Process control refers to the way in which manufacturers, companies and producers maintain a tight control over the various components and steps involved in the production of final good or service. The importance of process control lies in the value of such a process to the various businesses through the increase in quality of their products and the reduction of mishaps that would likely occur without the application of process control. Since customers also judge a company by the quality of their products and services, process control helps ensure that companies maintain a loyal customer base.
An importance of process control is derived from the way in which a strict adherence to process control helps a company avert potentially costly mistakes. Considering the fact that process control requires a complete monitoring of the various components of the production process, any potential problem will be spotted early on in the production process, before it becomes a significant problem later. This importance of process control can be seen in the case of a company that makes women's underwear. Assuming one of the machines used in stitching the undergarments malfunctions and causes some defects in the stitches, the process control will allow the organization to fix this problem early on instead of later when it will be costlier.
If the company fails to address this problem, it will become a huge burden later after the undergarments have been packaged and sent off to consumers. This importance of process control is also apparent in vehicle manufacturers that constantly recall huge numbers of certain brands of vehicles due to a lapse in process control. Such a mistake will cost the company a lot of money in terms of replacing the faulty components in the vehicles, in addition to the loss of valuable man hours that will be diverted to addressing the fault.
The importance of process control can also be seen in the manner in which such a lapse in control can affect the image and fortunes of the company. Apart from possible lawsuits that will divert the concentration of the company away from its functions, the lack of proper process control will also lead to a reduction in the confidence of consumers in the company and their products. All of these factors will serve to negatively affect the fortunes of the company, something that would have been avoided by applying proper process control.