What is ISO 9001?
Our ISO 9001 certification demonstrates our commitment to quality and continual improvement.
What is ISO?
ISO certifications are awards given to organisations that meet international standards of best practice. They cover key areas such as quality management, information security, the environment and health and safety, and many more besides.
ISO standards are all about doing things the right way, every time. They ensure consistency and set minimum requirements in a range of areas across a business’s processes. That makes the business more efficient and improves the quality of its services and products, and gives its clients the reassurance of a robust third-party certification.
Businesses attain ISO certifications by developing their own policies and procedures in a particular area. Then, an external auditor visits to inspect their work and confirm that they meet the requirements of a standard, and they are awarded their certification. After that, the firm must undergo a triennial re-certification audit to confirm that they’re still compliant, during which they must show that they’re making continual improvements.
What is ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 is the international standard for a Quality Management System (QMS). It enables organisations to confirm their ability to routinely deliver products and services that meet client and regulatory requirements.
ISO 9001 was first developed in 1985. It’s one of the most widely used ISO standards because the need to achieve high quality is universal. So far, over a million organisations have gained the certificate.
Internally, ISO 9001 policies can touch many aspects of the organisation, from customer service and product development through to planning, risk management and continual improvement.
For example, as part of their certification process, organisations need to decide who will take leadership, how staff members will know what they need to do and how they will use learning to make better decisions in future. They also need to establish processes for listening to customers and acting on what they hear, because responding to feedback is a key part of ISO 9001.
The benefits of ISO 9001
ISO 9001 offers many advantages for us as a business. First and foremost, it gives us a framework for listening to feedback and identifying where we need to improve. It helps us make fewer mistakes, and learn from those we do make. It enables us to make sure everyone is on the same page, so we’re all working towards the same goal. As a result, our long-term plans are based on facts and data – not hunches or guesswork about what our clients might want.
For our clients, ISO 9001 shows that we have the proven ability to live up to our promises, as confirmed by an authoritative third-party audit. It reassures them that their experience of using our service will be consistent and reliable.
How we use ISO 9001
ISO 9001 helps us monitor all areas of our business and focus on important areas to improve efficiency. Each of our internal teams has their own processes, which they follow to ensure consistent delivery of our products and services.
For example, our support process defines how we deal with requests for help and assess their severity and priority. ISO 9001 promotes a ‘right first time’ approach, which is evidenced by our commitment to ‘first call fix’, where we aim to resolve our customers’ queries within the very first phone call. This sort of clearly defined process helps us provide the same level of service on each and every request, so customers always know what they can expect.
For us, the beauty of such processes is that we can monitor our delivery more effectively and easily identify opportunities for improvement. That lets us fulfil the ‘continual improvement’ mission that is at the heart of every ISO standard.
Work with a partner who cares about quality as much as you do
If you’re interested in learning how our ISO 9001 certification could benefit you, contact us on 01603 431200.
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