LDRDocs/Processes/QMS - Jackets and Clothing.md

---
authors: Jason Thistlethwaite, Carlos Garnes, Matthew Crain, Danny Northcutt
tags:
  - jackets
  - accountabilty
  - workInProgress
  - intendedProcess
  - quality
  - returns
  - livingDocument
  - QMS
lastRevised: 2023-11-29
googleDoc:
---

Our goal is to provide the most accurate answers we can to each question/section of this report. Each section should outline the following things:
  

1. Each step of the process, from the time we receive a package to when it ultimately leaves the building.
    
2. The goal of each step in plain language.
    
3. A list of the main mistakes or problems that can happen at that step.
    
4. A plain-language explanation of what we do to detect or prevent each error/mistake.
    


## Overall Project Goal

Each jacket we receive should be properly identified and graded either New or Defective within _____ time frame after we received it. Each jacket marked New should meet the standards that a new owner will be happy to receive their purchase, so it must be free from defects. When the customer orders a jacket to be sent out, the jacket should be picked, packed, and transferred to the shipping carrier within 1 business day.


Question 1: Is the above statement accurate?

Statement is as accurate as i understand it.

  

Question 2: In each area jackets are processed is there any sort of posted signage that explains the goal of the project?

  

No. There is currently no signage stating this goal or objective. Currently conveyed orally during training.

## Known failure modes – this section should list all the known major things that can go wrong, which could defeat the overall goal.

Here’s our job at this step: we want to carefully think of everything that can go wrong with a jacket during each step, even if we don’t think it is likely to happen.

  

### Broad / general:
1. We can’t afford supplies or people to do the work.
	1. Jason emails Danish about once a month to remind him he needs to pay. He often pays right away, but other times we may hear no response at all for a week or two.
2. Storage/space issues
	1. Regular processing of disposal orders help to free up space for incoming orders and processing. Adequate space and storage also assist with processing times and prevention of missing items.    
3. Customers may not provide an accurate forecast of volume, which can then surprise us, leading to delays or space issues.
	1. Most parts of the process are streamlined so we can bring in temporary labor to assist with about 24-hour notice, but only if the customer has only a minimal outstanding balance (otherwise we can’t afford to do this).    
	2. When customers provide tracking information in advance for inbound shipments we have a forecasting calendar management can use to plan for expected volume.
    

### Presort
#### Goal:
Packages delivered to us are sorted the same day by customer or service line to make sure the right group of people in the warehouse receive them in a timely manner. A handheld computer is used to assist with this by scanning packages during receiving. If the customer told us in advance to expect a tracking number, the handheld computer gives the worker an audio queue to assist with faster, more accurate sorting. During this step, if the handheld computer is used, it logs what time each package was sorted and which person did it. That information can be helpful later if the carrier says we received a package but we can’t find it, because we can use that information to check cameras. The lack of this record can indicate the package was truly not delivered to our warehouse. If a package that was scanned during presort has not received a second-touch by an employee within 3 days it triggers an alarm instructing employees to clean the unloading areas and search for missing packages.  

