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What is ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for the quality management system of any organization. It borders the criteria that define quality management principles such as optimizing leadership, focusing on customers, and enhancing management in any organization. These principles help in the improvement and fine-tuning of internal processes and general methods of continuous improvement.
Many organizations use ISO 9001 certifications to demonstrate their ability to consistently provide products and services that are up to the mark for customers. It covers the guidelines that should be followed by any organization to maintain their cyber security, product quality, and after-sales support for customers. ISO 9001 also outlines the criteria for a smooth and efficient workflow of the organization.
What is a Quality Management System (QMS)
A Quality Management System is defined as a formalized system that can record and document the processes, procedures, and responsibilities to achieve objectives. If it sounds too technical, just remember that the quality of output depends on the quality management system. It can be assumed as a list of policies, processes, and procedures that define the best way to deliver your product and create a good experience for customers and clients.
Each QMS is different as they are tailored according to the requirements of the organization. The role of ISO 9001 in QMS is to provide the organization with a set of guidelines that help you in designing and implementing a successful QMS.
Who Should get ISO 9001 Certified
ISO 9001 standard applies to any and all organizations, regardless of their size or industry. More than one million companies from over 170 countries have used ISO 9001 standards to improve their quality management system. The standards help these organizations in
- Organizing their process
- Improving the efficiency
- Maintain the improvement
These organizations have seen huge benefits that make ISO 9001 an ideal standard. These standards can help your organization in the following ways.
- Increasing market share and profit potential
- Efficient resource management means a lot of time is saved
- Elimination of recurring problems and anomalies that may affect the workflow or reputation of the organization
- Improved brand image and credibility
- A lot of manual work is reduced because of process integration and automation
- Organizations can make informed decisions by using data and evidence to support their decision
ISO 9001 standard keeps a check on individual processes as well as how these processes interact with each other. When you examine the relationship between all your businesses, you can identify the areas that have some scope for improvement. Now that we have understood a bit about ISO 9001 standard, let’s take a look at the benefits of implementing this standard.
Why ISO 9001 is Beneficial for the Organization
The employees are the main working power in any organization. ISO 9001 standard makes sure that the working environment of the organization is apt for the employees along with maintaining the values and integrity of the organization.
The standard fosters a culture of continuous growth of employees that improves the morale of the workers. It makes sure that workers are involved actively in the development, implementation, and optimization of processes that are used on a daily basis. Let’s take a look at how ISO 9001 benefits employees and helps them maintain a growing profile in the industry.
- Improved business performance means that the organization is happy with its employees.
- Given the satisfaction, employees feel more secure with their jobs.
- “What to do” and “How to do it” are clearly defined to the employees. It helps in streamlining the process.
- Improved planning and organizational structuring help in training, onboarding, and educating the resources.
- Employees take responsibility for their tasks and are more engaged in fulfilling the organization’s requirements.
- Implementing a better QMS is always going to help the organization with continuous improvement.
The processes will be used by employees, hence involving them in the design and implementation will help tailor the process accordingly. When the whole workforce is brought together to improve an existing process it aligns the employees with the goals of the organization as a whole.
How ISO 9001 Certification Increases Customer Satisfaction
ISO 9001 is not only beneficial for the organization but is also helpful for the customers. The most important factor that pushes the implementation of a good quality management system is focusing on improving customer experience. The goals of the organization are defined according to the needs of the customer. Let’s have a look at some of the benefits that the customers can associate with.
- Assures that your organization is reliable
- The brand is identified as a high-quality vendor
- Customer feedback can be quickly acted upon
- Pre-emptive planning helps in addressing issues before they cause a problem for customers.
Improved customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal of any organization. It is a key factor for any leading business. When the ISO 9001 certification is visible to your customers, they associate trust with your brand. It is a symbol of authenticity and integrity within the organization.
Now that we have learned the benefits of ISO 9001 standards, you might be wondering about how one can get the certification.
How to Get ISO 9001 Certified
The basic requirement for getting certified is the implementation of ISO 9001 standards in the quality management system. Then you can proceed further and get your QMS audited by a certified auditor.
If your organization passes the audit, it will receive a certification that would be eligible for three years. You will be provided with the required documents that prove compliance and certification. After three years the organization will need to be recertified.
One must keep in mind that ISO 9001 is not a club or a group that anyone can join. It is rather a certification that is achieved after a specific auditing process.
This is pretty much it. However, the actual requirements for a good QMS lies in the breakdown of ISO 9001 and its sections.
Breaking Down ISO 9001
The official ISO 9001 standard is split up into 10 sections. Let’s have a look at them.
Sections 1,2, and 3: Introduction, References, and Definitions
The first three sections are the introductory part. They contain general information about the organization’s goals as well as references for ISO terms and definitions.
Section 4: Context of Organization
This section deals with understanding the organization in the current context. It refers to the internal and external issues that impact the strategic directions as well as a list of interested parties and stakeholders.
It also includes the scope of improvement in the quality management system
Section 5: Leadership
This section sheds light on the effective role of decision-makers in the design and implementation of QMS. It has a list of relevant people along with their roles and how they factor in the role of QMS
It focuses on the commitment of management which ensures customer satisfaction.
Section 6: Planning
This section focuses on the risks and opportunities with the implementation of QMS. There should be clear motives for improvement and a proper plan to complete the motive.
It involves a SWOT analysis that is useful for aligning objectives for improvement. It is done while keeping in mind the risks and opportunities present.
Section 7: Support
The management and allocation of resources in the design and implementation of QMS is covered in this section. It includes human resources, infrastructure, work environment, monitoring, and organizational knowledge.
All the documentation and records required for the processes in any organization will be defined here.
Section 8: Operation
Operation deals with everything related to planning and deployment of products and services within the organization.
It covers the product feature requirements, design, review and any additional service-related operations.
Section 9: Performance Evaluation
This section includes all the details necessary for analyzing the performance of a QMS. It includes tracking and evaluating any process with all the process parameters. It helps in quantifying and assessing customer satisfaction and performing internal audits.
It focuses on the internal review of how the QMS is functioning.
Section 10: Improvement
This is the final section that contains everything that is necessary for the continuous improvement of QMS. It includes assessing processes and taking corrective actions for the processes that are not effective.
How Cyber Cops Can Help
If doing internal audits to check whether your organization is complying with the guidelines feels like a hassle to you, you can always seek help from Cyber Cops. We have an established base in the cyber security market. We have a long list of happy clients who have taken our services and seen a boost in their company’s overall growth.
Cyber Cops will not only do the audit for you but will also guide you if your organization fails to comply with the guidelines at any point. We will inform you about the latest guidelines changes so that you can update your system accordingly.
Cyber Cops is a one-stop solution that can curate all your cyber security and guidelines requirements.