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TQM innovation at an international machine builder
Our client was an international machine builder with offices in Europe, China, the United States, and South America. The company had been gaining ground for years thanks to a strong technical advantage and operated under a clear hierarchical culture. They were market leaders in a saturated market and, despite this, wanted to substantially increase revenue. This was the question we addressed.
During our initial discussions, we noticed that management primarily viewed innovation as something that originated internally: the engineers devised new solutions, just as they had done since the company's inception. At Boswinkel & Partners, we opted for a different approach. In a market where growth is stalling, technical excellence alone is insufficient. Customer needs then form the starting point for true innovation. Therefore, we used Ansoff's growth strategy model as a foundation and opted for an approach that prioritized the voice of the customer. Our approach consisted of several clear steps:
- Global customer research
An external consultant visited the forty largest customers worldwide and asked about their experiences, expectations, and ideas for innovation.
- Translation into technology
Engineering translated these insights into a concrete prototype that fully met market needs.
- Factory validation
The forty customers were invited to a demonstration of the prototype. We incorporated their feedback into the final design.
- Introduction to the sales organization
The updated machine was incorporated into the sales portfolio, and together we made clear agreements about the sales targets.
This approach perfectly illustrates what Total Quality Management means: innovating based on customer needs, not on assumptions or technical preferences. By putting the customer first, we created a product that the market truly needed and that was immediately marketable. A prime example of how TQM makes innovation tangible and powerful.