#### 2. Known errors:

1. Jacket lost after it was delivered and never reaches the inspection/checkin team.
	1. Discovered during general warehouse inventory audit.
	2. There is the possibility of packages falling on the ground while being transported to their storage location.
	3. We are currently assigning inbound packages for this customer a location during the presort process that should make them easy to locate if this happens.
	4. We have a system that alerts us about packages not being checked in within 3 days of clearing presort, which brings potentially missing packages to our attention.
2. Postal service says the jacket was delivered but we actually didn’t receive it.
	1. Often discovered or verified during general warehouse inventory audit
	2. We do not currently have measures in place to react to this problem. I suppose camera footage would be the only thing that could prove something like this.
	3. We have a system that alerts us of packages that were shown as delivered, but never cleared presort or reached check in.
3. Packages are not addressed properly by the customer, which can cause them to take longer to reach the correct people in the warehouse.
	1. All packages that are not immediately recognizable because of their shipping label are set aside during presort to allow the most experienced staff to analyze and decide where they need to go in the warehouse.
6. The handheld computer is not used for some reason, meaning we have less information to investigate a missing package later.
	1. It is an understood rule and mandatory part of our dock  operations to scan every package we receive in our presort tool, meaning this should never happen.
	2. Some packages for this account are delivered via postage stamp and do not have a scannable tracking number. We do not currently have a presort protocol for this instance.
7. Damaged or missing shipping labels. Box with jacket in it but cannot determine its status or account.
	1. Item is compared to known inbounds and/or received packages which have not been checked in yet.
	2. We are able to check in packages with damaged or missing shipping labels with a randomly generated internal tracking number. If the order/account cannot be identified, the package is processed as an auto-request. We have agreed to check in packages with no identifiable account to 636397-Decrum.
8. Delivery drivers leave the packages in a dangerous or nonstandard spot, like putting them in the yard, behind our dumpster, or leaving them on the porch over the weekend.
	1. We have posted signage outside the building with instructions for how and where to deliver packages, with cameras pointed at these signs and the delivery areas.
	2. When the customer provided tracking information in advance our software forecasts delivery ETAs. If our software notices a package was marked “delivered” by the carrier but does not receive a scan by any employee within 3 business days, an alert is triggered which compels staff to clean the areas around all doors, search for any packages left outside, and review surveillance footage.
### Checkin

#### Goal: 
Confirm for sure that each package was received, where it is in the building, and what is inside of it. This is done by comparing the tracking number and info printed on the package to match the package to an order the customer told us to expect. If we cannot match the package, pictures are taken and it is set aside until the customer tells us which order it belongs to.  

During this step, each package or item is given a unique, standardized barcode that any employee can scan to lookup and accurately identify them at any point after this step. Each of these barcodes has a “blank” spot that gets covered by a colored sticker later after services are completed. We do that so any item that hasn’t been serviced yet can be easily recognized from a distance.  

Sometimes items received aren’t listed in the expected order contents, or there is no strong way to match them. For example, the order might say to expect a red jacket, but we actually received a pair of shoes. In other cases, the jacket we received doesn’t have any tags or SKU information to easily match to what was expected. In such cases the items are graded “Customer Service Needed”, a pink sticker is applied, and the items skip directly to the STOW step until we hear from the customer regarding what they want us to do with the item.  

#### Errors
1. The employee applies the barcode to the item, but doesn’t associate it with the item in the computer system. If that happens and the item has been separated from the package we received it in, there is no good way to match the item to the correct order at a later step.
	1. Associates are trained not to discard the package until check-in is confirmed complete.
	2. All items that are checked in are then scanned by another employee in batches before being placed in storage. During this step, errors like unassociated item numbers, missing labels and packing issues are caught and addressed quickly.
	3. If an item is discovered with a missing item number or unassociated item number, the line is stopped so the issue can be resolved. If the issue cannot be resolved the seller will be contacted with as much information as possible about the situation.
2. The sender of the package includes items that aren’t supposed to be in the order.
	1. Process is described above
	2. Items that likely don’t belong to the seller, as well as extra items received, are checked in as “customer service needed” unless they are a jacket that can be identified by its SKU tag. The goal is to alert the seller and find out what they want done with the item.
3. Checkin person checks the jacket into the wrong order.
	1. Each package is handled one by one by employees who understand that it is mandatory to take their time and make sure the items inside are associated with the correct order. They check each package thoroughly for the multitude of places that an order ID may be found.
	2. If a package has no pre-associated order and contains no order ID on the label or packing slips, it is set aside for the auto-request process during which photos of the package, labels and items are taken for the seller.
4. Checkin person misidentifies the model, size or SKU of the jacket.
	1. There is a secondary check during the next step, inspection.
	2. The inspectors are told to take their time during these steps to ensure items are not misidentified. When an item is missing its tag or doesn’t appear to match the order, it is set aside for a supervisor to handle.
5. A jacket gets checked in a long time after we receive it.
	1. In the case that a package is found long after being delivered that has a shipping label and order id, the package is simply checked in as usual, or processed as an auto-request. There is no current standard for contacting the seller when this happens.
	2. When a jacket is found that does not appear to have been checked in and has no packaging or shipping label, it is identified by SKU and checked against inbound orders that are expecting that SKU. If an order is discovered that has aged without its expected item being received, the jacket is checked into that order. This process is not currently standardized and does not consider the possibility that the jacket in question has not already been checked in.
	3. Items like this that cannot be matched with a suspected inbound order become stranded inventory, which is sometimes used to fulfill orders that contain missing items of the same SKU in the system. There is not currently any agreement about this with the seller, or any written procedure about it.
6. A jacket is found somewhere with no identifying information, so as to make assumptions about what order it belongs to.
	1. When a jacket is found that does not appear to have been checked in and has no packaging or shipping label, it is identified by SKU and checked against inbound orders that are expecting that SKU. If an order is discovered that has aged without its expected item being received, the jacket is checked into that order. This process is not currently standardized and does not consider the possibility that the jacket in question has not already been checked in.
	2. Items like this that cannot be matched with a suspected inbound order become stranded inventory, which is sometimes used to fulfill orders that contain missing items of the same SKU in the system. There is not currently any agreement about this with the seller, or any written procedure about it.
    

