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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ISO9001
How long does it take to become registered?
It really depends on how large and on how well organised your company is already. A
small well organised company can achieve registration in as little as 6 months. Larger
companies can take up to 18 months.
But my competitors don't have it - Why should I bother? Being registered to ISO9001:2000
will give you a competitive edge over your rivals. Being the first in your business sector
to gain registration will put you in an enviable position and your customers will
certainly recognise your prestige.
Surely it's an awful lot of trouble to achieve registration? To qualify for
registration does not in many cases involve major change or trauma. If you currently have
an effective quality system it can be modified or expanded (or in some cases reduced) to
meet the requirements of the standard. If you are a small to medium sized organisation
offering a relatively small range of products or services then you can qualify for
registration by embarking on a project lasting six months. All you need is to appoint a
project leader (part time) who will champion the cause and with the assistance of a
consultant and the involvement of your staff you will be surprised at the momentum which
will culminate in your approval for certification.
Apart from being a good "Marketing tool" surely ISO9001:2000 is just a waste of
time and effort ? Some companies see it solely as a marketing tool and this
is a major mistake. If you have the commitment and make the effort the
standard will serve as the
foundation for a sound management system. Advantages include:-
- You will be more goal oriented and focused on your objectives.
- More control over your processes through better records and more information.
- You will have a system in place which will allow you to continuously improve your or
service or product quality.
- Having clear simple procedures there will be less uncertainty and confusion and your
employees will feel more in control of their situation resulting in higher morale.
- Better control over your suppliers resulting in reduced costs.
- You will have a better picture of where you stand
in terms of customer perception and process effectiveness.
Isn't ISO9001:2000 only for large manufacturing companies? Absolutely not. There are
many more small companies registered than large ones and a large percentage of these are
in the services sector for example solicitors, accountants and travel agents.
What is the impact of the new
ISO9001:2000 Standard on
companies which are already registered to the 1994
Version of the Standard,
The standard has been completely restructured. Even though
It effectively includes most of the 1994 version it has a dramatically new
emphasis.
The standard now comes in only one variety only i.e.
ISO9001:2000. As there is no longer an ISO9002:1994 or ISO9001:1994 standard you will be required to
cover design and development if your company actually designs/develops your own
products.
There are a number of other potential impacts:-
- You will need to have a measure of customer
satisfaction and will need to monitor customer feedback.
- You will need to demonstrate that you have systems
which establish whether or not you are improving
- Your processes must be defined and you must establish
what process measurements take place and the criteria required
- You must establish the competency requirements for
staff
- As a general rule you will need to measure more and
improve as a result of the measurements
There are many other issues not addressed here.
What is the deadline date by which existing
registered companies need to change over to the new standard.
December 2003.
What happens if we don't achieve it by the
deadline date?
You'll need to talk to your registrar but technically your
company won't be certified. |
