The ISO 9001:2015 Certification is seen as an essential Standard for enhancing customer satisfaction and delivering quality products and services. Your organization will be able to achieve quality objectives, business goals, and quality control using an ISO 9001:2015-certified Quality Management System.
Some myths and misconceptions may exist around ISO 9001:2015, which may affect your view or opinion of the Standard and Quality Management System that someone you know or work with may hold. The purpose of this article is to expose some common myths about ISO 9001:2015 certification and explain why they are simply untrue.
Here are some of the common myths of ISO 9001:2015 Certification and the reality:
Myth 1 – ISO 9001:2015 is Only for Manufacturers
Many industries, including hospitals, banks, universities, software companies, and other service or manufacturing enterprises, use ISO 9001:2015 Certification Standard.
An ISO certification demonstrates an organization’s capability to deliver quality products and services. It is an internationally recognized standard for quality and standardization of products and services.
All types of organizations should follow guidelines and best practices to streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction and quality of service.
For new quality management systems, it’s helpful that it’s a forgiving system, so auditors aren’t looking for flaws but rather opportunities for improvement. By working with Valens Project Consulting, your organization can be ready for certification in 3 to 4 months.
You do not need to have a perfect system – you need to have findings (non-conformances or opportunities for improvement), as that is how you learn from your mistakes and grow.
Myth 2 – ISO Is Complicated
At first glance, ISO Certification guidelines and procedures seem complex. There are a lot of unfamiliar terms and words used in them, and they are phrased in a way that is not always easy to understand for newbies. Companies offer whole courses dedicated to “understanding ISO 9001:2015” for a reason.
A structured process can be implemented by any organization if you start with the fundamentals of quality management.
It’s easy to gain a better understanding of the standard if you overcome your initial confusion.
Step 1: Consider Training
Whether it is through your Certification Body, through recommendations from your consultant or auditor, you might want to check out what courses are available to you. These experts will often be able to provide a wide range of information on ISO standards, checklists, and frameworks to help you easily implement the system standard.
Step 2: Companion Documentation
There are several companion documents available to help you understand ISO 9001:2015. Here are some examples:
- ISO 9002:2016 – Guidelines on the application of ISO 9001:2015
- ISO 9002:2015 – Quality management – Quality of an organization – Guidance to achieve sustained success
- ISO 10005:2018 – Quality management – Guidelines for quality plans
Myth 3 – Only large companies need ISO 9001:2015
The ISO Certification Standards are designed to be generic and flexible in order to allow organizations to customize them to meet their specific needs. The framework can be utilized by any organization regardless of its size.
The ISO 9001 Standard defines, measures, and improves processes. To ensure continuous improvement and best practices are followed by all employees of the organization, it provides quality guidelines and easy-to-follow frameworks.
Whether an organization is large or small, the QMS System implementation process is the same. It is only in how you translate each clause of the standard into how you conduct your business that differences arise. Adapt ISO 9001:2015 to the way you best run your business and it will work for you!
Myth 4 – ISO 9001:2015 Certification Costs a Lot
Various factors contribute to the cost of ISO Certification, including the number of employees, nature of the business, level of technology adoption, scope of the quality management system implementation, training requirements, reputation of ISO Consultants, choice of ISO Certification body, and many more.
The cost associated with ISO Certification implementation for an organization can often be negotiable (to some degree) and doesn’t have a fixed structure. Implementation of ISO Certification varies according to its complexity.
Accreditation Bodies note fixed costs for certification of your QMS based on the number of employees in your organization. This determines how many days your audit will take, and it cannot be negotiated.
Myth 5 – ISO Adheres to Very Old Documentation
A revision and an update have been made to ISO 9001 every few years since it was first published in 1987. In response to customer feedback, industry trends, and worldwide demand changes, updates have been made. As ISO 9001 evolves, it is updated and revised in order to make it as relevant as possible to users. ISO 9001:2015 incorporates elements such as a stronger focus on stakeholders and the wider context of an organization to fit the evolving needs of modern business.
Every organization, regardless of its size, can benefit from ISO 9001:2015.
Through a well-defined structure enabled by plan, do, check, act, organizations can follow the framework in a holistic manner. As a result, the services are of good quality and the processes are constantly being improved.
In Conclusion
At Valens Project Consulting, we have helped dozens of companies prepare for certifications since 2018. We have a 100% pass record and can give you that added edge and prestige that comes with this certification, so schedule a free operational efficiency assessment with us!
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