You may already have a good quality team established in your company, but does the industry recognize their value? From an internal perspective, your quality team holds great value, however it’s worth the effort for them to be industry recognized. ISO 9001 is a standard that sets out the requirements for a quality management system. It helps businesses and organizations to be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction. Implementing a quality management system can bring benefits to organizations of all sizes and all sectors, from the small manufacturer of bicycle parts to a hospital employing 5,000 people. Here are some of the benefits of implementing ISO 9001:

  • Assess the overall context of your organization to define who is affected by your work and what they expect from you. This will enable you to clearly state your objectives and identify new business opportunities.
  • Put your customers first, making sure you consistently meet their needs and enhance their satisfaction. This can lead to repeat customers, new clients and increased business for your organization.
  • Work in a more efficient way as all your processes will be aligned and understood by everyone in the business or organization. This increases productivity and efficiency, bringing internal costs down.
  • Meet the necessary statutory and regulatory requirements.
  • Expand into new markets, as some sectors and clients require ISO 9001 before doing business.
  • Identify and address the risks associated with your organization.

 

ISO 9001 is based on the idea of continual improvement. It is designed to be flexible enough for use by many different types of organization, so does not specify what the objectives relating to “quality” or “meeting customer needs” should be. Instead, it requires organizations to define these objectives themselves and continually improve their processes in order to reach them.

Certification to ISO 9001 is not a requirement and you can use the standard to improve the way you work without being certified. However, third-party certification – when an independent certification body audits your practices against the requirements of the standard – is a way of signaling to your buyers, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders that you have implemented the standard properly.

ISO 9001 is recognized worldwide and is often used as a benchmark for quality management systems. It is a way of demonstrating to customers and other stakeholders that your organization is committed to quality and customer satisfaction. When it comes time to sell your company, having ISO 9001 certification can be a valuable asset, as it can help to increase the value of your business and make it more attractive to potential buyers.

To become ISO 9001 certified, you need to follow a few steps. These include:

  • Conducting a gap analysis to identify areas where your current quality management system does not meet the requirements of ISO 9001.
  • Developing a quality manual that outlines your quality management system and how it meets the requirements of ISO 9001.
  • Implementing your quality management system and ensuring that all employees are trained on the new processes and procedures.
  • Conducting an internal audit to ensure that your quality management system is working effectively.
  • Engaging a third-party certification body to audit your quality management system and issue ISO 9001 certification if you meet the requirements.

 

An ISO certification is a credential that validates a business’s fulfillment of requirements relating to quality process standards as defined by the International Standards Organization (ISO). It certifies that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance. The ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality and efficiency of products, services, and systems. Being an ISO certified company can help businesses gain credibility and demonstrate that their product or service meets the expectations of their customers. It can also be a legal or contractual requirement for some industries. However, it is important to note that ISO does not perform certification. Instead, external certification bodies perform the certification process.

Being an ISO certified company can greatly impact your company’s worth when it comes time to sell. ISO certification is a globally recognized standard that ensures that your company’s products and services meet the highest quality standards. It also demonstrates that your company has a well-established quality management system in place, which can help to increase customer satisfaction and reduce costs. Furthermore, being ISO certified can help to improve your company’s reputation and credibility, which can make it more attractive to potential buyers. Being ISO certified can create a stronger, more efficient, and productive company, which can make it more attractive to buyers when it comes time to sell. Being ISO certified can help to increase your company’s value by improving its reputation, reducing costs, and increasing customer satisfaction. Take the time to review this next step in your company’s evolution. It may be worth further conversation and consideration internally for a recognized traceable process that can put more money in your pocket at the end of the day.

Darren Harrington is Vice President Commercial Business Real Estate, M&A Advisor of Creative Business Services/CBS-Global.

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