Six Sigma is a program that deals with quality management and is designed to achieve an outstanding level of quality for products. Motorola was the first company to pioneer this process in the mid-eighties and since then it has been adopted by many other companies and manufacturers. Service companies, in order to enhance customer service and relations also utilize these strategies. 6 Sigma has evolved from a normal distribution curve where failures in quality and customer satisfaction arise after the sixth sigma of likelihood. Hence, the main idea is to reduce or lessen the defects per product or customer service.

Companies that make use of Six Sigma have proved the critics wrong by achieving the 6 levels of quality that were believed to be an impossible achievement. Going beyond Six Sigma is not been unheard of and has been achieved by many companies like GE Aircraft Engines that function at nine sigma levels of quality. It is highly convenient, as it reduces the amount of failures or errors in product quality and customer service. Not only does this help in increasing customer satisfaction and revenue but it also leads to an increase in the number of returning customers and the acquirement of new customers. Companies that employ this process successfully have higher quality standards and produce superior products and services.

Importance Of 6 Sigma

A fairly unknown fact about Six Sigma is that it relates to 3.4 defects per million. Most people do not know how quality is improved considerably by having 6 levels of sigma. Previously, most companies utilized less sigma, approximately three or four, but Motorola was the first company to use six levels of sigma. Four-sigma relates to only about 2.6 defects per thousand whereas 6 Sigma relates to 3.4 defects per million making it a perfect number. However, deviation proves to be a major problem. With Six Sigma, the defective rates are more sensible than with four-sigma.

Large and very profitable companies have also been using 6 Sigma as a tool to help their businesses run better. Since it's commencement, it has helped many companies save millions of dollars. Six Sigma can help any type of business and the concepts can be applied to any department of that business. Marketing, sales, production, design, administration and service are all the various departments in which 6 Sigma has been successfully used. Six Sigma uses business, statistic and engineering principles to help eliminate company defects. A 6 Sigma consultant or master can be hired to help the company adjust to the changes. Not only does Six Sigma improve quality, it also improves performance and delivery.

Conclusion

In a business, quality is valued above all other things by customers. Businesses that produce high quality goods and services will always attract more customers and will ensure that these customers return for more. 6 Sigma helps ensure that the quality of these products and services is nothing but the best. Six Sigma is very effective, when implemented correctly and this is the main reason why most companies utilize 6 Sigma. This process that was discovered more than 20 years ago has withstood all criticism and has proven it's lasting qualities in the business world. Companies should consider using Six Sigma as a means of gaining and retaining customers by producing superior quality products.