If you send a qualified product and the recipient says there is a problem, how do you resolve it?

Come in and learn*! It seems quite difficult to solve! Unless a reliable department is found to retest it!

I hope the original poster can share how they resolved it back then! I’m really looking forward to it

I’m sharing this as a starting point; my experience may not be suitable for everyone, as the quality requirements vary depending on the products. I will share my experience with all of you in the end

We often encounter such problems. Generally, communication is carried out over the phone to verify whether the sampling methods used by both parties are consistent; the sampling methods are standardized, with national standards followed when available, and industry standards used in their absence.

This issue can be divided into two parts: if you ensure that your analysis is correct and the client approaches the problem with integrity, I believe it’s possible to resolve the discrepancy by communicating with the technical analyst on the other side. If the client has commercial intentions, then communication cannot resolve the issue; it can only be resolved through arbitration or business negotiations.

Both the supply and demand parties take samples together and seal them. If there are disputes, arbitration analysis can be conducted.

If you are sure that your equipment is fine, then you need to communicate with the other party. Of course, if it’s your own testing equipment that is not up to standard, then there’s nothing that can be done

When such a problem occurs, we usually first discuss with the client the analysis methods, conditions, and reference standards, and ask them to conduct the testing in accordance with our standards； If there is still a discrepancy, the customer will be asked to send back the samples that failed the tests for retesting, so that the potential issues can be identified and resolved promptly.

At the analysis laboratory where I used to work, due to the stringent requirements of our clients, method certification had to be carried out annually; only after obtaining certification from a laboratory designated by the client would the product’s test reports be accepted by them. Despite obtaining the certification, due to differences in the environments of various analysis laboratories, variations in instrument stability, and effects during transportation, there can still be deviations in the test results for certain trace indicators. That’s why it often happens that products that pass our tests encounter problems once they arrive at the customer’s location. At this point, all that remains is to take one’s own samples and testing data to an authorized analysis laboratory designated by the client in order to conduct the correlation. Then, we multiply it by the relevant factor in our test data to obtain Re-certification. It’s so troublesome!

Generally, the inspection should start with the initial testing; if there are no issues with the testing process, then consideration should be given to factors such as the testing environment, temperature, and any problems that may have occurred during transportation

In most cases, the samples are already within the acceptable range; differences in analysis results arise due to analytical errors, methodological differences, and the precision of the instruments used for analysis. The best approach in such situations is to communicate with the other party, providing them with information on the analysis methods and instruments used by you. If necessary, you can also ask them about their analysis methods, in order to identify the causes of the differences or determine the analytical errors between the two laboratories. Afterwards, you can ensure that the products meet the other party’s acceptance criteria by addressing any laboratory-related errors.

Our regular products all come with arbitration samples before leaving the factory, as a precaution. In the event of general quality issues, first determine whether there are differences between the testing methods used by the other party and those used by us, and analyze the possible causes of the problems from a methodological perspective ； Additionally, one can bring their own analysts to take samples again and conduct analyses, so as to resolve the issue properly and satisfy the customer.

We usually also communicate with the client first to see if the analysis methods are the same; if not, we standardize the methods first and then use each other’s methods for analysis. Unless the client is deliberately making things difficult, the issue can generally be resolved smoothly

It is not very practical; this can easily complicate the good relationship between the two parties, and it may even lead to offending one another or affecting future cooperation between them.

In general analysis, the same analytical methods are used in calculations, and human error always exists; therefore, it is understandable that such problems occur. A more thorough solution is to raise the quality of your products to a higher standard, so that even in the presence of human or instrumental errors, the products will still remain within acceptable limits.

We conduct sampling in accordance with national standards jointly by both parties; if there is still a significant discrepancy between the test results obtained by both sides and no resolution can be reached through negotiation, the samples will be sealed and sent to an arbitration institution for testing.