Regular contact with customers and suppliers is an essential element of Trident's quality strategy. Customers, as well as key suppliers, also participate in Continuous Involvement Meetings, initiated by Trident to gain full understanding of a customer's new or modified product design. Responding to future requirements identified through such discussions, for example, Trident recently raised its goal for manufacturing-process reliability to a level significantly more stringent than now specified by its most demanding customers. Before bidding on a project,Trident also works with prospective customers to eliminate hazardous materials that may be specified in the initial design and that would pose health or environmental risks. By policy, Trident will not submit a bid if the material requirements are not changed.
Trident also uses technology to strengthen links to customers and suppliers.
Top management takes the lead in planning, setting improvement priorities, and systematically reviewing progress toward quality goals, but executives and managers see their primary role as facilitating the transformation to a continuous improvement culture. Consequently, Trident's human resource strategies emphasize training, involvement through teams, empowerment, and reward and recognition. Since 1989, Trident has invested an average of 4.4 percent of its payroll on training and education in total quality as well as general education, job-related skills, and safety. This is an especially large investment for a small company and two to three times above the average for all U.S. industry. The company also relies heavily on the contributions of cross-functional teams, and it encourages employees to diversify their work skills and abilities.