The Lowdown on the Renowned ISO 9001 Company Management Certification

Many companies that seek a surer footing in the international arena begin to seek the prestigious ISO 9001 certification issued by the International Standards Organization (ISO). How do companies qualify for this sought-after designation? Here’s a quick overview of the accreditation’s newest version, the ISO 9001:2008, according to an article on HubPages.com.

“ISO 9001:2008 is a set of requirements for a quality management system, a set of requirements against which a contract can be set or against which your company can be audited. Meeting the requirements of ISO 9001 should ensure that you have in place systems and processes to ensure that products and services are delivered effectively and in a controlled and repeatable manner.”

In other words, the ISO 9001 certification proves that a certain company is competitive, ethical, and efficient in providing world-standard products and services to its customers. Here are other advantages companies can expect with an ISO 9001 recognition. Customer expectations are regularly met. Many companies are hell-bent on getting certified as more and more customers demand to do business only with ISO 9001-certified businesses. The problem with the rush to recognition is that these companies may only be looking for a short-term payoff without working for the quality of service that gets them recognized in the first place. Only with quality achieved on the production and management levels can companies truly enjoy the long-term benefits of customer loyalty and satisfaction; an ISO 9001 certification is sought only when a company believes itself deserving, and the certification granted only almost as a fringe benefit after the fact. More revenue and business opportunities. With a certification that is truly earned, companies advertise it and can respond to requests for quotes (RFQs) from customers that specifically require an ISO 9001. In other words, being certified opens up new markets previously inaccessible to these newly minted companies. Company, product quality, and customer satisfaction improvement. An ISO 9001 not only promotes a company’s efficiency and competence, but also allows for further organizational improvement. The 9001 quality management system standard not only allows for better products and services, but also paves the way for more satisfactory customer experience which, in turn, promotes returning customers and positive word-of-mouth—online or off. Company processes are more clearly defined and understood. The ISO 9001 quality management standard requires all companies to identify and describe their processes using recognized business metrics, which contributes to better business management for scrupulous and committed companies. Improved work efficiency and resource usage. If a company is excellently run, the 9001’s QMS can even enable any company to achieve efficiency levels close to perfection. As the processes improve and become more consistent, the results become predictably better in terms of cash flow, productive employees, and happier customers. Incredible perks do await every company that successfully gets itself certified. Work on quality management and then begin the process of accreditation by calling reliable auditing firms, such as International Standards Authority (ISA) to direct your company towards measurable growth, effectiveness, and profitability. (Source: ISO 9001:2008 Certification Process and Benefits, HubPages.com)