Quality control is of great importance in the logistics and supply chain sector because it ensures that the products meet the standards and specifications defined by the manufacturers, which guarantees their reliability and performance throughout their logistics journey.
The compliance check verifies the conformity of the products with the regulations and standards in force, guaranteeing that they respect the standards of safety, quality and legality (through certifications). This minimizes the risks associated with non-compliant products and ensures their suitability for safe marketing and use.
The costs of quality controls vary greatly, influenced by elements such as the type of product, the nature of the control, the quality requirements, the frequency and location of inspections, among others. According to the ASQ, these costs can represent 15 to 20% of a company’s total income, and even go up to 40% in some cases. For the most efficient companies, the cost of poor quality (CoPQ) is estimated at between 10 and 15% of turnover.
In order to minimize these costs, choosing the right quality control strategy is crucial, taking into account cost versus profit, return on investment (ROI) and customer satisfaction. It is in this context that Yvea stands out as an advantageous solution, providing quality control at a reduced cost thanks to a network of competent and certified partners.
In order to minimize these costs, choosing the right quality control strategy is crucial, taking into account cost versus profit, return on investment (ROI) and customer satisfaction. It is in this context that Yvea stands out as an advantageous solution, providing quality control at a reduced cost thanks to a network of competent and certified partners.
By working with Yvea, you benefit from reduced rates, thanks to agreements negotiated with independent and specialized third-party quality control bodies. This allows you to save between 5 and 10% on the cost of controls compared to the usual market rates (depending on the offer you have subscribed with us).
With Yvea, easily access a wide selection of partners covering all types of products and controls, complying with various standards and regulations. This helps you to identify the ideal partner according to your specific criteria of quality, deadlines, budget, location, etc. You also have the opportunity to compare offers and reviews to choose the best partner for your needs.
Yvea simplifies your quality control processes, supporting you with our platform, from the request for a quote to the receipt of the inspection report. Manage your orders, monitor the progress of inspections, communicate with partners, access your documents, all via a single platform. This simplification saves time, money and peace of mind.
To export your products to countries that require quality control and conformity assessment, a specific process must be followed. This process allows you to obtain a certificate of conformity (COC), proving that your goods meet the standards and regulations required by the country of destination. Learn about the key steps in this process :
First check the eligibility of your products for quality control and conformity assessment according to the country of destination. Consult the list of countries requiring these procedures by contacting one of our partners.
Gather all necessary supporting documents, such as datasheets, test reports, and quality certificates. Then select an accredited organization such as Qima, one of our partners, to perform the monitoring and evaluation.
Your product will undergo quality control and conformity assessment by the accredited body. Depending on the nature of the product and the target country, this control may be physical or documentary and include laboratory tests, performance tests, and pre-shipment inspections. The aim is to ensure that the product meets the standards and requirements of the recipient country, particularly in terms of quality, safety and performance.
Once approved, you will receive a Certificate of Compliance (COC) from the accredited body. This essential document proves that your products are compliant and allows their customs clearance and marketing on arrival. This certificate must be attached to your shipping documents.
This phase is crucial for maintaining the quality and compliance of your products after shipment. It allows continuous control across the supply chain. By partnering with an accredited organization (through one of our partners), you access a variety of adapted services. These services include control of loading and unloading operations, inventory management and packaging inspection. The goal is to prevent problems such as deterioration, fraud and loss, thus ensuring the integrity of your products until their final destination.
By following these steps carefully, you strengthen your preparation and ability to succeed in exporting to foreign markets, while taking into account specific certification requirements.
Garantissez le respect des normes de vos produits avec des services de certification
Assurez l'excellence opérationnelle et la conformité réglementaire de vos opérations d'exportation
Solutions logistiques optimisées pour un transport fiable et efficace de vos marchandises
Expertise financière et juridique pour sécuriser et faciliter vos transactions internationales
Stratégies sur mesure pour étendre votre présence sur les marchés internationaux
Formations spécialisées pour maîtriser les nuances du commerce international
Technologies avancées pour digitaliser et optimiser vos processus d'exportation
Quality control refers to a series of procedures designed to ensure that a product or service meets the specific standards and requirements of a sector. This practice is an integral part of quality management, which includes quality assurance, quality planning and continuous improvement. Its primary objective is to meet customer expectations and comply with applicable regulations.
This process can take place at several levels of the production cycle, depending on the objectives. This can be done by manufacturing staff, specialists, accredited external bodies or automated systems. Quality control methods can be non-destructive, thus preserving the integrity of the product, or destructive, requiring the sacrifice of some or all of the article.
The techniques used include various evaluation methods, such as measurement, comparison, testing, and inspection, focusing on various aspects of the product such as its size, shape, color, and functionality, to name a few. For this, a range of means is used, including precise measuring instruments, normative references, and specialized laboratories.
The objective of quality control is to detect any non-compliance, thus allowing to decide the fate of the product: acceptance, rejection, retouching, or other. The benefits of this approach are multiple: it ensures customer satisfaction, strengthens brand credibility, lowers costs related to quality defects, reduces legal risks and provides a significant competitive advantage.
Examples of quality controls performed :
Compliance monitoring is a process to ensure that an organization’s activities are consistent with applicable laws, regulations, internal policies and industry standards. This process includes reviewing the compliance of products or services with legal, regulatory, contractual or ethical requirements. Essentially, compliance monitoring is a critical component of risk management, involving the identification, assessment, management and control of potential risks.
Compliance checks can take place at various stages, depending on specific needs and purposes. These checks may precede the launch of a product or service (due diligence), be carried out throughout its lifetime (continuous monitoring) or be carried out following an incident or complaint (spot check). Reviews can be conducted internally by company employees, by an external independent body or by a regulatory authority. The verifications carried out may be documentary, based on the examination of documents related to the product or service, or physical, requiring direct on-site inspection.
