Sony 2007 Annual Report Download - page 56

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5353
which lays out basic policy on product and service quality in the Electronics business, and
we are implementing measures aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction.
Quality Assurance Initiatives
We endeavor to incorporate product quality improvement considerations into all processes,
from development, planning, design and manufacturing to sales and service activities. Such
measures include:
•establishing the position of Corporate Executive in charge of Product Quality and Safety,
with responsibility for managing and overseeing efforts to improve product and service
quality and respond to quality and safety issues;
•appointing personnel within each product and business group who are ultimately
responsible for quality to spearhead initiatives in the areas for which they are
responsible; and
•holding regular Quality Strategy Meetings, which are composed of Sony’s president as
well as top management from each Electronics business group and manufacturing and
marketing executives, to discuss and set policies, strategies and key measures relating to
product quality.
In addition to the above, through our Customer Information Center, where customers
report product malfunctions and express opinions after purchase, we are able to promptly
and accurately identify problems with planning, design and other groups and also work with
them to make appropriate improvements. Also, we have established the Product Quality
Information Channel, through which we gather product quality-related information and opinions
from Sony Group employees, enabling us to detect problems early and prevent them from
developing into serious issues.
Responses to Quality Issues
Sony recognizes ensuring its customers’ trust, confidence and satisfaction as a crucial
management task. Accordingly, we respond swiftly when a problem arises by investigating
the facts, disclosing information to customers and taking the appropriate measures to deal
with the problem.
In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, Sony launched a global replacement program for
certain notebook computer battery packs using Sony-manufactured lithium-ion battery cells.
Sony initiated this program as a measure of its commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction
and alleviating any consumer concern which may have arisen as a result of voluntary recalls
by certain computer manufacturers in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007 of notebook
batteries containing Sony cells that, under certain rare conditions, may overheat. As part of
its ongoing effort to improve battery cell quality, Sony made several improvements that had
an additional safety benefit to the battery design and manufacturing process of covered
battery cells, most of which had been implemented before the replacement program.
In September 2006, we introduced rules within Sony’s worldwide operations that specify
any information that we receive concerning product incidents that affect customer safety be
directed promptly to the executive in charge of product quality and safety. The executive
uses this information to investigate as appropriate and address the issues with the related
operating groups.
The Sony Pledge of Quality