Consistent Shortage Support: Smith’s 4Cs Quality Framework

The ongoing semiconductor shortages have had massive impacts around the world, throwing a wrench into the production of consumer electronics, automobiles, industrial automation, and more. As companies scour their supply chains for available product, many are entering the open market for the first time.

But the waters in the open market can be murky and difficult to navigate for some. Inexperienced buyers, in their desperation to find the parts they need, can overlook major red flags and end up paying huge sums of money for counterfeit parts – or worse, no parts at all. To prevent this worst-case scenario, buyers must educate themselves and properly vet their suppliers. By partnering with an independent distributor like Smith, companies can rely on our vast market knowledge and expertise to reduce their risk and obtain the components they need to complete their builds.

For nearly four decades, Smith has been a leader in the semiconductor open market, backed by our commitment to quality and emphasis on proactive supply chain planning. Our operational framework is built on the 4Cs – comprehensive, consistent, continuous, and certified. These four pillars of quality underpin our role as the world’s leading independent distributor of electronic components.

In this series, I will break down the 4Cs and discuss how each one plays a vital role during times of shortage, ensuring that the quality of our products is unmatched and without question.

Our second C – consistent – speaks to Smith’s unwavering reliability in our operational processes and procedures. As I discussed in my previous blog, our systems-based approach to quality not only allows us to provide comprehensive support to our customers but also ensures that our partners around the world receive identical product and service quality from our three distribution hubs in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam.

Moreover, our processes and procedures remain constant, regardless of market conditions. In a shortage situation, suspect and counterfeit product can be rampant in the supply chain, and it’s crucial to stay vigilant to protect against these risks. But, at Smith, we are always on guard. Our stringent supplier-screening and testing procedures are in place at all times, meaning we are always ready to combat the next wave of counterfeit material trying to enter the open market.

None of this would be possible, however, without the consistency we’ve developed within our people. Through our global, comprehensive learning and development program, our employees are trained using the exact same materials and resources – no matter where they are located.

We have spent nearly 38 years developing Smith’s framework for quality excellence. In that time, we’ve seen numerous shortage situations unfold and have continued to incorporate new technology, training, and processes into our systems to confirm our products’ functionality and authenticity, so our customers can rest assured that Smith has taken the necessary steps to mitigate their risks.

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