The main objective of the compliance check is to identify non-conformities, differences from the standards or obligations identified. This approach then makes it possible to decide on the measures to be taken with regard to the product or service concerned: approval, rejection, modification or adaptation. The benefits of such control include ensuring the safety, quality and performance of products or services, protection against sanctions, conflicts and damage to reputation, as well as alignment with stakeholder expectations.
Examples of compliance controls :
Before exporting your products, it is crucial to know the quality control and compliance obligations specific to your industry and the nature of your products. Many countries require that imported goods be examined before shipment or undergo a conformity assessment by certified entities. This step ensures product quality, safety and compliance.
Obtaining a certificate of conformity is a prerequisite for clearing your products on arrival and introducing them to the market of the destination country. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in the refusal, seizure or destruction of your products by local customs authorities.
Quality and compliance checks prior to export are mostly required by countries in the Near and Middle East, Africa and Asia.
To ensure effective quality control of your products, it is essential to follow these key steps :
The quality control process can be carried out by various participants, depending on the product or service concerned, the field of activity, the specific needs of the customer and the normative criteria in force. The main actors involved in quality control are :
Individuals directly involved in creating the product or providing the service. They are able to carry out a self-check, that is to say, a verification by themselves of the quality of their work, following predetermined guidelines by the company. This self-monitoring practice helps to identify and rectify defects immediately, while encouraging operators to take charge of the quality of their work.
These experts have the specific technical knowledge and tools to carry out quality control. They may belong to the organization or be recruited from outside. Among them are technicians, engineers, laboratory technicians and controllers. The specialist staff carries out the quality assessment based on recognised methodologies and standards and is responsible for drafting the control reports.
These are entities certified by competent authorities to carry out quality controls. These organizations may be requested by the company itself, by the customer or by the country of destination of the product or service. Notable examples include companies like Qima, Bureau Veritas, Cotecna, SGS, Intertek, and many others. They conduct their assessments according to international references and are authorised to issue certificates of conformity.
This category includes bodies empowered to regulate, inspect and apply sanctions to ensure compliance with quality standards. These may be government, administrative agencies or official organizations. The competent authority shall monitor quality on the basis of legal regulations and is entitled to request corrective action, impose fines or prohibitions.
All products deserve quality control, whether they belong to the industrial sector or are intended for the consumer. This is crucial to ensure quality, safety and performance. However, some products require special attention to quality control due to their nature, use, potential impact or specific regulations. Especially when these products are destined for another country. Here are some categories of products requiring enhanced quality control :
Food and feed products must meet high quality and safety standards to avoid any risk of contamination, poisoning or allergy. Their control extends to various analyses (physical, chemical, microbiological, sensory, etc.) covering aspects such as composition, nutritional value, freshness, traceability and labelling.
Designed to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure diseases in humans and animals, pharmaceutical products must comply with very strict quality and safety standards guaranteeing their effectiveness and safety. Their quality control is based on multispectral analyses (physical, chemical, biological, pharmacological, toxicological, etc.), addressing composition, dosage, pharmaceutical form, packaging and storage.
These products, including medical devices, equipment and software, are used for diagnostic, treatment, follow-up or rehabilitation purposes. They must meet strict quality and safety standards to ensure their functionality and reliability. Quality control testing encompasses functional, mechanical, electrical, electronic and software aspects, from design to product maintenance.
Cosmetic products, intended to be applied to the body for hygiene, beauty, care, or perfume, include a wide range of items such as makeup or bath products. They require analyses to ensure their safety and effectiveness, covering their composition, conservation and labelling.
Non-compliance with quality control can have multiple negative impacts on several levels. The main effects to be considered are :
A flaw in quality control can lead to the obligation to reject, retouch or replace all of your products. These actions entail additional costs in production, transport, storage and other costs. They can also cause losses of raw materials, finished products and time.
Non-compliance with quality standards exposes to complaints, returns, refunds, invocations of guarantees, and penalties from customers. These situations lead to a reduction in turnover, profit margins and profitability. Your cash flow, financial strength and ability to invest can also suffer.
Compliance with quality control is crucial for your brand image, reputation and reputation with customers, suppliers, partners and competitors. Missing out can undermine trust, loyalty and customer satisfaction, impacting your market positioning, your uniqueness and your ability to remain competitive.
Quality control and compliance control are essential steps to ensure the quality and safety of products or services. However, they target different aspects and involve different stakeholders. Let’s explore these differences :
Quality control focuses on matching the product or service with the criteria decided by the company or customer. These standards can be internal, developed according to company or sector practices, or external, based on international, national or sectoral standards. The purpose of this control is to ensure that the product or service meets the customer’s expectations and contract specifications.
As for compliance monitoring, its objective is to verify the compliance of an organization’s operations with the laws, regulations, internal policies and industry standards. These requirements are defined by competent authorities such as the State, official bodies, etc. This process verifies that the product or service complies with legal, regulatory, contractual, or ethical obligations.
Quality control can be carried out by various actors, depending on the type of product, the sector, the expectations of the customer and the standards in force. It can be carried out by manufacturing staff (self-control), by specialists, an accredited external body, or even by machines (automated control). Quality control methods can be non-destructive, thus preserving the integrity of the product, or destructive, requiring the sacrifice of some or all of the product for testing.
Compliance monitoring, on the other hand, varies according to needs and objectives. It may apply before, during or after the marketing of the product or service, responding to incidents or complaints. Those responsible for control may be the organisation’s staff (internal control), an independent external body (external control), or a competent authority (official control). This can be a document check, based on document analysis, or physical, with on-site verification.