Improvement of Customer Satisfaction
Ensuring universal quality level
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group implements a variety of initiatives to maintain world equal quality and provide customers with products that satisfy their ongoing needs.
One of these is the “Global Monozukuri Diagnosis” , which is implemented at all production sites around the world. This initiative was launched in FY 2005 with the aim of improving the quality level at each production site as part of our “Global Quality Diagnosis ”. Subsequently, we revised our diagnostic charts to evaluate not only quality but also the overall SQDC (safety, quality, delivery, and cost), which we have been conducting as the "Global Monozukuri Diagnostic" since fiscal 2014. Due to the development of COVID-19 viruses in fiscal 2019, there was a period when we temporarily switched to remote diagnosis using online relays. However, since fiscal 2023, we have resumed our activities. In accordance with the diagnostic chart for each production process such as welding and machining process, we evaluate each item by checking operations and actual products onsite and take countermeasures if any items that need to be improved. These continuous efforts lead to the realization of world equal quality.
In addition, the development of excellent human resources is indispensable for Monozukuri. Since 2008, Hitachi Construction Machinery has been accepting engineers from both domestic and international production sites for training to develop Monozukuri engineers. This is a three-year program that includes various training courses mainly at the Tsuchiura Works. These engineers bring back the technologies and ways of thinking they acquired from the training to their production sites and share Hitachi Construction Machinery’s Monozukuri with their colleagues.
As part of our global initiatives, we hold the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group International Skills Competition and the Company-wide Small Group Activity Presentation Contest. The International Skills Competition has been held since 2000, with contestants selected from each production site, including those overseas, competing in eight events: welding, painting, measuring, assembly, transportation, machining, welding robotics, and equipment maintenance. The Company-wide Small Group Activity Presentation Contest is held during the Quality Month in November, and groups that have won the selection contests at each company gather to make presentations at this competition. Their mutual diligent study not only contributes to their personal growth, but also to the activation of organizations.
The FY2023 International Skills Competition in was held at the Kasumigaura Institute for three days in November. The total of 73 participants from Japan, India, Indonesia, and China (27 attendees from overseas) competed in 8 categories. In addition, the Company-wide Small Group Activity Presentation Contest was held on two separate days in November for direct and indirect divisions, and 22 groups, including domestic and overseas group companies, participated. These presentation were relayed online with domestic and international group companies and viewed by a large number of employees.
We will continue to satisfy HCM Group's safety and quality standards and strive to produce products that customers around the world can use with confidence.
“Global Monozukuri Diagnosis”
Strengthen service support capabilities
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group holds the “Service Technician Competition” with the aim of improving the service support capabilities of service personnel who come in direct contact with customers’ machines.
In FY2023, It was held for the first time in four years due to the COVID-19. 10 representatives from 10 regions gathered at the Technical Training Center to compete in the knowledge, technical skills, and customer support skills related to machine maintenance. As a result of the 4 categories of the competition, 2 service technicians from Hitachi Construction Machinery (UK) Ltd.(UK distributor), representing the Europe region, and EMK(Kazakhstan distributor), representing the Russia region, were awarded the MVS (Most Valuable Service) Award.
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group will continue its efforts to further improve the service technology of its distributors.
