A Beginners Guide to ISO9000 1 2000.

Get an edge on your competition! Learn why a good quality management system will work wonders for your business.

What is it?

A system of controls used by some million companies world wide as a synthesis of good management practice.

Who does it and why?

Companies who are being told to by their customers
Those whose competition is doing it
Those who want to steal a march on their competition
Those whose current customers are happy with them but know that doors are shut to them in new areas which they want to break into or quote for
Those who want to improve their businesses
It shows your customers and prospects that you care about them and the service you provide

What does it consist of?

The old 1994 standard had 20 points in it. The new one has only 5 but guess what all of the old 20 are still there within the new 5 but with two more added.

They are as follows:

Management responsibility - A policy and regular reviews of where are we and how can we get better

A Quality System - Consists of a Quality Manual showing for each point whether it applies to you, who is responsible, and pointing at the procedures and processes you have in place to actually control what you do.

Sales - How do you make sure you understand your customers needs?

Document Control - Control of your manuals and any key documentation within the system Eg Method Statements etc

Purchasing - How do you make sure you get what you need and get it when you want it

Design - Only applies to companies who do design but if you do, how do you control the design process – planning review testing etc

Customer property Identification and Traceability - How do you look after customer data or property
How do you identify goods and who carried out services - particularly certified items and how do you provide whatever traceability required by customers

Process - How do you control whatever it is you actually do Work Orders, Method statements, Client Folders etc

Inspection and Test - How do you inspect and test incoming goods, in process inspections and final inspections before handover to your customer. How do you check your service process has met the customers requirements?

Inspection and Test Status - How can you see how far a product has progresses and ensure uninspected or faulty goods are not used...not always relevant for service companies.

Inspection and measuring equipment - Is measuring equipment calibrated correctly, again not always relevant.

Nonconforming product Corrective and Preventive action - Do you isolate faulty goods to prevent use If faults occur how do you manage them and how do you prevent them happening again. Also what planning do you do to prevent problems in the first place?

Handling and Storage - How do you look after stock, pack it and deliver it? How do your store and protect your data?

Quality records - What records do you keep to prove you have done all the things you say you do?

Auditing - This is not financial auditing. Rather it is checking that you are following your laid down processes and looking for improvements.

Training - You need to prove that people carrying out work are qualified to do so and that you have training reviews for additional training in place

Servicing Statistics - If you carry out service work how do you control it? Analysis of key data for improvement as well as SPC data within factories

The two new ones are:

Customer feedback - Find out what your customers think of you and use it as a tool for improvement at Management reviews (see management responsibility above)

Internal improvements - Obtain base data about each of your processes and decide what you could improve. Then set actions to do so again report to the Management review. That in essence is what ISO9000 is about – controlling what you do and getting better!

What is the process?

You need to develop a Quality Manual and Procedures or Process Manual. When you have written what you do. You then assess what else you need to do to meet what the standard requires. This is usually a period where you identify what improvement can be made in the business. You the implement these changes.
Management Reviews are held to evaluate improvements (measurable) based on internal improvements and customer feedback.
You then carry out audits to see that you are doing what you say you do. And re-audits when you find you are not! You are the ready for assessment. This is normally in two stages:
1. Document review by the Assessment body to see that what you say you do complies with the standard. They may come back with suggested improvements which you need to address
2. On site review to see you do what you say you do.

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