A Customer Claims Model Based on an Improved Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Method

Abstract:

This paper proposed a customer claims model by improving the traditional FMEA model using the AHP method and fuzzy TOPSIS. Failure modes of claimed products were evaluated and ranked based on four criteria, while critical failures should be solved with priority to reduce business loss. A case study on auto instruments of company C was used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. The results show that the most serious failure mode is inoperative instruments caused by circuit board damage or install error, which should be improved first to avoid customer claims. The case results are consistent with the company’s expectation and show the feasibility and practicability of the proposed method.

Key words:customer claims model; failure mode and effect analysis; analytic hierarchy process; fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution