chase and right to a purchase order. In any case, it’s the first step in understanding the customer’s requirements. Some companies accept verbal inquiries and orders. In this case, the organization should be sure to have a very robust process to ensure all necessary information is gathered proactively. Regarding “delivery and post-delivery activities”, this requirement is designed to ensure all requirements are clearly understood by both parties prior to entering into a contract.
“b) requirements not stated by the customer, but necessary for the customers’ specified or intended use, when known;”
This is a real trick bag! So, the customer may or may not state a requirement, and the onus is on the organization to solicit needs on behalf of the customer, whether or not the customer knows their own requirements. It’s important that when we are in the role of customer, we be a “good customer’ and know what we need and communicate it clearly to a supplier so that a contract can be successfully executed. However, not all customers rise to this challenge, and a supplier bears a responsibility for doing their best to understand the customer’s intentions and then make their best recommendation for the customer’s approval.
“c) additional statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the products and services;”
Again, there is a great deal of responsibility on the part of the supplier to understand their industry and the requirements applicable to the products they’re selling, and also, all potential applications of their products and the impacts of associated statutory and regulatory requirements.
“d) contract or order requirements differing from those previously expressed.”
This requirement is intended to make both parties responsible for stating and reviewing contract requirements which may become important later. Buyers and sellers should clearly state, negotiate and agree upon all requirements and expectations.
“NOTE: Requirements can also include those arising from relevant interested parties.”
This note points back to statutory and regulatory requirements, but also to requirements within the supply chain, both up and downstream. In some cases, both consumers and suppliers in the network may have requirements that are fulfilled either up or downstream. These must be communicated and captured.
“This review shall be conducted prior to the organization’s commitment to supply products and services to the customer and shall ensure contract or order requirements differing from those previously defined are resolved.
Where the customer does not provide a documented statement of their requirements, the customer requirements shall be confirmed by the organization before acceptance.
Documented information describing the results of the review, including any new or changed requirements for the products and services, shall be retained.”
This is really puts a stake in the ground that makes verbal and handshake orders difficult to be considered compliant to the standard. It’s a good requirement that any and all exceptions should be expressly noted and settled, rather than arbitrary substitutions. And the requirement of “documented information” pretty much requires that all orders be documented. That is not to say that verbal orders may not be accepted, but they must be documented by someone.
“Where requirements for products and services are changed, the organization shall ensure that relevant documented information is amended and that relevant personnel are made aware of the changed requirements.”
This is perhaps the most important requirement of them all. Typically, taking an order and fulfilling it is the easy part. It’s changes that trip us up. If a customer makes modifications to their requirements, for even something as simple as quantity or delivery date, the changes must be carefully controlled, communicated and executed.
All in all, this section is very clear and easy to understand. In fact, it is clearer and more detailed than some of the other sections. As I noted last week, there is some repetition and weird structure here, but the content is easily understood and therefore, easy to meet.
THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK
What is your customer order review process? Does your organization proactively solicit all necessary information to fulfill your customers’ requirements (stated and unstated)? Does your organization maintain “documented information” about these reviews? Be sure your organization has these bases covered and you will have confidence in your compliance.
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