In the early months of 2020 and amid a frantic, pandemic-prompted scramble for medical gear, the Centers for Disease Control unpacked a rushed shipment of face masks only to make a shocking realization — the masks had unresolvable quality defects. The entire shipment was effectively useless.

Stories like these are startling, if not entirely uncommon. But why do they happen in the first place? In this episode of Gerent’s Ahead of the Curve Podcast, Chris Henry sits down with two experts to uncover why quality occasionally gets the short shrift and how manufacturers can leverage innovative QC technologies to avoid such public disasters.  

The conversation also explores: 

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4:21 — The factors that lead manufacturers to sacrifice product quality

6:30 — Two high-profile case studies that illustrate the dangers of compromising on quality control (QC)

13:04 — How transitioning to a digital QC system can facilitate greater speed, profitability, and efficiency

18:20 — Why organizations should use the shift to digital as an opportunity to root out flaws in their QC processes

Episode Guests:

Lance Johnson

Former EQMS & EHS Practice Lead, Gerent

Lance Johnson has over two decades of experience working on software projects in the life science sector; he once served as the primary consultant for a quality management implementation at the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs. Today, he leverages his EQMS and EHS knowledge to facilitate Salesforce implementations for Gerent. 

Charlene Stefanazzi

VP of Marketing, Gerent

Charlene Stefanazzi is a seasoned marketer who has spent over a decade developing marketing campaigns for brands across a variety of industries — from fashion to consumer-packaged goods (CPG) and technology. Her expertise includes but is not limited to marketing strategy, storytelling, creative thinking, and brand-building.