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The benefits of having your organization’s Quality Management System audited and certified changes
- 2022-05-27
What is ISO 9001?
Being the most certifiable management system standard (over 900.000 issued certificates worldwide), it speaks much to the importance that the ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) certification has in businesses all over the world.
ISO describes it as follows:
ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system when an organization:
a) needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and
b) aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
This standard has been helping organizations of any kind and size to develop and maintain the best practices for their businesses since the year 1987, when it was first published by ISO. ISO 9001 was built upon BS5750 and since its first publication it has undergone 4 revisions: 1994, 2000, 2008, and 2015, which is also the latest revision and the one that organizations use nowadays.
Why should I consider getting my QMS audited and certified?
Determining the flaws and starting to build on the strengths of your organization are just some areas that you can master to get your business going and growing. On the other hand, evaluation and continuous monitoring of your organization’s management system plays a big part in this.
ISO 9001 certification not only proves that you are determined to reach the best results and are an industry-level organization, but it also helps you improve the efficiency and quality of your business.
How?
By having a well implemented Quality Management System (QMS) based on ISO 9001, you help your organization to cut costs, enhance performance, avoid waste, and have well-trained employees. However, only implementing it does not guarantee you that your organization’s QMS is on the right track, but an external audit from an accredited certification body will do.
Auditing a QMS not only measures employee efficiency but boosts their morals too. Based on the audit findings, managers can see if their organization’s QMS is implemented in the right way and can also serve as a check for the segregation of responsibilities, which helps to create a more efficient workplace with motivated and satisfied employees. As a result, motivated employees enhance their work ethic and productivity by giving extra effort to meet the expected results.
ISO 9001 at its core is about consistency, and companies that work by its requirements are stable in their processes, products/services they offer to their customers, and the responsibilities of their employees. Besides the confidence that is embodied in the employees, customers too will feel confident in their purchases as they will see that you always offer great products and services. On the other hand, ISO 9001 requirements for obtaining customer feedback relating to products and services, including customer complaints, enable companies to see how satisfied their customers are and what needs to be improved in order for them to meet the customer’s future needs.
Additionally, through audits, companies make sure that the decisions they make, processes they use, and the documented information are in line with ISO 9001 and the organization’s purpose. These established procedures and processes are better monitored through audits, be they internal or external audits.
Benefits of ISO 9001 Certification are countless:
Competent staff
Enhanced recognition
Increased revenue
Business sustainability
Increased clientele
Improved services turnaround times
Waste reduction
Increased customer retention
Effective sequence and interaction of processes
Confidence from the client or third parties
How to apply for an ISO 9001 certification?
An organization that has already implemented ISO 9001, before starting with an external certification audit, should undergo at least one internal audit to see which areas are not meeting the standard’s requirements. Companies should keep in mind that the main intention of having ISO 9001 implemented is to improve any aspect of the organization.
External audits are the ones that give the final check and the stamp that the work done regarding the implementation of ISO 9001 has been completed accordingly. People with experience in this field recommend that these audits are best conducted by accredited certification bodies.
It is of high importance to carefully select the certification body that will conduct the external audit. By doing so, you give your organization the chance to benefit from the experience and expertise of the ISO management system auditors involved and make the audit a worthwhile journey.
“Clients certified to the ISO 9001 standard by MSECB have attested to the fact that their management system has tremendously improved and continues to provide value to customers and other interested parties.”
-Innocent Atasie, MSECB Auditor for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22301, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27701, and ISO/IEC 20000-1.
MSECB is a certification body accredited by IAS that helps companies of any industry show commitment to their ISO 9001 management system by providing them with valuable and up-to-date evaluation and certification services. We enable companies to follow best practices and gain maximum advantage from their management system in this ever-evolving world of business. Our happy clientele has chosen us for our transparency, quick and excellent service, the quality, and professionalism of our auditors, and above all, for the outstanding customer experience that we offer.
The certification process is simple and easy to follow.
The first step of the certification audit is the Stage 1 Audit. During Stage 1, MSECB will conduct a review of the management system documentation to verify whether the client is ready for the Stage 2 Audit.
If the Stage 1 Audit is completed successfully, we will then continue with the Stage 2 Audit, which will be conducted either onsite or remotely. The Stage 2 Audit is a more in-depth audit to verify whether the client has met all the requirements of the standard.
Upon verifying that your organization is in conformity with the requirements of ISO 9001, the certification is granted by MSECB. This certification is then maintained through scheduled annual surveillance audits conducted by MSECB, with the recertification audit performed on a triennial basis. See the Certification Process
Conclusion
From what has been said, you can see that having a QMS implemented, audited and certified is more than just having well-organized documented information and checking boxes for the sake of receiving a certificate. Above all, it is about the quality of your operations, ease of work, a happy and motivated staff, satisfied customers, and a better business that continuously grows.
Get a Free Quote today as the first step you can take towards this extremely advantageous journey!