### Gap between checkin and inspection
Jacket becomes lost or separated from the order after check in (item number not active, falls off, etc).

1. This gap has been almost eliminated which cuts down (almost eliminated) g. and h. of the previous section. This has been done by inspecting immediately (or same day) after check-in. It's been noted the longer the gap between check-in and inspection, the more difficult it is to identify and/or correct check-in issues.
    
2. All items that are checked in are then scanned by another employee in batches before being placed in storage. During this step, errors like unassociated item numbers, missing labels and packing issues are caught and addressed quickly.
    
3. If an item is discovered with a missing item number or unassociated item number, the line is stopped so the issue can be resolved. If the issue cannot be resolved the seller will be contacted with as much information as possible about the situation.  

### Inspection

#### Goal

Each item is inspected according to a checklist provided by the customer, which includes documenting any differences between the item and a new one. The findings are then input into the computer and a colored sticker is placed on the item as a visual indicator this step was completed. The item is then resealed or repackaged for safe storage and so it cannot be tampered with later without breaking the seal.  

#### Errors
1. Defects are missed during inspection such as wrinkles, smells, tears, missing or worn buttons, incorrect tags or colors, etc.
	1. Brief visual inspection during stow/storage process.
	2. The inspectors follow step by step instructions to check every part of each jacket thoroughly for up to 3 minutes. There is a standardized set of criteria that need to be met for a jacket to be considered New.
	3. Jackets that do not meet this standard are marked Defective or Damaged.
2. The jacket is not repackaged in a professional manner, causing it to later become stained, wrinkled, or damaged after we inspected it.
	1. Brief visual inspection during stow/storage process.
	2. We use the same poly bags to store each jacket after it is inspected. These bags are thick enough to protect against most damage such as moisture, staining or rips and tears.
	3. The jackets are stored in a way that minimizes the risk of them becoming wrinkled.
3. Defects we could fix, like hair or dirt, actually do not get fixed.
	1. Often a judgment call. As in TOO MUCH dirt, or TOO MUCH hair where cleaning would be excessive.
	2. The inspectors follow step by step instructions to check every part of each jacket thoroughly for up to 3 minutes. There is a standardized set of criteria that need to be met for a jacket to be considered New.
	3. Jackets that do not meet this standard are marked Defective or Damaged.
4. The inspector accidentally marks the item in the wrong condition (eg: they meant to mark it New, but they accidentally mark it defective instead).
	1. Items are scanned at some point after inspection (during QA or sztow/storage). There is an audible alarm that identifies the condition of the item. If it does not match the color of the sticker the jacket is re-inspected
	2. There is not currently anything in place to catch/handle this other than the step listed above.
5. Worker forgets to attach the colored sticker, which can cause someone to think the item has not already been inspected, so it gets inspected twice.
	1. All items that are checked in are then scanned by another employee in batches before being placed in storage. During this step errors like unassociated item numbers, missing labels/colored stickers and packing issues are caught and addressed quickly.
	2. If an item reaches this step with no colored sticker applied, the item number is checked to see if it is already associated with an item. If it is, the correct color is applied. If an error occurs and the item is not checked in or conditioned, this is fixed immediately.
6. The item is not properly sealed, which could cause it to fall out of the packaging later or get dirty.
	1. Brief visual inspection during stow/storage process.
	2. We are currently using self seal poly bags to store each jacket that close very securely. Making sure each bag is tightly sealed is part of the process followed by the inspector.  

