This page is designed to expose the layman to terminology pitfalls and provide a very basic understanding of what can be expected pursuing a quality management system. There are many excellent sites and organizations dedicated to providing information on the Quality topic. We encourage our visitors to seek all of the information available on Quality and ISO to gain a better understanding of what is required in reaching their goal.

Warning: The questions and answers featured on this page are designed to dispel many of the misunderstandings related to Quality and ISO. Some quality professionals may disagree with the answers given here. We understand our interpretation and application of the ISO guidelines does not follow the industry mainstream. We hold our colleagues in the quality industry in the highest esteem. Our resistance in adhering to mainstream thinking in no way implies individuals or organizations that disagree are less professional and it is our hope these same individuals and organizations respect our interpretation and application of the ISO guidelines.

Q. How does my company get ISO?

A. ISO is not something a company can get or acquire. So the term "Do you have ISO? or We have ISO" is really incorrect. What your company wants is a quality program that can be assessed to comply with the ISO guidelines.

Q. How does my company get ISO certified?

A. We all use this term, even quality professionals But it is important to understand ISO does not certify or register any company. What is really meant is how can your Quality Management System be assessed and found to be in compliance with the ISO guidelines for a Quality System. As a result your company receives a certificate from the registrar.

Q. Why is there so much paper work with ISO?

A. The belief that ISO requires a lot of paper work is based on what we have seen in the past. Due to the interpretation of the 1994 release of the ISO guidelines for quality. The 2000 release and now the 2008 clarification release frees us from all of the unnecessary paperwork. Chances are the paperwork your company is using now satisfies the bulk of the ISO requirements. This is not saying you will not need additional paperwork, but it will be beneficial to your company as opposed to what we saw with the 1994 release.

Q. Will I have to hire additional people to keep up with the system?

A. Absolutely not. Your quality management system (QMS) should fit into what you are currently doing with the staff you have now.

Q. How much will it cost to develop?

A. The cost of your QMS development depends largely on the size of your company, how many employees, how many different processes, etc.

HOWEVER, even a large organization can start with a system that covers the minimum requirements of ISO and grow it in time. As long as a company can demonstrate controls are in place to manage quality, monitor processes, monitor customer satisfaction and have improvement loops, they are complying with the basic intent of ISO 9001:2008.

The companies largest development cost will typically be the documentation. Starting from scratch, it is possible to spend many man-hours researching and formatting the basic manual and supporting documents. Much can be saved by considering a pre-formatted document package that complies with the ISO requirements.

Q. How much will it cost to implement?

A. Again it depends on the size of your organization. The expense can be minimized and is typically employee time. We have seen companies implement programs without writing a check.

The goal is to work with what you are currently doing. It has been our experience the majority of implementation expenses are as follows:

1. Train Key Staff - The objective is to let your management staff know what the Quality Management System is all about, review individual responsibilities and what benefits the company expects.

2. Train Employees - We are not talking about training your employees to follow detailed work instructions. They already know how to do their jobs. Instead we are talking about an overview of the system, assigning responsibilities and implementing any new forms or records that may be required.

This is an expense that can be minimized by incorporating the right documentation into the program.

Q. Will having an ISO certificate increase sales for my company?

A. Yes and NO. Some time ago there was a push for ISO certification to companies who sold or wanted to sell in Europe. Of course this also affected domestic sells because many companies who sold to Europe made it their policy only to purchase from ISO certified companies. While this is still a valid reason to pursue ISO certification, it does not guarantee increased sells.

Having an ISO certificate will not be a marketing magic wand. It can however, open opportunities to bid or sell your products or services to companies who have made it their policy to buy from companies who have been assessed to ISO. There are organizations in some parts of the world that can only buy from companies that have an ISO certificate.

Q. Will having an ISO certificate ensure the quality of our products?

A. NO. It is your Quality Management System and using the tools of the system that can ensure your products quality. If designed correctly and implemented your system will monitor, review and improve the processes directly related to your products quality. Unfortunately many companies fail to continue the use of the system after passing the assessment. The result is an increase in customer service issues and a decline in customer satisfaction. It is assumed that a company that has passed their assessment will always have quality products, when in fact what the ISO certificate tells us is the company has the controls in place to ensure quality.

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