The Quality Assurance (QA) department identifies defects in manufactured products, preventing product recalls from happening. But problems can occur elsewhere in supply chains, causing the government to issue a recall notice. When this happens, QA teams need to collaborate with the rest of their organization and act quickly to minimize public safety risks.

As we continue our series about department roles during a recall, we examine the role of the QA team. We also explain the benefits of digital tools for these teams.

What Does the QA Department Do?

QA teams prevent mistakes during the manufacturing process and identify production bottlenecks. These employees adhere to quality requirements such as ISO 9000, which protect the public from faulty materials and defective products.

A good QA team identifies manufacturing problems early in the process, preventing defective products from progressing further along supply chains. However, sometimes issues occur elsewhere in a chain, triggering safety alerts or product recall notices from agencies like the FDA.

In these scenarios, QA teams need to adjust their protocols and change manufacturing processes. These actions prevent further risk to customers. During a product recall situation, the QA department also needs to fulfill the following responsibilities:

  • Remove defective materials, components, and products from workflows.
  • Carry out inspections.
  • Communicate with other departments.
  • Communicate with suppliers, vendors, retailers, and clients in supply chains.
  • Identify any other problems associated with the product recall.

Communicate more effectively with your QA team! Click here to discover Trievr or try a 15-day trial for free. 

How Can Organizations Support QA Teams During a Recall?

QA teams serve an ever-important role during product recalls. However, these employees require the latest information to carry out tasks effectively.

In a recall situation, time is of the essence. QA teams that receive recall information days (or even several hours) after the government issues a recall notice can’t do their jobs properly. Late information can have a significant impact on the rest of the organization and increase recall response times.

To support QA teams and improve product recall responses, managers need to communicate effectively by:

  • Providing QA teams with relevant recall information shortly after the government issues a recall notice.
  • Providing QA teams with instructions for dealing with a recall.
  • Keeping QA teams informed during the entire recall process.

Busy organizations with many teams might find this challenging. As we explained earlier in this series, businesses with different departments need to communicate during the recall management process, and ineffective communication can complicate matters. So organizations must have a unified communications strategy to improve product recall response times. Different teams must exchange information at the right time.

Recommended reading: How to Optimize Different Product Recall Plans

How Can Organizations Communicate Properly with QA Teams?

The latest technology facilitates communication about product safety. In today’s business environment, where organizations need to make split-second decisions about recalls, digital tools like product recall management systems serve a critical function. Outdated legacy systems won’t provide organizations with the same value. Plus, these programs could increase human error and other costly mistakes.

Managers need to communicate with QA teams for several reasons. A lack of communication can cause the following problems:

  • Fines from government agencies like the FDA.
  • Possible criminal proceedings.
  • Lawsuits from customers, clients, and suppliers that are affected by poor recall management decisions.
  • Negative media publicity.
  • A drop in sales.

These problems aren’t exclusive to QA teams. Managers who don’t communicate with all relevant departments during a product recall crisis will probably experience negative consequences.

A product recall management solution like Trievr optimizes communication between managers and QA teams (and other departments). This SaaS-based system utilizes the cloud so QA departments can access recall information quickly and collaborate on projects.

There are other benefits. QA teams that use Trievr can access the following features:

  • Product recall templates.
  • Real-time reports.
  • Auto-alert reminders.
  • Enhanced security.

Unlike with other product recall management platforms, with Trievr, QA teams only pay for the features they require. So there are no monthly, quarterly, or annual fees. As a result, organizations receive a recall management solution without the expensive price tag.

Trievr suits QA teams in all industries, including:

  • Pharma.
  • Life science.
  • Manufacturing.
  • Food and beverage.

Recommended reading: 3 Surprising Factors That Impact Product Recall Response Times

Final Word

Quality assurance teams need excellent digital solutions to identify production bottlenecks and solve manufacturing problems. Data-driven organizations should invest in a platform like Trievr to experience better recall management across the board.

Optimize product recall management in your QA department with Trievr! Click here to learn more or try a 15-day free trial. And subscribe to our blog for more posts about product recall response department roles.