Accreditation is the status given to businesses that have been audited and certified by the International Organization for Standardization. It is a statement that the business conforms to a set of basic standards regarding methods, efficiency, employee treatment, customer satisfaction, and ethical behavior. The organization does not perform the audits itself, but instead contracts various inspection and evaluating bodies to do them. Having a central organization to issue certification allows the establishment of uniform standards.
In most nations, ISO 9001 accreditation is not mandatory. Businesses ask the ISO to audit them, and they usually have to pay a hefty fee to have it done. The ISO certification process involves a lengthy set of inspections by several certification bodies. If there are any areas not meeting ISO standards, the business is presented with a report and recommendations for improvement. It is not uncommon for businesses to be audited more than once before receiving ISO 9001 accreditation.
Obviously, there are significant advantages to ISO 9001 status, or a business would not go through the trouble and expense. Besides simply making a business look good, theISO certification process can attract new customers, improve production methods, and add to customer satisfaction.
What makes ISO 9001 status meaningful is that it really works. When a business follows the recommendations of ISO auditors, it is more than just a formality. Those recommendations lead to real improvements in the way the business works, allowing it to achieve greater customer satisfaction quickly. Many businesses are aware that they could do things better, but they are not quite sure how to do it. By going through the ISO certification process, they can get pointers from independent experts who have experience in helping businesses improve their methods.
Considered in this light, ISO 9001 status is a valuable tool for improvement. Afterward, the business will be able to produce better products and achieve greater customer satisfaction than it could before, and that is ultimately the goal of every business.
Another advantage has to do with the perceptions of customers. ISO 9001 status is recognized worldwide. Many customers respect it and prefer to deal with businesses that have acquired certification. Getting certified can assist in retention of valuable clients for a business, and it will probably attract new ones as well. Clients understand that this is a real distinction issued by bodies of recognized competence, assuring them of excellent products and customer service.
Look to International Quality Certification, LLC (IQC), a Quality Management System (QMS) Registrar (Certification Body) in Northeast Ohio, for a cost-effective approach to obtaining your assessments for ISO 9001 status.