ISO 9001 FAQ

(For Questions relating to the Hosted Business Model – please refer to Hosted Business Model FAQ)

Q: What time does it all take?
Using an externally assessed Management system should both save money and time. This is because it encourages “Doing the right things right, both first time and every time”. This should give far greater benefits than time involved in maintaining the records of system which should be maintained on a “little but often basis”. The use of the Hosted Business Model further reduces the documentation since everyone is working from the latest documents and processes

Q: After Registration, what happens?
The Certification Organisation will undertake a regular (once a year usually) surveillance check to ensure that the Management System is being implemented. By adopting a systematic approach, the organisation will find that achieving, sustaining and improving the Management system is an ongoing but profitable process.

Q: When is the best time to start?
Often there are:
- There is a limited budget for 'Quality' and business improvements.
- No time or resource for a new project.
- Fully committed to either trying to get orders or trying to fulfil the orders.

There is probably never an ideal time to start an additional activity or project. But, ISO 9001 and other Standards should give a systematic solution to managing your business better as well as providing methods of handling change. So the sooner the start, the sooner the benefits from Accreditation and from better management.

An Accreditation decision should produce a solid commercial return and business gain.

Q: Many of our Competitors / Suppliers are ISO Registered and it hasn't done them much good !
ISO 9001 and other Standards are not miracle cures; it provides the structure and route to improved quality but without vision, drive and enthusiasm, ISO 9001 can not ensure that the correct destination is always reached. Change and improvement often takes time to evolve, a donkey may never win a blood stock cup, but it will win in a donkey derby!

ISO 9001 and other Standards are tools; how the tool is used, depends on the organisation especially senior management.

Q: What was new about ISO 9001: 2008 (compared to ISO 9001 /2 /3: 1994)?
ISO 9001: 1994, ISO 9002: 1994 and ISO 9003: 1994 were replaced by ISO 9001: 2000. on 16th December 2003

The 2000 update was to make ISO 9001 more relevant to business, in particular service organisations. This meant a change in emphasis:

• Emphasis on Customer Perceptions and Satisfaction
• Less emphasis on Manufacturing
• Concentrating on Business Processes (rather than clauses of the Standard)
• Setting and Monitoring performance against Measurable Objectives
• Require Continual Improvement
• Monitoring Competency and Skills (rather than formal Training and Training Records)

Note: Includes all activities relating to the Customer. Any exclusion have to justified.