"For a handful of screws"
It is highly probable that anyone who has attended school in Switzerland has sat on an Embru chair, given that 40% of Swiss classrooms are equipped with them. This popularity can be attributed to Embru's motto of providing "Furniture for a Lifetime." However, the purpose of this anecdote is not to promote Embru, but to highlight the severity of a problem that arose when complaints started accumulating about their best-selling school chair.
The issue was that the rubber caps on some of the chairs' feet were coming off, which might seem insignificant, but it became a significant concern since school floors are typically linoleum, which is difficult and expensive to repair or replace. "At that time we had some 50 000 of these chairs in Swiss classrooms. So every complaint was making us increasingly nervous. Where did the problem come from?", says Markus Simitz, Purchasing Manager at Embru-Werke AG. After an internal examination, it was determined that screws were potentially the source of the problem, and that the rubber caps were coming off the countersunk screws when subjected to sustained force, such as when students leaned back in their chairs, which they tend to do. But the question remained: what should be done?
Replace the screws, not parts of the chairs
“Let‘s ask Bossard,” Markus Simitz proposed, "they have the equipment to test out alternative screws." Following a series of laboratory tests, a Bossard engineer confirmed that the screws were indeed the root of the problem. "Together, we developed half a dozen new screw prototypes, with the primary challenge being ensuring backward compatibility", points out Markus Simitz. This meant that the new screws needed to be compatible with the previously delivered chairs, their casters, caps, and 4.0 mm screw holes. The customer aimed to replace only the screws, without having to replace any parts of the chairs or the entire chairs themselves, as that would have incurred significant costs. Once the new screws were in place, the problem was solved. "After three weeks of testing, Bossard finally delivered our new screw."
Customer benefits
- Cost-saving: The customer saved a considerable amount of money by replacing only the screws instead of having to replace parts of the chairs or the entire chairs themselves, which would have been more expensive.
- Peace of mind: Complaints about the chairs have significantly decreased, and the customer now knows how to handle any issues that may arise.
- Improved awareness: The experience has raised the customer's awareness of how fastening technology can help solve design problems, such as selecting the right type of screw. This insight has been useful in developing new designs.
- Quality assurance: By investing in a high-precision computerized screwdriver, the customer ensured optimal results and avoided any issues caused by minor torque differences during installation.
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