The highest-quality products build customer trust in our brand and become the cornerstone of a sustainable and growing company. Our interviewee for the fifth episode of the “Great Food Company” series, where we meet the leaders of“Quality-First Management,” is Managing Director Han Ok-gyun in the Quality Management Office of Paris Croissant. Let’s find out the Quality Management Office’s future plans and core vision, which has maintained the top position for m any years in various external assessments through high quality and hygiene management.
Interview with Managing Director Han Ok-gyun, Quality Management Office, Paris Croissant
Quality Management Office at Paris Croissant, Striving to Successfully Complete “Q21 Campaign”
Managing Director Han Ok-gyun, Quality Management Office, Paris Croissant
Q. Could you introduce us to the Quality Management Office at Paris Croissant?
Nice to meet you. I am Managing Director Han Ok-gyun at the Quality Management Office of Paris Croissant. At Quality Management Office, we are responsible for ensuring quality and hygiene safety throughout the entire process, from the supply of raw materials to production, distribution, and sales of all products made by Paris Croissant. In other words, we are in charge of supervising suppliers, the warehousing, and inventory of raw materials, managing the production processes, quality, and hygiene of OEM products, and overseeing the manufacturing and distribution stages of products. In addition, we guarantee and are responsible for safety management throughout the entire process, from quality and hygiene for products sold at our stores to after-sales customer service.
Inside the Quality Management Office, Paris Croissant
In the middle of this COVID-19 crisis that has been going on since last year, you must be particularly concerned about hygiene safety, not just the quality. By issuing the COVID white paper from the beginning of the outbreak, the Quality Management Office has established a constant pandemic crisis management and post-COVID response system and has since maintained safety management practices.
Paris Croissant, Leading the Q21 Campaign
Q. What are the major issues of Paris Croissant’s Quality Management Office today?
Currently, the biggest issue of the Quality Management Office is the Q21 Campaign. It is a campaign that researches flavors and improves quality to increase sales and profit. To successfully complete the Q21 Campaign, we have set performance indicators based on verification of raw materials, blocking the warehousing of unsuitable items, compliance with processes, quality index of member stores, and the rate of each store’s legal violations. Also, to improve the quality of finished products from factories, the research institute, marketing, quality, and production departments work together to conduct sensory assessments that continuously assure and enhance the quality of our products.
Quality Management Office is responsible for the quality of the entire process, from raw materials to sales
Members of Quality Management Office striving for “Quality-First Management”
Q. What are the roles and strengths of each team in the Quality Management Office?
There are five major roles for each team in the Quality Management Office. First, Quality Management Team 2 is in charge of controlling the quality of our supply chains. Before dealing with Paris Croissant, all suppliers must take the pre-business assessment conducted by the Quality Management Team 2 and pass our standards. They prevent external risks by conducting hygienic checks in preparation for seasonal government inspections. Also, based on audit experiences in various food industries, we conduct one-point coaching and consulting for suppliers who are struggling, building the foundation of our mutual prosperity.
First domestic food company to introduce the matrix automation system
Quality control in factories, such as warehousing, production, and shipping, is carried out by Quality Management Team 1, Food Safety Management Team, and Raw Material Team. First, the Quality Management Team 1 manages the quality and hygiene checks necessary for warehousing and production processes so that quality products can be produced. The Food Safety Management Team undertakes hygienic safety testing, analysis, monitoring, and system verification for the entire production process, as well as conducts regular hygiene training. They ensure the stability of products and serve as a bridge for consumers to choose Paris Croissant with peace of mind. Finally, the Raw Material Team is responsible for the supply and inventory management of raw materials necessary for production. In particular, Seongnam Plant is the first domestic food company to introduce a matrix automation system that minimizes errors and manages all inventory history in real-time.
Thorough hygiene management
The quality and hygiene management of stores is carried out by the Quality Evaluation and Inspection Team and the Store Hygiene Safety Team. The Quality Evaluation and Inspection Team focuses on improving quality and securing competitiveness by managing the quality index of products in direct and franchise stores. The Store Hygiene Safety Team, responsible for on-site support such as hygiene checks and education at stores, has more than 15 years of inspection experience to implement reliable food hygiene and safety practices for customers.
Paris Croissant’s Quality Management Office undertaking quality and hygiene checks throughout the production process
After-sales service is handled by the Customer Support team. They handle customer feedback directly through VOC and have the relevant department follow up so that the same problem does not reoccur. With the majority of team members having more than ten years of experience, 99.9% of the claims are resolved.
Finally, the China Quality Support Team serves as a bridgehead of overseas business to ensure that our advanced quality, hygiene management system, and operating method know-how are properly applied to our Chinese branches. Consisting of veterans with a high level of understanding in the field, they are working hard to improve the level of quality control in China.
Customer Support Team in charge of customer service management
Q. Could you tell us about the customer support system, which is becoming more important recently?
The Quality Management Team’s VOC responds and processes customer feedback through the phone, website, and store cooperation. They also collaborate and integrate the management of various departments, including the social media VOC, which became one of the most talked-about topics recently. It has become the foundation of our Consumer Centered Management (CCM).
Continuing the spirit of the Sangmidang
High quality and thorough hygiene management to achieve strong customer trust
Q. What is the influence that Quality Management Office has on the SPC Group?
SPC Group has established itself as a comprehensive food company and is trusted by customers by providing high-quality and safe foods. Out of its many brands, Paris Croissant has been leading the enhancement of customer trust with high quality and thorough hygiene management. In fact, we have maintained the top place for many years in measures such as the national brand competitiveness index and Korean service quality index. To this end, the Quality Management Office enabled the handling of all of its suppliers, factories, stores, and customer claims within one organization. It is optimized for taking preemptive measures and troubleshooting issues that arise at four factories and over 4,000 stores across the country. Based on this organizational power, we respond systematically and quickly to internal and external risks. Since the internal and external trust in Paris Croissant leads to confidence in the SPC Group, all employees are working with a sense of mission.
The spirit of the Sangmidang, the predecessor of the SPC group
Q. I am curious about the core vision and plan of the Quality Management Office in relation to the 2021 management keyword, “Quality-First Management.”
“Even if you make millions of bread, customers will evaluate with one bread”: this is the spirit of the Sangmidang, the predecessor of the SPC Group. The top priority of quality management is to provide our customers with the highest quality, which is the basis of a lasting company. Paris Croissant’s Quality Management Office will successfully complete the aforementioned Q21 Campaign to move forward as a sustainable company beloved by our customers. All members will work together and endeavor to develop it into our quality culture. But Quality-First Management cannot be accomplished solely by the members of the Quality Management Office. We can achieve it only when all employees working in the office, as well as factories, stores, production sites, sales, and marketing research, understand the importance of quality management, cultivate its spirit, and actively practice it. To this end, the Quality Management Office will continue to strive by researching and practicing the quality culture of Paris Croissant to make it more familiar and accessible to all employees.
Today, we met Managing Director Han Ok-gyun and heard his story about the Quality Management Office of Paris Croissant. We felt how passionate our colleagues are in creating a company that customers can trust. By successfully accomplishing Quality-First Management with the Q21 Campaign, we aspire to establish SPC Group as a company that customers trust to deliver the best quality anytime and anywhere.