### Gap
1. Jacket goes where after processing? Can anything bad happen to it during this time?
2. Jacket is held in a designated location awaiting QA. (DANISH-HOLD-01). As items are removed from here they are scanned by a tool that verifies condition (matched with sticker). There is a visual inspection of packaging and items are sorted by grade before next step (STOW).  

### STOW

#### Goal: 
Each item is checked to make sure it is properly sealed and labeled, and then it is placed in safe storage so it can be quickly found later to be shipped out or have additional work performed. Every item is to be placed to minimize the risk of falling over or behind something else, and all locations used for storage are at least 20 feet away from any entrance or exit, with multiple security cameras aimed at the area. The cameras retain surveillance footage for no less than 30 days.  

#### Errors:
1. Jacket gets put away, but assigned the wrong location code.
	1. We use software that requires the user to assign the location of items one at a time. This makes it very unlikely that an item is given the wrong location during this step.
	2. Storage areas for this account are regularly audited to correct this kind of mistake quickly if it is not noticed sooner.
2. Jacket gets put away in a fashion that will damage or wrinkle it.
    1. Employees that put these items in storage follow a criteria about how this is done, including a limit to how many jackets can be stored in one location and a particular way that they are placed in storage.
3. Jacket gets put away when nobody actually inspected it.
	1. Prevented by QA step.
	2. Each jacket is checked by a second inspector before it is queued up to be put in storage. An issue like this will be caught at this step and corrected.
4. Jacket never gets put away – it remains on a table or on the floor.
	1. Area cleaned at end of shift. Any items with questionable status are scanned and put away for processing.
	2. The Q.C./Q.A step after initial inspection prevents this from happening.  

### Pick
#### Goal
Given a list of standard barcodes and location codes, an employee searches the warehouse to collect items a customer wants to ship out or have extra work performed on. An employee doing this should be able to pick at least 60 items per hour, unless they are unusual sizes that require special handling. The employee doing this uses a handheld computer to scan each item as they pick to ensure they have the correct item.  

#### Errors:
1. A jacket cannot be found at the time the customer wants us to send it out.
	1. Triggers investigation. Order is marked stuck and the customer is notified.
	2. We use software that requires the user to assign the location of items one at a time. This makes it very unlikely that an item is not able to be found in the location it was placed in during the STOW process.
2. The wrong jacket gets picked and taken for packing.
	1. Items are scanned at packing/shipping.
	2. We use software that audibly alerts the picker when they make a mistake such as scanning the wrong item number. The picker carefully scans the correct barcode and is given confirmation that they are picking the correct item.
	3. We use software that prints out the shipping label associated with the item number scanned by the employee. If an item reaches this step that is not meant to ship out, the software will stop the employee from going any further.
3. A jacket gets lost or damaged between picking and packing.
	1. Triggers investigation. Order is marked stuck and the customer is notified.
	2. Each item is assigned a location associated with their destination. When the packer completes the day's orders, they check for ones that were not completed. An item that was not picked or has been lost in transit to the packing area will be noticed at this step and action will be taken to locate it.
4. Picker doesn’t notice a jacket needs to be picked, so they don’t do it.
	1. The picker checks for outbound orders in the morning, and periodically through the day and creates a list containing every item that needs to be sent out. Items that are left off of a pick list that they should have been part of will be noticed the next time the list of outbound orders is checked.  


