PKG 315: Customer Complaint Systems

Corrective Action Approach

Local package representatives report damage using a global damage report template —> establishes a global data collection center —> once “package-capability” is quantitively established, move to predictive capability

Preventative Action Approach

Proactive; lab work successfully predicts damage boundary; creates a performance package specification and/or BOM (packing instructions) —> drive towards new global business opportunities

Formal Customer Complaint Systems

Houses the “history” of all packaging customer complaints

A good complaint system…

Provides “data-searching” capabilities where supplier performance can be measured

Approach & Methods

Always request electronic pictures of the damage

Request that the damaged shipment be returned for your personal inspection

Always ask if the entire shipment is damaged. Were some of the packages not damaged? Was the shipment parcel less-than-truckload (LTL) or truckload?

Ask for the mode of shipment

Distance

The farther apart the shipping point and final destination are, the more likely it is for package damage to occur (exponential increase)

Highway to railroad

Once considered the least severe

Vibration and road shocks

Braking, acceleration, sway

Rail to port

Coupler slack (the amount of free movement of one car before it transmits its motion to an adjoining coupled car)

Coupling impact

Vibration

Sway

Ocean to port of destination

Water entry

Cargo sweat

Climatic conditions

Vibration, shock, compression, rolling, pitching, surging, swaying

Highway to customer

Impact against loading docks

Vibration and road shocks

Coupling impact

Braking, acceleration, and sway

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

The process of discovering the underlying source of problems in order to identify appropriate solutions

Root Cause Factor

Removing it prevents the problem from recurring

Casual Factor

Contributing action that affects an incident/event’s outcome, but is not the underlying issue.

Returning the damaged shipment

May be easier (and cheaper) to dispose of the damaged shipment locally

Leaking containers cannot be shipped

Vendor Contracts

Establish a good working relationship early

If they’re a global supplier, establish a protocol that both parties will follow to handle global customer complaints

Let them know that you expect responses to customer plaints in writing and within an agreed upon timeframe

Package Damage Classifications

Customer perception is reality

Acceptable

Unacceptable

Scientific definition(s)

Package/Product Damage

Reproduce it in a packable lab whenever possible so you can understand the root cause. Once the cause is determined, you can proceed with a package redesign

Control Samples

Always have them. They’re used to compare to for any change during experiments

Package Specification

Used to document your results; create performance-oriented component specifications based on various standards

Must have the critical-to-quality parameters documented (performance level is documented in the component specification)

Need to have the supplier sign off on it (legal contract)

Component Specification

Lists qualitative, quantitative, and performance values

Qualitative Values

Material(s) of construction

Color

Quantitative Values

Density

Mullen value

Tensile strength

Performance Values

Pass 4-foot drop test

Pass 49CFR vibration test

ASTM D 1709 dart test

Functional Testing

Increasing the drop height and documenting the package damage at each level. Document each increasing level of severity. Make every effort to match or exceed what the package is experiencing in the field

Interpreting the test data

What does it mean?

Safety factor — level?

Lab testing to field data —> accelerated testing, correlation, trend?

Field Data

Given by a great customer complaint system

Contains the voice of the customer (i.e. what they’d accept/the level or damage allowed)

Formal system (data is digitalized)

Uses codes for package failure (i.e. A6, A7, etc.)

A6

Crushed primary container

A7

Crushed primary solid fiberboard carton

A8

Crushed secondary corrugated shipper (carton)

A9

Crushed unit load (pallet load)

Package Evaluation Cycle

1. Observe the performance in the field

2. Reference previous package performance in the lab

3. Revise the test protocol to match field observation

4. Correct the deficiency of the package and revise the package specification

Cycle continues

Why are local package damage investigators needed?

To identify where in the distribution cycle the damage occurred

Global Contacts

Train area experts with package engineering knowledge

Seek the assistance of these local experts to address customer complaints in their areas

Establish English as the primary language to communicate

ISTA

International Safe Transit Association

CFR

Code of Federal Regulations

ASTM

American Society for Testing and Materials

ISO

International Organization for Standardization

CGMP

Current Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations