There are many reasons why organisations choose to implement quality assurance management systems, all of them good. Why then, do many stop short of seeking certification?
We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘You get what you pay for’, and to some extent it’s very true. All too often, however, you pay the price but don’t get the quality you expect. What do you do? The next time you need that product or service, you’ll probably go elsewhere.
Smart businesses understand that ‘quality’ needs to be at the centre of everything they do, from their products to their customer service. Customers expect nothing less and, with so much competition in the market these days, they do hold all the cards.
Poor Quality Turns Customers Away
A Customer Experience Report by RightNow revealed that the main reason customers abandoned a particular brand was ‘poor quality and rude customer service’. Another survey, by Gallup, confirmed that good service trumps fast service.
That one’s a surprise, right? There you are, as a business owner, thinking it’s all about speed, when in fact your customers are far more interested in quality.
When you sit down to discuss a quality assurance management system with specialist consultants, such as Standard Consulting in Brisbane, they will ask you a heap of questions about your products, your services, your employees, management, current systems and more.
Why You Need Accreditation
This is so they can tailor-make the best possible package for your company. It is also because that quality mindset needs to be ingrained throughout your organisation, from the top down.
It’s not an overnight process; it requires discussion, planning, training and internal auditing to get it right. So right then, when it’s perfect, wouldn’t you make it official by going for accreditation?
The ISO 9001 Quality Management System in Queensland is considered the best and, as an International Standard, you can follow the process through to achieve certification. That final step makes a huge difference to an organisation. You’d be amazed how powerful that ISO stamp of approval on your brand can be.
All About Customer Satisfaction
If you’re still asking why you need certification, here are a few pointers. First and foremost, you’re giving your customers what they want – just think back to that customer survey we discussed earlier. So that leads to CUSTOMER SATISFACTION and isn’t that what every business wants?
Customer satisfaction leads to greater customer retention and better word-of-mouth marketing, and that will bring more customers. And we all know, more customers means more revenue. It’s a no-brainer, right!
Remember, it isn’t really about quality control anymore, it’s about quality assurance. There’s nothing wrong with quality control and, if your products are faulty or not fit for purpose, you should replace them or provide a refund. That might please the customer but it does nothing for your bottom line!
Less Returns Mean More Profit
Quality assurance is all about fixing things BEFORE they go wrong! It’s about putting systems and tools in place to ensure your product is right first time, every time. Fewer returns mean less wastage on materials and labour, less expense and more profit.
ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification in Queensland assures customers that they will get what they pay for, and won’t experience any problems. Immediately your business’s reputation is improved.
Organisations that have followed the process through to accreditation also report improved consistency across the whole operation; improved staff morale and motivation; increased input from management, and better professionalism overall.
Accreditation Necessary For Tenders
For other organisations, achieving quality assurance management system certification is necessary in order to become a supplier to a bigger, certified company, or to bid for government tenders.
It is no longer enough to simply submit a quote for the job. Big business and public bodies are increasingly answerable to their stakeholders these days, as well as needing to ensure all legal requirements are met. Having ISO 9001 certification in place ticks all these boxes.
The reason for this is that to achieve ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification in Queensland, an organisation will have gone through a strict, independent external audit and that in itself is proof of quality.
Meet The Requirements of PQQ, ITT
It is proof that an organisation is up-to-date with legislation, and open to scrutiny. Largely because ISO is an international standard, certification meets the requirements of a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) or Invitation to Tender (ITT).
Government departments generally look for suppliers and contractors that have in place certified management systems addressing not only quality assurance, but also environmental management, and workplace health and safety.
On these grounds, organisations should view quality assurance management system certification not as an unnecessary cost, or a hindrance, but as a wise investment in their future success.
ISO Standards are reviewed every five years to keep them up-to-date and relevant, and the latest revision of ISO 9001 was 2015. The new version is substantially different, with greater emphasis on management input and risk control. It is now also easier to use in conjunction with other ISO standards, through an integrated management system.