### Packing

#### Goal

Each picked item is scanned to ensure the correct item was picked and match it to a corresponding outbound shipment. The item is packed for safe shipping. If the customer provided a shipping label in advance, the computer automatically prints the correct label for that item. Otherwise, the employee measures the item and then notifies the customer of the dimensions so a shipping label can be provided later.  
#### Errors

1. Jacket gets packed even though it was not supposed to ship out.
	1. We use software that prints out the label associated with the item number scanned by the employee. If an item reaches this step that is not meant to ship out, the software will stop the employee from going any further.
	2. The employee places one jacket at a time in the packing area to prevent the wrong item from being placed in a package. There is a camera pointed at this area that is regularly reviewed to ensure this process is adhered to.
2. Jacket has the wrong shipping label applied.
   1. The Outbound QC tool will catch this if the label was not scanned in the software or if the label is a duplicate. It does this with a loud auditory alarm.
   2. The employee places one jacket at a time in the packing area to prevent the wrong item from being placed in a package.
3. Jackets are shipped, even though there are obvious quality problems we can see without opening the bag (wrinkles, stains, etc).
	1. The inspection process is designed to prevent any jackets in this kind of condition from appearing as “New” in the customer’s inventory. Sometimes they ship out “Defective or Damaged” items anyway.
	2. The employee responsible for packing the item keeps an eye out for these kinds of problems while packing each jacket, however the items are not removed from their bag to be checked at this step.
4. A jacket gets packed in materials that look bad or cause the jacket to get wrinkled or damaged in transit.
	1. Each jacket is placed in the same kind of poly bag after it has been inspected. Each jacket is placed in the same kind of poly mailer when it is shipped out. These bags are moisture resistant and thick enough to resist tears to a certain extent. However, these bags are not guaranteed to prevent all potential damage that could occur.
5. Packing is delayed because we ran out of supplies or somebody called off work.
	1. We keep track of our supplies and order more before we run out.
	2. When someone that works on this project is absent there is normally another employee that can take their place. Otherwise temporary labor is used to fill any gaps, if possible.
	3. Our primary supplier of packing supplies is located less than ½ mile from the warehouse and any supervisor involved with this project is able to drive to our supplier and pick up suppliers on credit if there is an emergency.  

### 16. Outbound QC

#### Goal
   Each packed outbound is spot checked for issues that may cause it to be lost or damaged in shipping, such as extra shipping labels or unsecure tape. As this is done each package is scanned in a computer which records who performed this step and at what time. If no problems are noticed, the packages are then sorted by which carrier will pick them up, and then placed in the designated spot for that carrier.  

#### Errors
1. This step is skipped completely, so if there is a problem reported later, we do not have an accurate timestamp to look up the incident on camera.
	1. A visual indicator warning about any packages that did not reach this step is available in our software for all employees to see.
	2. As this step is performed, each outbound cart or rack is marked with a blue plunger, of which we have a limited number. The manager can easily notice this step was missed if he sees any carts or racks near the door that do not have an obvious blue plunger attached.
	3. The packing area is checked for any packages that have not been packed, or have not been sorted for pick up. Any packages found are processed as usual. If there is any reason that an item cannot be identified or associated with an outbound order, it is set aside for a supervisor to investigate.
2. A package gets sorted incorrectly, which could cause it to be handed to the wrong carrier later.
	1. Packages that have been packed to ship out are carefully sorted by another employee to ensure they are placed in the correct area. During this process each item is scanned in a computer that alerts them if any steps were skipped by the packer.
	2. If a package is placed in the wrong area for pickup, there is not currently anything in place to detect this other than the carrier noticing, or the item going missing. 
3. The person doing this step misses an issue like a package having multiple shipping labels or no shipping label at all. The computer detects this issue, but it is possible a person could fail to respond to the error message.
	1. The error message generates a loud alarm that can be heard across the building.This may alert another employee to come check that the job was done correctly.
	2. There is nothing else in place to catch this other than the carrier noticing, before the package goes out with multiple labels or no label at all.  

### Pickup
Copied from [[QMS Pickup]].

#### Goal
All of the packed shipments for each carrier are given to the carrier when they arrive at the warehouse, typically each business day between 3PM and 5PM EST.

