Following the article: “Understanding the value of ISO for your business“, this article will explain ISO Certification.  ISO Certification indicates that a recognised independent registrar has examined a company’s quality system and found them to be compliant with ISO standards.

The process of developing and implementing a good, solid, quality management system that is also compliant is time consuming and expensive.  So, does ISO hold enough value to justify these efforts?

The ISO certification process serves as a vehicle for improving all major interrelated systems that affect product quality, customer service and company performance.  Therefore a company-wide effort is necessary to implement the process, which drives value through every level of a business.  Company culture is at the heart of any business, and industry experts have cited that the most important component to ISO improvements should be attitudes within the company.

ISO Implementation

To get the most out of ISO implementation, training and awareness programmes work by way of getting employees involved.  It is important that all levels of management buy in to the ISO process and be actively involved to derive maximum benefit.

The employees will be working with quality management systems on a daily basis and need to understand the effect it will have on their jobs.  With significant input during the development of the procedures, the ISO certification process becomes much more meaningful to them, increasing the likelihood that they will embrace the process.

Value from within a business is fine and this value and pride in a business will naturally reach your customer base.  As a measurement of value with any business, an ISO helps you to deliver, which is what your customer requires.

Successful implementation takes place when the ISO standards are developed to fit the company and not the other way around.  IMSM works with clients to create a tailored implementation so that it can be worked in to the company culture without disrupting what is already in place, cohering employees to ensure that there is no resistance or the “way we have always done it” attitude.

ISO as a Step in the Quality Management Process

The value of ISO is very dependant on the company involved and how they view the ISO certification.  If a company regards the certification as just a goal, once certified much of the work and improvements that went in to the achievement cease to continue.  The companies that derive value from ISO see it as a step in the quality management process.  The process often drives a “cultural change” that spurs them to look for ways to build on their new quality management system.

Such a cultural change within a business has a positive effect on numerous elements of productivity such as, the approach to product development and manufacturing, communication with vendors, and relations with customers and employees.  As a result, the company will experience positive returns such as improved production, customer satisfaction and loyalty and employee enthusiasm and commitment.  This payback will far exceed the original investment in ISO certification, and deliver to you far more layers of value and satisfaction than first thought.

Certification can be obtained from a company such as IMSM who only work with Assessors that have been successfully trained to the highest standard by an approved training body, who have a wealth of experience, to guarantee that their clients will receive first class consultation throughout their ISO journey.

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