Jump to content

  • Quick Navigation
Photo

Should a customer audit be limited to the line used for their product?

Share this

  • You cannot start a new topic
  • Please log in to reply
8 replies to this topic

pghosh

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 32 posts
  • 3 thanks
2
Neutral

  • United States
    United States

Posted 24 August 2018 - 01:53 AM

We have a customer who is demanding an audit of our facility (all manufacturing lines), when we only use one line to make their product (we are their co-manufacturer). They want to have complete control over how the audit is performed, with us having absolutely no authority over this. 

 

Aren't customer audits limited to only the lines used to manufacture their product? I understand any common areas will be covered under the scope of this audit. 

 

Piki

 

 



Tony-C

    Grade - FIFSQN

  • IFSQN Fellow
  • 4,223 posts
  • 1288 thanks
608
Excellent

  • United Kingdom
    United Kingdom
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:World
  • Interests:My main interests are sports particularly football, pool, scuba diving, skiing and ten pin bowling.

Posted 24 August 2018 - 03:49 AM

Hi Piki,

 

To me this would depend on the business and the customer. Are there confidential processes/products? What are you concerns with them looking at the other lines?

 

In some situations it may be advantageous to show them the other lines as it may mean they would consider adding additional products on those lines and if they've already seen and audited them they won't need to come back for another audit.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony



Dr Vu

    Grade - MIFSQN

  • IFSQN Member
  • 235 posts
  • 51 thanks
18
Good

  • Canada
    Canada
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Toronto
  • Interests:Action movies...

Posted 24 August 2018 - 12:28 PM

bad/good  practices happening on  other lines are reflective of  your management style

 

when you do supplier  audits you will realize most  suppliers tend to 'shut-down' that line during the audit

 

Tony is right- showing other lines exudes confidence in all aspects  of your system


A vu in time , saves nine

Scampi

    Fellow

  • IFSQN Fellow
  • 5,444 posts
  • 1507 thanks
1,524
Excellent

  • Canada
    Canada
  • Gender:Not Telling

Posted 24 August 2018 - 01:10 PM

The customer is wise......lets assume you make snack A for this customer....everyone on that line is doing everything perfectly (as they've been coached to do prior to customer audit) .....auditor looks to the right or left and sees employee Z sneeze into hand then continue touching food............auditor is going to ASSUME that is what really goes on and any faith they have in your facility is now out the window

 

Use this as an opportunity to sell your facility to them to encourage they give you $$$$ instead of giving the contract to the plant down the road

 

Whether you like it or not, the customer needs to be happy.............unless of course they represent a small enough portion of your sales that you would be willing to upset them

 

Just continue to work away.....it's good practice for an unannounced audit


Please stop referring to me as Sir/sirs


Andy_Yellows

    Grade - MIFSQN

  • IFSQN Member
  • 201 posts
  • 37 thanks
26
Excellent

  • United Kingdom
    United Kingdom
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:East Anglia, UK
  • Interests:Football, Dr Pepper

Posted 24 August 2018 - 01:22 PM

Unfortunately customers demanding full control of their audits is something little can be done about. I think everyone understands that the fact they want to audit everything is making your life hell but unfortunately they're the ones with the clout. And if you're not willing to show them everything they want to see, there's always someone else who will. It sucks but it is what it is- the bets hope would be that they focus their main attentions on the relevant areas ans skim across the bits that aren't relating to their product. Best of luck.


On the Ball, City


Ryan H.

    Grade - MIFSQN

  • IFSQN Member
  • 166 posts
  • 56 thanks
39
Excellent

  • United States
    United States
  • Gender:Male
  • Interests:Sports, traveling

Posted 24 August 2018 - 09:58 PM

Almost all customers will audit your entire facility. This is common.

Something to consider: If your concerned over them looking at your other processes due to them confidential, then ask them to sight a NOn disclosure agreement.


All the best, 

 

Ryan Heavner 


FurFarmandFork

    Food Safety Consultant, Production Supervisor

  • IFSQN Fellow
  • 1,264 posts
  • 590 thanks
206
Excellent

  • United States
    United States
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Oregon, USA

Posted 25 August 2018 - 01:53 PM

There are no rights in this case, customer audits are based on the business relationship. How much or how little you want to show them depends on the patience of both you and the customer.


Austin Bouck
Owner/Consultant at Fur, Farm, and Fork.
Consulting for companies needing effective, lean food safety systems and solutions.

Subscribe to the blog at furfarmandfork.com for food safety research, insights, and analysis.

ombewamaurice

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 44 posts
  • 8 thanks
2
Neutral

  • Kenya
    Kenya
  • Gender:Male

Posted 26 August 2018 - 05:34 AM

Just as the Internal and the certification audit, the supplier audit would cover the entire facility as most suppliers use checklist which has been developed from their respective standards i.e FSSC 22000/QMS......

 

Regards,

 

Maurice.



Abd El-Rahman

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 28 posts
  • 1 thanks
0
Neutral

  • Egypt
    Egypt

Posted 07 September 2018 - 06:45 AM

Yes sure
You want make external communication with customer





Share this

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users