When I hear a manager say ISO 9001 is just another expense, I immediately know that this organization doesn’t have a clue what ISO 9001 is. Lip service is just that, if you put nothing into your quality management system, you will get exactly nothing in return. ISO 9001 is a quality standard which aims to guide an organization to understand its own business better so that it can meet or exceed its customer needs. By implementing a “successful” quality management system the organization will see tangible improvements that lead to reduced costs and increases in market share.
How does this happen, the reduced costs and increased market share? Well if you think just because you plop a system in, you will instantly see the money, think again. This is a process, a process that develops and matures over time which is spurred on by increased awareness and understanding throughout the organization. As you learn more about your internal processes and link them to your customer needs, you will begin to reap the rewords of your efforts.
So get serious about your companies goals and how you will achieve them, (plan) your processes, work your system (Do), (Check) your progress toward achieving your objectives, and make the necessary changes along the way to keep on track (Act). If you are like so many other companies out there, you could use a little help getting started. There are plenty of quality consultants and classes that can do just that. But once you finally “GET IT; your system should become an effortless process that runs like a Swiss watch. This process should not add work or drain resources; rather it should run itself because it is how you do business every day.
Don’t get involved in ISO 9001 with the belief that it is just another expense. Make the process pay for itself by understanding, believing and promoting, and driving your goals and expectations to completion. Lead and you will succeed, or don’t and throw your money and future expectations away. One thing is for sure at the end of the day, if you don’t put your best foot forward, somebody else will.
Friday, April 23, 2010
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Hi Deborah. I sincerely agree with your statement, "ISO 9001 is a quality standard which aims to guide an organization to understand its own business better so that it can meet or exceed its customer needs." Aside from being a set of standards, ISO certification 9001 aims to serve as a guide for businesses to deliver quality products/services through quality management. And we know that with commitment to quality, we gain more profitability and establish sturdier customer confidence.
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