Concession from customers

Although the standard does not recognize any classification of nonconformities, the practical application of nonconformity controls requires controls to be balanced with the severity of the nonconformity. It is not necessary to seek concessions from a customer against requirements that have not been specified, or seek design authority approval for workmanship imperfections. The definition of the term defect in ISO 8402, and the fact that there are many requirements other than those specified in a contract or needed to satisfy market needs, demands that it is sensible to classify nonconformities into three categories ... 

The only cases where you need to request concession from your customer are when you have deviated from one of the customer requirements and cannot make the product conform. Even when you repair a product, providing it meets all of the customer... 

Not all product intended for delivery may in fact have passed the required inspections and tests as the customer may have waived some of the requirements for that particular delivery. Hence the reference to release under an authorized concession. Identifying product correctly will help preclude any unidentified or nonconforming product from being delivered, used, or installed. However, the only way to make certain is to remove them from areas where they may be inadvertently dispatched, used, or installed. 

Quality records are those records identified in Chapter 16. This is a bit of a catchall as concessions, service reports, customer complaints, and data from processes and work operations are all quality records. However, the standard does not cross refer to clause 4.16 at every mention of records or similar document and therefore the requirements of 4.16 only apply in those cases where it is referenced. Service reports, for instance, do not need to comply with the requirements of clause 4.16. 

---