You might not associate IT with product recall management, but IT departments have an important role to play in handling recall notices from the federal government and other agencies. Without robust IT procedures and technologies, organizations can’t improve recall response times and could experience negative financial and legal consequences.

Here’s a scenario:

The FDA issues a recall notice because a particular material is dangerous. A medical device manufacturer that uses this material in their products needs to remove it from supply chains and recall products already on the market. The problem is, the manufacturer’s IT department lacks the infrastructure to handle product recalls, meaning the organization is slow to take action. In this scenario, thousands of lives are at risk.

As you can see, the IT department, like many other departments in an organization, has responsibilities in the product recall management process. In the next part of our series about the impact of product recalls on various departments, we focus on the challenges faced by IT teams.

What Does an IT Department Do?

An IT department installs and maintains computer systems and infrastructure in an organization. Its roles and responsibilities include:

  • Maintaining networks
  • Managing software/hardware
  • Investing in new technologies
  • Safeguarding data
  • Keeping computer systems/networks working properly

In a product recall management context, IT departments maintain networks and systems so an organization can facilitate product recalls effectively. Product recall notices from the FDA and other government departments can come at any time, and IT departments need to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

An entire organization relies on IT to expedite product recalls. Without the right technologies, many departments can’t handle recalls correctly. Outdated software, malfunctioning hardware, and ineffective computer systems slow down the recall process, leaving organizations facing fines for non-compliance and slow response times.

Organizations use these technologes  to manage product recalls:

  • Product managers need to communicate product recall notices to the entire organization via email, live chat, and other technologies.
  • Supply and distribution teams need to track the batch/item numbers of recalled materials, products, and components and alter supply chains via ERP and inventory management systems.
  • Logistics teams need to change shipping processes that include recalled products via ERP systems.
  • Customer service teams need to communicate recall information to customers via CRP systems.

This list is not exhaustive. There are various technologies involved in product recall management, and the IT department is responsible for nearly all of them.

What Challenges Do IT Departments Face in Product Recall Planning and Exercises?

IT departments face many challenges with product recall management:

Legacy systems

Legacy systems make it difficult for organizations to manage product recalls. Outdated hardware/software is slow, ineffective, and labor-intensive. IT departments have to maintain legacy systems or migrate data to new systems (or the cloud), which can be expensive and time-consuming.

Software bloat

Software bloat can sometimes contribute to product recall problems and slow response times. When different departments use too many digital tools, it complicates the entire product recall process, especially when organizations store data on various platforms. IT departments should consolidate data into one system for more accurate and reliable product recall management.

Expensive digital tools

Budgets often limit IT departments. Although they want to invest in the latest technologies, IT teams can’t secure funds from managers, which has a trickle-down effect on other departments. Some employees, for example, might be unable to complete recall management duties because of outdated and unreliable digital tools.

How Can IT Departments Solve These Recall Planning Challenges?

Recall Planning Exercises

Mock recalls are routine exercises conducted by manufacturers, processors, distributors and other various trading partners in the supply chain to assess or verify their recall procedures and responsiveness and to train the recall team.

Legacy systems

IT departments should invest in a reliable product recall management platform that handles all aspects of recall management, from issuing important communications to identifying batch numbers. A good platform handles many, if not all, of the tasks associated with recall management. Plus, IT departments won’t have to maintain old systems from five, 10, or even 20 years ago.

Software bloat

Using a product recall management system lets IT departments store data related to product recalls on one platform, eliminating the need for multiple pieces of software. This makes it easier to track recall notices and speed up recall responses. The best recall management tools store data in the cloud, so different departments can access vital information from various locations.

Expensive digital tools

Some recall tools cost thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of dollars, which many organizations can’t afford. However, a good recall management system only charges IT departments (and other departments within an organization) for when they use the platform. The result? More cost savings.

How IT Departments Should Conduct Mock Recall Planning Exercises

MockRecalls is a mock recall planning, training and consulting program to test your recall readiness. We are purely focused on protecting your product investment by working with you to create a new recall plan or analyze your current recall plan and then put it through a mock recall or recall simulation test to insure you are prepared for a possible product recall. We use our on-demand SaaS based recall management platform that eliminates common mistakes manually conducting recalls, by automating the most tedious steps of a product recall. It is a simple to use platform that just focuses on handling product recalls quickly and efficiently. Through our mock recall training using our dedicated recall platform, companies can improve the recall process, increase response rates, and document and communicate with all stakeholders.

Why IT Departments Should Use a Recall Management SaaS System

Trievr eliminates many common problems associated with recall management. IT departments can use this on-demand cloud-based platform instead of maintaining legacy systems or several pieces of software. Plus, there are no monthly/annual fees.

Final Word

IT departments are crucial in the product recall management process and recall planning and exercises, but they face many challenges because of ineffective, outdated, and expensive digital tools and processes.

Looking to test your product recall readiness across your organization? MockRecalls will help create and/or test your recall program. Click here to learn more or call us!

Learn more about each department’s role during a product recall