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July 9, 2024

Shopping List: 5 Essential Features to Look for in Quality Control Software

  • Quality Control App
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In some ways, shopping for the right fresh produce quality control software is like shopping for actual produce in your local store. You have options, but also have standards. Before you put any apples in your cart, it’s a good idea to look closely for blemishes or cracks. Beyond those basic standards, you have preferences when it comes to size and color. Yours may be different to someone else’s, so that even a good product might not be the best product for your needs.

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself as you examine different quality control software vendors to guide you towards the optimal decision for your fresh produce business.

1: How Much Automation Can It Offer?

Automation is a priority for organizations up and down the fresh produce supply chain, from farmers to retailers. For the first time, new technologies are giving these organizations a way to break free from traditionally manual quality processes, increasing efficiency and consistency at the same time.

Automated systems can do more than human inspectors can, in less time. But even better, their judgments are more objective and less error prone. By combining computer vision and AI, the latest generation of quality control software can assess size, color, firmness and defects in just moments. This allows for higher throughput (a commercial necessity) and more accurate data collection. The results are stronger supplier-retailer relationships, and lower labor costs. 

The degree of automation you require depends on the size and complexity of your business, and your goals. For large scale operations, or smaller ones that need to scale up, a high degree of workflow automation is essential.

2: Do You Get Real-Time Data & Reporting?

The fresh produce industry is a tough space to operate in. These businesses face pressures from all directions: quality and compliance on one side, and vulnerability to climatic and logistical shocks on the other. They need to be able to make quick but informed decisions, and take corrective actions when needed. And making the right call depends on real-time data.

Quality Management System (QMS) software can make all the difference between success and loss, by delivering instant updates on quality. Monitoring trends and flagging recurring problems. This is the only practicable way to build a foundation for continuous improvement.

These capabilities are especially critical for large-scale operations, where delays in data can lead to crippling losses.

3: Scalability and Integration

The category of AI-enabled QMS software is a relatively new one. So it’s important to talk to potential vendors to find out how much time and R&D they’ve invested in ensuring that their solutions can integrate smoothly with your existing ERP and supply chain management platforms. This part of the conversation is also a natural place to discuss scalability. Can the platform scale as your business expands? Or are there limits to the amount and type of data that it can process? It’s critical to rightsize your investment to your future goals, and not just your present state.

4: Are The Quality Criteria Customizable?

Every produce type has unique quality criteria. Your quality control software needs to accommodate these differences. Ideally, you should be able to set specific parameters for different types of fruits and vegetables, so that your quality inspectors can use the tool for many different products.

This feature is indispensable for businesses that deal with a wide variety of produce. A good question to ask any vendor is whether their platform includes the flexibility to customize criteria or build new ones that can handle a range of products with the same degree of accuracy and objectivity. 

5: It’s 2024. QMS Software Should Have a User-Friendly Interface

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) were once the exclusive domain of technologists and software engineers. But we’re well past that point, and these technologies are now part of the day-to-day operations of businesses almost everywhere. If the QMS software you’re considering requires a long and complex learning curve, the efficiency gains we spoke about earlier will take longer to materialize. 

Instead, the software should be easy to navigate and use, so that all staff can use it to optimize their work, from warehouse managers to inspectors to the C-Suite. Before you buy, take a look under the hood to make sure that you’re getting an interface that’s truly user-centric.

Clarifresh Ticks All the Boxes: Cutting-Edge Quality Control Software for Fresh Produce

As early innovators and category leaders in fresh produce quality quality control software, we at Clarifresh understand the pressures that businesses like yours face. And we’ve built a solution that encompasses all of those needs.

Our automated, end-to-end QCaaS platform provides real-time data, customizable criteria, and a smooth interface within a quality control app that everyone in your organization can use. Major industry players rely on Clarifresh to expedite quality control processes, reduce waste, and maximize their profitability. 

Book a demo with our team to discuss your organization’s future, and how deploying Clarifresh could get you there faster.

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Perfect your quality management for everything fresh.