Baldwin-Reply

[Gilreath@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-04-04 02:39:27 EST, you write:

>Word from a Baldwin dealer was that the company was trying to get the
>employees to
>make decisions about quality control during the building process instead of
>doing
>it at the end and ending up with a pile of pianos that needed corrections at
>the end
>of the line.  Apparentl;y, the employees didn't take the empowerment that
>was given to them so Baldwin sent them home for a day, to show the employees
>that Baldwin meant what it said.  I understand the wake up call worked and
>Baldwin is making pianos better than before!

Rory,

This may or may not have happened.  As a Baldwin dealer, I will try to find
confirmation on the one day suspension.  From my own personal experience,
having served an internship in the factory, the employees in the plants are
responsible and have been in invilved in increases in quality for many years.
They have weekly meetings of "Quality Circles" whose sole purpose is to find
ways to improve the quality of the product.  All dealer inspection cards are
posted on a bulletin board for all employees to see which area was found to
be lacking.  Further, while they must maintain production levels at any
station, there is a qualitative as well as quantitative standard that must be
met.  All this is not to say that they are perfect by any means, but there is
an ongoing attempt.

We'll see what we learn.

Allan Gilreath
Gilreath Piano & Organ Co.
Berry College
Gilreath@aol.com