How to Handle a Product Recall

Before delivering to the consumer, products are tested thoroughly to ensure safety. Even with the most ardent testing a product malfunction can happen and therefore making a product recall necessary. Handling a product recall correctly can make or break a company's already damaged reputation.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Establish a recall procedure that encompasses all levels of the company. It is important to realize that a recall affects every part of the company and each should have input on handling the product recall. Be sure to document the procedures for future use and improvement.
2. Emphasize that a product recall handled correctly can be a positive. Unless deadly or personally damaging most everyone user stand that product are going to have occasional defects. What the customer will not understand or tolerate is a badly handled recall. Companies such as Johnson and Johnson and Lexus have actually enhanced their reputations by conducting a recall correctly.
3. Conduct a thorough investigation of the quality control division. Somehow, this defect happened and it is imperative that it not happen again. Therefore, the quality control department must undertake in-depth investigations of its procedures. Often in product recalls, companies focus too much on the current product recall and not the process itself.
4. Communicate the product recall to the public. Utilize every means of communication during the recall. Use the Internet, mail system, television and the print media to get the recall information to the public. However, there is danger of communicating a recall too effectively. If the recall dominates the news, it can lead to a negative corporate image.
5. Make sure the existing infrastructure can handle the recall. If a recall is enacted only to find out that the means to conduct it are lacking, the result could be disastrous. Talk to each division leader to be certain the assets are in place to handle the recall.
6. Be certain that employees at every level have the freedom to contribute to the recall. All employees need to have input during a recall. Some of the most valuable information can come from customer service or the assembly line worker.