The ISO 9001 Standard, in general terms, basically offers a framework of internationally recognized standards of quality management. This includes various principles implemented for better customer satisfaction and consistency in the quality of products or services.
More than 1,00,000 organizations have opted for this standard due to the beneficiaries they reap. The ISO 9001 standard is the most well-known standard among other management systems.
This quality management standard is applicable to any organization of any size, be it small or big. So, the size of the organization plays no vital role in attaining this certification.
By striving towards getting the ISO 9001 Certification, your organization can win many benefits. For instance, the customers will have more trust and faith in your organization’s products or services. You will enjoy an open window to greater marketing opportunities. Not only that, you will also get a superior marketing advantage over your competitors. Investors and other concerned parties will favor you because you getting the certification of an internationally recognized standard.
ISO does not provide certification.
One of the things you should know is that the ISO organization itself does not provide any certification. ISO is not involved in any kind of certification nor do they issue standard certifications. The organization is involved in the development of International Standards.
But, CASCO (ISO’s Committee on Conformity Assessment) provides guidelines for certification bodies. These guidelines may be adhered to by the certification bodies in order to issue certification to those companies seeking it.
Remember, the whole process of issuing certification is done by external certification bodies. As such, no organization can claim to be certified by ISO.
What to look for in an ISO 9001 certification service provider?
When looking for an ISO 9001 Certification service provider, the following tips can be considered in order to save you ample time and money.
1) Recognition
Do some research in order to find out how well-known or reputed a certification body is. By doing so, you avoid spending your resources on a certification provider with a bad client service history or one with a bad reputation within the industry.
2) CASCO
Another factor you should consider is if the certification body adheres to the CASCO standard. Doing so will help you save time on not working together with a certification body that itself fails to use the relevant and required CASCO standards.
3) Experience
Next comes the experience. Research and go for a certification body that is well-versed with the ISO 9001 certification criteria and the necessary steps.
4) Research and research!
Never settle for the very first certification body you hear from the word of mouth or which pops up in the search rankings. Do intense research to find out which certification body can offer you the best business. By getting or seeking to get ISO 9001 certification, your organization demonstrates the ability to provide top-notch products and services. It helps your organization to meet the standards of customer satisfaction and at the same time, to show compliance with any regulatory requirements. Therefore, it is in the very interest of your organization to implement and thoroughly follow the ISO 9001 Standard in order to reap excellent r