The handling of business level textile complaints from the perspective of the quality control manager

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate how the quality control manager perceived complaints received by textile companies from their business customers. The population included all textile firms that weave fabric for outerwear (apparel).

A packet consisting of cover letter, questionnaire (developed by the researcher), and stamped self-addressed envelope was mailed to each quality control manager in the population. Fifty-four usable questionnaires (28 percent) were returned.

The Chi-squared test for independence revealed that at the .05 level, no relationship existed between the number of employee-hours spent handling business customer complaints and the establishment of written guidelines for complaint resolution within the quality control department; nor between the office that handled complaints from business customers and end-use consumers, and the office from which quality control received business customer complaints. The Chi-squared test also found that no relationship existed between the ratings for intended end use for fabric that weavers produced and the type of business customers from whom the quality control manager received complaints; and between the time spent handling different types of business customer complaints received by the quality control managers and the source of these complaints.

The quality control and sales offices frequently collaborated on complaints to ensure that their business customers received satisfactory resolutions within the established time. The most frequent complaints received were spots/stains/streaks/dye resistant area, or faulty weaving that most likely came from the consumer product manufacturer, converter, or dyer/finisher and consumed almost 50 percent of the time spent handling complaints.