How to get started: ISO 9001 Certification simplified

 

When speaking with clients these are some of the things I hear:

1. It would be a great idea to get ISO 9001 Certified

2. We would like for our company to be ISO certified but we don’t know where to start

3. We need ISO certification but don’t know what’s involved

4. Where do we begin?

5. How much does it cost?

6. How quickly can this be done?

7. What are the steps?

8. When can I get audited?

9. What do we need to do?

And any combination of these.

It’s interesting to find that there are a number of companies out there who are geared to providing the auditing and certifying for any business. You place a phone call and book an appointment. This in my estimation is the easiest transaction available. An auditor comes to your facility or provides a remote audit and provides you an assessment of your company’s conformance to the ISO 9001:2015 standard. Easy enough. Then they go away and wait 90 days for you to provide evidence that you’ve corrected the minor non-conformances. If major non-conformances exist, they want to book another follow up review of your facility to validate your compliance. This is one cost of getting certified.

I’ve discovered what’s really missing. Many smaller companies have heard of the benefits of ISO 9001 certification but don’t really understand how to navigate this complex world. When potential clients call me, I take the time to make them understand what’s involved. Invariably I get thanks and accolades for taking the time to explain the steps. I’ve even heard, “it’s so nice to actually speak with a real live person”.

What’s typically missing are the competent and qualified consultants who get the small or medium size business’s ready for ISO Audit. These are the unsung heroes of the business. Company’s like ISO Certification Consultants are few and far between. They understand what’s involved and how to get a company ready for it’s first ISO 9001 audit.

Our approach is simple. We provide a consulting service which walks a company through the steps needed to get ready for it’s first ISO 9001 Audit. We understand the needs of business. Most auditors are not business people. They are pure practitioners and are therefore well suited to the Audit and Certification side of the business. Although Auditing is a very intense and often tiring activity it pales in comparison to the energy and time required to prepare for the audit. As business people we know the value of time and money, therefore we’ve streamlined the approach. We can even provide our consulting remotely, depending on the company.

I advise my clients to take the “border-crossing” approach to start. This means only answer the most necessary questions which need to be answered. If portions of the standard don’t apply, don’t look for reasons or find ways to make it apply. The standard and its clauses must be tailored to your unique business. No more, no less.

1. Breakdown the business into the fundamental core process’s

2. Develop High level Process diagrams and steps for each process

3. Develop next level standardized work instructions

4. Document the steps. Start with a system for documentation and storage.

5. Develop the recording and reporting process’s

6. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Now, it’s important to note that Clause 10 of the ISO 9001:2015 standard talks about continuous improvement activity. What most company’s miss is that the standard is a more than just a Quality Management system. When properly implemented it forms the framework for a complete Business Management System. The ISO 9001:2015 standard is the basis for the integration of a company’s systems in a way which provides a value-added approach to doing business. Many company’s fail to remember that their company’s operational stance should be built around a very basic premise. That is, is the company activity value added and is it something that the customer is willing to pay for. If the answer to one of both of these questions is NO, then you should stop doing it. 

ISO 9001:2015, when properly implemented, can help a company put in place the methodology to help address these questions. It’s also the basis for other integrated systems such as ISO 14001 (Environmental), ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety) and a number of other ISO standard which are commensurate with the type of business vertical your company occupies. 

Another common statement amongst company’s is, ‘just get me my certificate so that I can continue with my business.’ This attitude and approach contravenes the reason for getting ISO Certification in the first place. Once you put a basic system in place, the goal should be to continuously improve everything about your business. Many company’s neglect this most important point. Depending on the type of business this can be a recipe for poor performance in many areas and sometimes disaster. History is full of examples of company’s that went out of business because they simply did not improve or change. Meanwhile the competitors who continued in business made it a regular exercise to improve and where required re-invent themselves.

ISO Certification Consultants provides a one-stop consulting service for your ISO certification needs. We provide the consultation, our partner accredited group provides the auditing and certification.