Mistakes are always bound to happen whether or not you like it. And this is a common phenomenon in the business world especially when it comes to meeting ISO Management Standards. Most business owners are not to blame for this considering the biggest ISO mistakes are often not the obvious mistakes.
Either way, you need to be wary of them as you move your management standards project forward. In this simple guide, we take you through some of the costly ISO mistakes in Management Standards to avoid at all costs.
Quality is Not About Business
It is quite common for business owners to assume that ISO 9001 only covers the product quality and supporting Documentation. While this was the case a few years back, things have taken a different direction.
In this modern day and era, customers want consistent compliance to the requirements and the specification. Actually, most customers are looking beyond those for other factors to decide who to purchase from.
Now more than ever, the ISO Standard focuses mostly on the business. In particular, the understanding of the customer expectations and requirements, meeting them and then checking the customer perceptions and satisfaction with your product or service.
Certification Organizations are not Created Equal
You might not know this, but certification organizations differ in numerous ways. That’s why you must ensure the Certification Body you choose to leverage boasts proper accreditation. After all, this ensures that you have independent external audit of your system.
Unfortunately, some unaccredited organizations exist, who issue generic documentation and then post their own certificate. Bear in mind such certifications tend to bring out the wrong impression of your Business and your Quality to Buyers. Regrettably, this is a clear example of you get what you pay for.
Relaxing After Certification
It is now possible for businesses to use an ISO documentation toolkit in getting certified. While ISO certification is a great step to take, but it is not an end in itself. Keep in mind there are at least yearly Surveillance to check both continuing compliance and on-going improvements.
A perfectly documented and certified Management System is merely a tool that can help you reach your business objectives in almost no time. Once you attain certification- enjoy the moment. Afterwards, you should start planning the next stage of the development of the system and your business. Never make the mistake of sitting back and relaxing.
The Bottom Line
Mistakes you make with the ISO 9001 Standard and others will always come back to haunt you. That’s the last thing you want to make do with since it could lead to the downfall of your business. The good news is you can now take advantage of an ISO documentation toolkit to ease how you do things. Always ensure the toolkit you choose includes Internal Audit Templates to guide you through everything. It is then that you stand a better chance of reaping maximum benefits without feeling the heat.