#### Errors
1. Carrier does not show up on time, so the jacket ships behind schedule.
	1. There is a process in place to call USPS if they have not arrived by 3PM. If they still do not arrive by close of business, we make a best effort attempt to give the packages to the USPS delivery driver on the morning of the next business day.
	2. A symbol is used to indicate to all employees if USPS did not pick up on the prior day. This symbol tells the employee who receives the USPS drop off that day that they need to give yesterday's shipments to the delivery driver. This gets them in the hands of USPS several hours sooner than if they were picked up in the afternoon, and avoids the risk of them being delayed another day.
2. Package is handed to the wrong carrier. 
	1. Racks, bags and carts of outbound packages for each carrier are kept in separate areas of the warehouse to avoid them being mixed.
	2. When a carrier arrives the responsible employee knows to only give the driver packages from that carrier's designated area. We also use symbols to indicate which carrier packages are for.
3. Package is never handed to a carrier because it gets lost, stolen, etc.
	1. Our software monitors all tracking numbers we send out to check for updates to the delivery status. If a package we shipped out does not receive any tracking updates from the carrier within 24 hours it generates an alert which triggers an internal review of surveillance.
	2. The packing area and all areas between there and the area where the outbound packages are kept before pick up are checked thoroughly for any packages that may have been missed or dropped.
4. Package gets left on a belt or something and mistaken for a new delivery, so it gets taken back to presort instead of being shipped out.
	1. The packing area and all areas between there and the area where the outbound packages are kept before pick up are checked thoroughly for any packages that may have been missed or dropped.
	2. If a package is found in this area it is examined and taken to the correct place. The employee should scan the shipping label or item number to determine if the order has been completed properly. Doing this should avoid the instance of that package being taken to the wrong place.
5. Carrier/driver does not scan the packages given to them, and then something happens to the package before it reaches the carrier’s regional hub. Note: it is not normal for standard carriers like UPS or USPS to scan each package given to them during the pickup and they will usually refuse to do it.
	1. Handled the same way as potentially lost or stolen packages.
	2. We do not currently have another way to address or prevent this.
	3. Our WMS has a mechanism to detect this in some cases but there is no defined process for checking that or responding to it.


### Rebound
We received a jacket showing signs that it was recently shipped out from our warehouse. The goal is determine whether it should be placed back into storage as New, and whether the customer needs to be notified.
    

#### Errors:
##### A package is returned to us and is sorted to be checked in as if it is being received as an inbound order.
  1. The employee responsible for the presort process knows that if they see a package with a “Return to Sender” label or something like that, the package should be taken to the outbound area for investigation.     
2. If the package was returned due to an error we caused, the problem is addressed so it can be sent out properly.    
3.  If the package was returned by the carrier for another reason, the outbound order is marked “Stuck” in our system. The seller received an email detailing what items were returned and for what reason. The item is then checked for quality to determine if it needs to be restocked to inventory, or inspected again to ensure the condition is accurate.
    

##### The item is checked in as an autorequest or even inspected and given a new item number.
1. The presort process is meant to prevent an returned outbound from reaching any area other than the outbounds department. Items in this order will only return to inspection if it is determined that they need to be checked again for some reason. 
    
2. A returned outbound will alert the employee attempting to check it in as an inbound order that it does not belong there as long as the outbound tracker was recorded when the package was sent out from our warehouse. They are instructed to return these packages to the outbound department for further investigation.
    
3. If these warnings fail and the package is processed as an auto-request, the pictures provided should be enough for the seller to notice the problem and contact us to resolve it.  
 
## Service and Support:
Copied from [[QMS Service and Support]]

### Goal:
The customer may need assistance with the service or have questions about the results. The goal is to ensure they receive accurate, timely answers to questions or concerns they have, or extra work they request that isn’t normally part of the process. To ensure the most accurate answers, we ask customers to email us at [contact@ldrprep.com](mailto:contact@ldrprep.com) which then generates a ticket all staff members can see. The tickets are then assigned to one of the supervisors for the project to mitigate any miscommunications that could occur from having a separate customer service person who doesn’t work on the floor. Tickets of that nature are expected to be responded to by a supervisor within 1-2 business days. If the supervisor cannot answer the question, the ticket is escalated up through management, until it ultimately reaches the CEO if nobody else is able to resolve it.  

