Like Boy Scouts have badges, companies also have their achievement certification programs. One of the most important programs is the certification process set forth by the ISO, or International Organization for Standardization. There are many different kinds of certifications, just like how Boy Scout badges cover everything from making camp fires to applying tourniquets to wounded bears, and there are some certifications that you should pay attention to more than others. One of these certifications is the ISO 9001, which directly relates to how a company conducts its business in respect to satisfying the client.
What are ISO 9000 Standards?
ISO is a worldwide federation that promotes and develops the facilitation of the international exchange of goods and services, which pretty much means they oversee everything to make sure the customer doesn’t get the short end of the stick. In other words, they’re the good guys. The ISO has a number of certifications and standards that companies can apply for, and if all criteria are met after safely guiding an inspector through the dark inner workings of their company then the company gets to advertise the fact that they are a consumer friendly business. There are many ISO standards, but the ISO 9001 certification states that a company that possess it has met the standards of quality as dictated by the ISO. This means that any CEO who has a “My Company is an ISO 9001 Certified Honor Student” bumper sticker on his or her car runs a tight ship with the customer in mind.
What ISO 9001 Guarantees You
As put forth by whoever is in charge of putting things forth at ISO, a company that is ISO 9001 certified:
- Has a set of procedures that cover all key processes in the business;
- Monitors processes to ensure they are effective;
- Keeps adequate records;
- Checks output for defects, with appropriate and corrective action where necessary;
- Regularly reviews individual processes and the quality system itself for effectiveness; and
- Facilitates continual improvement.
What this boils down to is that any company with ISO 9001 certification takes care that its production and service processes run smoothly and constantly improves on the processes already in place. As a consumer, this certification gives you peace of mind that the company is not only consistently reliable in their production process, but is actively improving to create a better experience for you.
Your everyday consumer won’t typically know what company certification codes stand for, but now at least you know the importance of the ISO 9001 certification. While not everyone goes through the certification page of a company website knowing what they’re looking for, take comfort in knowing that any company displaying an ISO 9001 certificate on their list of accomplishments is a company that believes in customer satisfaction and is constantly in the pursuit of bettering themselves.