Implementing a quality maintenance system in a military organization

Over the past few years, considerable attention has been focused on the implementation and usage of quality improvement and related techniques to the service industry. Reports on an ongoing project to implement a quality maintenance system (QMS) in a military maintenance organization. Total quality management (TQM) concepts are applied as a management tool to improve the quality of maintenance services. Identifies and analyses the nature of the maintenance problem and its causes using data collected over 12 months. Finds that the low serviceability rate of vehicles needs to be improved. Indicates that TQM concepts can be applied effectively to maintenance services. Although the impact of the QMS has not been fully felt, employee participation, education and supervision surfaced as critical success factors during this stage of the implementation process.