Tell Me Why? Root Cause Analysis

In Root Cause Analysis methodologies, we are prompted to ask the question “why” multiple times until we reach the beating heart of a problem.  

The purpose of this pulse check isn’t to place blame or indeed carry shame that a fault occurred. It’s about creating a safe space to genuinely understand what went wrong, why it happened, and how we prevent it from happening again. 

We’re glad to report that conducting a Root Cause Analysis is not something we have to do often, but when we do, our experienced team members dust off those Sherlock caps and enter investigation mode to identify the issue and systematically review the production process to understand where exactly the fault occurred and what can be learned from it.   

The process to review, analyse and refine helps us to do better – yes, but it also pushes everyone in the chain of operations to sense check potential weak points. As new products, processes and machinery updates bring change, both big and small, it’s vital that we continue shaping a process fit for today and tomorrow and not rest on the laurels of what we know worked yesterday.  

How it works 

In cases where we know that a significant issue has occurred, we carry out a detailed inspection of a returned unit. This level of review is typically reserved for larger faults, rather than minor or cosmetic issues. 

The intention is simple: to gain meaningful insight into what happened, where our systems may have fallen short of both our own and our customers’ expectations, and how we can strengthen our processes moving forward. 

What sets our process apart is the level of care involved. Returned units are physically inspected and then virtually walked back through the entire production process. From order to manufacture, handling and delivery, each stage is traced carefully to understand where improvements can be made. 

While this depth of inspection is still relatively uncommon within the industry, for us it reflects how seriously we take our customer charter to always act with accountability and do right by our customers. 

Clear answers, not just quick fixes 

For our customers, the benefit is clarity. 

Rather than simply issuing a remake and moving on, we’re able to provide a considered response explaining what went wrong and most importantly, why. Most importantly, this work happens alongside the remake process, not instead of it. 

This means that typically, the replacement unit is already in motion while the investigation takes place, with findings usually shared within a week. This way, our customers aren’t delayed in their product needs, whilst we learn, refine and improve. 

Experience at every step 

These reviews are led by some of our most experienced people across the business, including Jamie Mendham, Richard Middleton, James Bishop, Mat Collins, Craig Hopper and Mark High. Each person brings a unique perspective and extensive industry understanding of different parts of the process, from production and operations through to quality control and customer relationships. 

It’s this collective expertise that allows us to take a balanced, fair view of what’s happened and where improvements can be made. 

Living our customer charter 

This approach is a direct reflection of our customer charter and our commitment to always go the extra mile. Being customer-centric isn’t about avoiding mistakes; it’s about how we respond when challenges arise. 

By taking the time to inspect, understand and improve, we’re putting our customers at the heart of our decision-making and reinforcing the standards we hold ourselves to. 

At Ecoglass, continuous improvement is about responsibility, learning and doing better, not only for our customers, but also for our people and the future of our business. 

And sometimes, that means looking a little deeper.