QUALITY CONTROL FAQ
Can you briefly present your company?
Asia Quality Focus is a Western 3rd party inspection company focusing on quality control and quality assurance in Asia. We specialize and are experts in product inspections, factory audits and product testing. We can inspect any order and audit any factory within 48H, anywhere in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.
Why do I need Quality Control ?
We suggest you to view our presentation: 10 tips for Quality Control, and then see if you are looking for answering to one of the following question:
- Is my factory following international and local rules and regulations? (Social Audit)
- Has production started correctly? (First Article inspection)
- Is my order produced according to my specifications? (Product Inspection)
- Is the container well loaded? (Container Loading Inspection)
- How to make sure there are no defects? (Defect Sorting Service)
- How to ensure the factory introduces the right quality checks? (Production Monitoring)
How do I get started?
- Sign up online in order to create your private account on our website; it is free of charge and requires no commitment.
-
After activation of your account, you will be able to choose your desired service and provide us with your requirements, instructions, specifications, criteria and attachments online (24/7).
-
Our Operations team will prepare, coordinate and arrange your booked service and you will receive a confirmation email. If you have any questions, you can contact us at any time.
-
The day of the requested service you will receive your fully illustrated report by email and it will also be posted on your secured private account.
-
You will receive one invoice per month, at the end of the month (however, if it is your first time working with us we ask you to pay in advance).
Why should I choose Asia Quality Focus?
- Efficiency
We leverage technology to bring greater value to your organization through higher service levels. - Personalization
Tailored protocol, report, and KPIs to focus on your product and quality requirements. - Service Excellence
Over 80% of our regular customers have been relying on AQF for more than 3 years. - Asia Expert
In less than 24H, an AQF inspector or auditor can deliver a service in 14 countries in Asia.
DO YOU OFFER SOURCING SERVICES TO FIND SUPPLIERS AND MANAGE PROJECTS?
We do not offer any sourcing services. All information about our client’s vendors and factories is confidential and shall not be transmitted to any other party. All information shall not be sold or used for any other purpose than the quality control service you are paying for. If you are in need of these services, please consult our Endorsed partners page for relevant company information.
Can I discuss with you in detail my criteria and my product specifications?
Of course, and we invite you to contact us in order to explain your quality needs.
What information does your inspection report include?
Our reports are very detailed, illustrated with pictures and cover the following:
- Product appearance (AQL), workmanship quality
- Product specifications review: quantity, material, color, size, measurements, labeling & marking, packaging, packing, accessories, shipping marks etc.
- On site testing and special checks.
- Important remarks and professional feedback.
How long does it take to obtain the inspection results?
For inspections in China, results are sent within 24 hours after completing the inspection. If clients need rush service, they can obtain same day reporting for a $30 surcharge.
Who will approve or reject the shipment?
We inspect the shipment according to AQL international standards and also according to your instructions, specifications and criteria. Then, our results are given to you through a fully detailed and illustrated report, which should allow you to decide whether to allow the shipment of your products. You can accept or reject your shipment directly online.
Which areas do you cover?
AQF provides quality control and quality assurance services in 14 countries in Asia : from Indonesia to Pakistan and from China to Thailand.
How much does it cost?
Product Inspections and Factory Audits start at US$298 all-inclusive. Product inspections are usually performed within 1 man-day. The number of man-days needed depends on the total ordered quantity, the complexity of your product and the number of references to inspect. FYI, while booking your product inspection online, you will get a quotation before confirming your order.
How can I pay?
You will receive one invoice at the end of the month with all the inspections we performed on your behalf. This invoice is payable upon receipt by TT or PayPal. We invoice in USD but you can pay us in any major currency.
Do you offer any discounts?
We offer special packages for our VIP clients who book regular inspections and have been working with us for an extended period of time.
What happens if non-conforming goods are found when the shipment arrives?
It is extremely rare that non-conforming goods make it out of the factory if AQF is hired. In the vast majority of cases, the root cause turns out to be damage during shipping or shipments were approved after a failed inspection and the buyer trusts the factory (who was likely supposed to rework the goods) enough to ship without having performed a re-inspection or a defect sorting service. Therefore, we highly recommend you to book re-inspection or defect sorting service after a failed inspection and to work with your shipping partners to insure the product against damage in transit. AQF guarantees that we will inspect the product to the standard and methods approved by the client (including chosen sampling size). In the event that our inspectors do not follow the agreed standards, AQF will follow our terms and conditions.
Why doesn't AQF provide a warranty on behalf of the supplier?
As it is not economically viable for most clients to inspect every unit in the order, AQL tables determine the number of units to be inspected which will yield a statistically reliable sample size. In other words, if the inspection on the randomly selected lot goes well, then it is statistically unlikely that defects will be found in the rest of the order.
For example, if there are 100 master cartons in an order and 50 units per master carton for 5000 units total. Our inspectors would open at random a select set of master cartons (the square root of the total number of cartons) and further select at random a set of individual units inside that master carton as per sampling size chosen by the client. However, if the supplier knew they had a few dozen defects and packaged the defects all together in one section of one master carton, then it would be statistically unlikely that our inspector would find this pocket of defects. For this reason, AQF does not provide a warranty on behalf of the supplier. But we stress to our clients that they should have robust POs, warranty terms and payment terms with their suppliers that protects their interests. Negotiating such terms with the supplier is outside of the scope of our business at AQF, but our Endorsed Partners can help with the negotiations and contract review.
Where do I send golden /reference/pre-production/approval samples?
It is best to send them directly to your factory, in a sealed package to our attention. In China, you can also send samples to our office, where we will seal them and send them to the factory to the attention of our inspector. AQF will absorb courier fees up to 5 USD. Help us identify the package by writing the AQF order number on it. Verify which office to send it to by checking our office’s address on your dashboard or contact your account manager directly.
How can I get production samples collected during an inspection?
Let us know that you would like us to collect production samples. This can be done either online or by contacting your account manager. We can pick "normal" samples at random or select defective samples for your reference. This service is free of charge and samples are sent to you using your courier account. Alternatively, we can send the samples to you or to our office and you cover any courier fees exceeding US$ 5. We can also pick up production samples without performing an inspection.