Complaints or frequently asked-about issues should be brought to the attention of the Line Lead most closely related to the Points where the problem was caused and the next earliest Point it could be detected so measures can be put in place to prevent, detect, or reduce the need for customers to contact us about the same thing. Likewise, the relevant Line Leads should report that they have been notified about an issue and explain either what they did about it or what resources they need.  
### Known Errors:
A customer complains about something and the Line Lead doesn’t know about it. This can cause the Line Lead and their team to think they are doing the job correctly when they really aren’t.

### Mitigation
The customer tries to contact us in a different way, like WhatsApp or emailing an employee directly, so it does not reach the ticket tracker.

1. Our website explains that contacting our company should always be done by emailing [contact@ldrprep.com](mailto:contact@ldrprep.com) or calling the official line at 513-449-2899 and warns customers that contacting us a different way could cause delays or other issues.  
2. All employees are required to have a warning about this in their email signature.  
3. A ticket gets marked resolved but the customer wasn’t actually provided a good solution.
4. Tickets that are closed without any response are reviewed on a regular basis by executive management.
5. Tickets have a “how did we do” footer in them, and if a customer clicks that we did a bad or neutral job, it triggers an internal review of the ticket.
6. Tickets are analyzed by a computerized system regularly to detect emails about the same general topic or complaint. When that system detects several complaints about the same general issue in a month, an internal review of the process is triggered whereby the supervisor over the step where the error occurred is asked to conduct an investigation and submit a report explaining either what changes were made to reduce the failure rate or detailing additional resources needed.  
    

## Inspection checklist

The following checklist covers what our staff check for and perform during the Inspection step of the process.

  

1. [ ] Verify item number.    
2. [ ] Verify [[SKU]] and description. If SKU or Description do not match. Item is sidelined for a supervisor.    
3. [ ] Jacket laid flat for visual inspection, front and rear, and checked for:
	1. [ ] Tears, cuts, rips, scratches, and scuffs in the leather and lining.
	2. [ ] Stains and discoloration on the jacket and accessories.
	3. [ ] Faulty zippers and snap buttons.
	4. [ ] Loosened stitching.
	5. [ ] Wrinkles.
	6. [ ] Unpleasant odor from the jacket.
	7. [ ] Pet hair and lint
	8. [ ] Rub marks or discoloration/fading
4. [ ] Interior lining checked for 
	1. signs of wear
	2. Rips or tears
	3. Odor
	4. Pet hair and lint
5. [ ] Buttons and zippers checked and fastened before folding.
6. [ ] Folded using the least amount of folds as possible.
7. [ ] Sealed in new poly bag or original package if usable.
  
  

# QA/QC Gaps

Let me first define Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control, so we’re talking about the same things.

  

Quality Assurance speaks to what steps are in place to make it likely the job is done correctly the first time. Quality Control speaks to measure in place to notice when the job wasn’t done right the first time and measure how often that happens.

  

## Checkin Gap:

During checkin, some packages will already be associated with orders by the customer. Other packages are not, and the operator attempts to match them by comparing order id numbers on the package with what’s expected in the system.

  

If the checkin operator attempts to match a package and matches it to the wrong order, it seems like we are missing a good way for anyone past that step to detect the problem.

  

As it stands, it does seem like the problem gets detected but is not well understood, so the methods used to correct it are not always accurate.

  

## Inspection Gap:

After inspection and refurbishment of each item is finished, the operator reseals the item. If the operator missed something that can’t be easily seen through the packaging, it seems like there is nothing in place for anyone past that step to notice.

  

During the last audit we conducted for this project we found that roughly 30% of randomly selected items had problems that should have been noticed or fixed during the inspection step. Most of them were inspected according to methods used a year or more ago. Those problems wouldn’t have been noticed before sending the items out if we hadn’t done the audit. The vast majority of the problems found were wrinkled jackets, which we believe had to do with a combination of careless folding techniques or the manner the jackets are stored. However, we did detect a small amount of other problems during the audit.