Quality Claims Workflow Transformation
A high-impact quality tracking system that reduced Goods-In-House (GIH) claims by 53% and streamlined enterprise disposition workflows across the Milton facility.
Overview
What began as a quality initiative to manage a backlog of warranty claims evolved into a facility-wide organization system that significantly improved claim throughput. The project focused on transforming a reactive environment into a structured workflow that addressed long resolution times and customer dissatisfaction.
The Challenge
The Milton facility faced a high volume of returns that often became disorganized upon arrival, making it difficult to track specific units or their status. This lack of identification and traceability led to extended lead times, where claims were frequently “forgotten” or buried under newer arrivals, impacting overall customer trust.
Approach
I led a four-person team to audit and physically reorganize the facility’s goods-in-house area. We implemented a dual-path solution: a physical 5S mapping of the floor and a centralized digital tracking hub. By labeling every claim and implementing a strict prioritization strategy, we removed the guesswork for quality technicians and streamlined the path to resolution.
Key Decisions
- Physical 5S Segmenting — Organized the facility into dedicated zones for Return to Vendor, Scrap, and Return to Stock, ensuring every item was physically accounted for and easily accessible.
- Digital Traceability Hub — Created an end-to-end tracking system in Excel that logged customer details, arrival dates, and specific next-step actions to eliminate information silos.
- FIFO Prioritization — Established a First-In, First-Out (FIFO) processing model, ensuring the oldest claims were addressed first to reduce the maximum disposition lead time.
- Team Leadership — Directed cross-functional efforts to adopt the new system, providing training on standardized documentation and faster resolution techniques.
Results
The project achieved a 53% reduction in GIH claims within the first two months, far exceeding the initial three-month target. These optimizations slashed disposition lead times for vendor returns by approximately two months and reduced claim retrieval time by roughly 150 minutes per week.
The initiative was recognized at the FY23 Q3 Town Hall as the “Best Parker Process Improvement”, establishing a new facility standard for both quality documentation and floor layout.