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AFOES CONSULTANTS
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Frequently Asked Questions: ISO 9001 : 2008 Back to FAQ |
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1. What is ISO 9000? |
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The term "ISO 9000"
can mean several things. Most often, it refers to a documented quality
system standard more properly known as ISO 9001 (2008). This is a
comprehensive written set of rules (a "standard") published by the
International Organization for Standardization, an international standards
writing body. The rules define time-proven, universally accepted business
practices for assuring that organizations consistently understand, and meet,
the needs of their customers. ISO 9001 (2008) is, intentionally, highly
generic. Its rules and principles can be applied to any organization
providing any product or service anywhere in the world. Since "meeting customer needs" is
one of the (many) definitions of quality, ISO 9000 is often called a
"quality system" or a "quality management" system. But
the rules, referred to as "requirements," go beyond
"quality" matters as they are traditionally understood. The
requirements fall roughly into four types: Requirements that help assure that the
organization’s output (whether product, service, or both) meets customer
specifications. (Making customers happy, and keeping them that way.) Requirements that assure that the quality
system is consistently implemented and verifiable. (We must actually do what
we say we are supposed to do. This must be verifiable via independent,
objective audit.) Requirements for practices that measure the
effectiveness of various aspects of the system. (In God we trust; all others
bring data.) Requirements that support continual
improvement of the company’s ability to meet customer needs. (We cannot sit
still. We must strive to get better all the time, because customers change,
and competitors gain strength.) Nothing in ISO 9000 is new. The first
edition, published by ISO in 1987, was drawn almost word for word from a
British quality system standard. It in turn evolved from a long succession of
written quality system specifications that had their ultimate origin in the
defence and arms industries. Most of the practices required by ISO 9000 have
been in use in industries of various kinds for decades. One intent of ISO 9000 is to simplify things
for organizations. ISO 9000 strives to harmonize the sometimes conflicting,
sometimes redundant "quality programs" that have traditionally been
imposed by major corporations on their suppliers. (Note, however, that ISO
9000 is not meant to supersede customer, legal, or regulatory requirements.) The bottom line is this. ISO
9000 is a comprehensive set of rules -- a business system, really -- that can
cause the way your organization runs to profoundly change, almost always for
the better. What many do not fully appreciate is that implementing ISO 9000
-- expensive, exhausting, and annoying as it can be -- can also have the salutary
effect of improving the performance of your organization. Not just at first,
but on an ongoing basis. |
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2. What functions of the
organization are impacted by implementing a quality management system? |
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The functions impacted the
most are those directly involved in the process of meeting customer needs.
That means your marketing people, design department, purchasing, production /
service delivery, warehousing, transportation, etc. Impacted also are certain
support functions including training / human resources. About the only
significant part of your organization not generally taken under the quality
management system umbrella is finance. |
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3. What are the benefits
of implementing a quality management system? |
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Satisfies the demands of current or
prospective customer demands for registration. Improves customer
focus and process orientation within the organization. Facilitates
continual improvement. Creates
consistency throughout the organization. Strengthens
relationships between your
organization and its suppliers and customers Provides
confidence to customers in
the capability of your organization to meet quality commitments. Improves
management decision-making. Institutionalises
training. Reduces dependence
upon individuals Provides access to
markets. Clearly, most companies registering to ISO
9000 today are doing so because key customers are pressuring them to do so.
But, huge though this market is, it is just one market. There are other
markets that put great store in ISO 9000 registration, as well. You would do
well not to ignore them. If you make and/or market products covered by
EU product directives -- or plan to do so in the future -- you may be
compelled to register your
quality system in order to operate in the European Economic Area. Increasingly, other marketplaces may become
less and less friendly to unregistered firms as the number of registrations
increases. In a recent survey, more than 80 percent of
respondents said ISO 9000 registration would influence their choice of suppliers. If you are like many companies, you are
finding that ISO 9000 registration is often an item on supplier surveys. Reduces
cost of customers' supplier programs. Reduces
operating costs. Provides
competitive advantage. Reduces
supplier quality assurance (SQA) audits. A well implemented ISO 9000 system also adds
value. Facilities with advanced quality cost tracking controls almost always
find that their documented quality system adds value. A major home appliance
manufacturer saw its failure rate (defined as claims per year divided by
sales per year) drop by 70% in three years. Its warranty cost per unit
declined by 76% during the same period. DuPont, a pioneer in quality improvement and
in ISO 9000 implementation, measured improvements under ISO 9000 in several
different categories. On-time
delivery increased from 70 to 90% Cycle
time improved from 15 days to ˝ days First
pass yield improved from 72% to 92% on a product line One
site reduced the number of test procedures from more than 3,000 to 2,000 A published a survey of some 400 of its ISO
registrants in the 67% felt that the ISO 9000 approach was essential for creating
and maintaining viable quality management systems Most originally sought ISO for external benefits, but
discovered that internal benefits were more beneficial. 86% stated that their ISO 9000 systems improved management
control 73% felt that ISO 9000 quality systems enabled them to deliver
better service to customers and ensured consistency 69% reported that ISO 9000 improved productivity and
efficiency 89% agreed that the internal benefits of ISO 9000 "met or
exceeded expectations" |
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4. Must quality and
environmental management systems be separate? |
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No! The
related Standards are constructed very similarly and have many common
elements. You can implement a consolidated business management system that
addresses quality as well as environmental management - without redundancy or
duplication of effort. |