Preventing Mistakes Saves...

I'm in charge of ordering for my company and recently ordered the installation of new equipment for an essential business service.  When the installation didn't happen as planned, I called the customer service representative who insisted that our equipment had been installed and she had a completed work order to prove it.  After much arguing, frustration and anger, it was discovered that, due to an order entry error, the equipment was installed at the wrong location. While the time and materials cost ($20,000) was the vendor's problem, the delay was costly to us as well.  My boss recognizes that the vendor was at fault, but says I need to make a plan to reduce the likelihood for errors like this in the future.  I know what I can do to reduce my mistakes, but what can I do to prevent others from making mistakes like this? 

Mistakes are expensive and your price tag doesn't include all of the costs. The emotional, goodwill and reputation costs are — as the charge card ad says — "priceless." While no one is infallible, there's value in the old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth of pound of cure." Consider these preventive measures:

Clarify and verify: Everyone bears some responsibility for error prevention. Insist that essential information be repeated back to you when ordering and to have the order confirmed in writing via e-mail, fax or mail. Then make sure to carefully check the order for accuracy. If changes are necessary, ask for another written confirmation.

Implement preventive practices: Consider the things that could go wrong and ask vendors what kinds of things do go wrong on their end. Develop procedures to head them off at the pass.

For example, you may decide that certain things will only be ordered in writing or online, where you enter the essential information yourself.

Listen carefully to problem solve: When problems arise, get on track quickly to correct the error. Don't argue, don't insist you're right; don't get defensive; don't accuse — take a step back and listen and stay calm. Ask open questions to get an understanding of the problem.

Share as much information as you can and offer solutions. Now is the time to focus on what people can do to solve the problem, not on what they did to cause the problem.

Make no mistake — error prevention saves time and money. Even more importantly, it saves those good business relationships you've worked so hard to build.