The quality of a product or service is measured in many ways, including fit for purpose, price, reliability, durability, environmental impact and so on. So, in today’s highly competitive market, quality is a key factor that businesses need to get right.
Quality can set a business apart from its competitors, and customer satisfactory will lead to customer loyalty. For this reason more and more businesses are implementing quality management strategies and considering ISO 9001 quality management systems.
ISO 9001 was revised in 2015 so it’s the perfect time of year to book quality assurance training courses in Brisbane.
ISO 9001:2015 sets out the criteria for a quality management system and, though not compulsory, certification is recommended.
It can be used by any organisation, large or small, regardless of its field of activity.
All ISO standards are reviewed every 5 years and this new version is designed to reflect the latest trends, and be compatible with other revised ISO systems.
A QMS course will show you how ISO 9001:2015 can help your business consistently meet customer expectations, win more business, increase efficiency and the bottom line, and attract good staff.
As with revisions to other Standards, this revision puts more emphasis on good leadership and leadership responsibility – leading by example, if you like.
Recognised throughout the world, ISO 9001:2015 places a stronger focus on risk management and customer satisfaction; has a new structure to align management system Standards; has fewer prescriptive requirements, and places more importance of communication.
That’s all great, you might say, but what’s in it for my business?
Well, for starters, it will bring your systems right up to date and in line with regulations and legal requirements.
By placing greater emphasis on leadership, it will help motivate your employees towards meeting goals and standards.
Importantly, it will also help you identify risks to your business, and give you the tools to manage and monitor those risks.
It will also give you new ways of monitoring and improving your company’s performance.
As part of your move towards implementing the system and reaping the rewards, you will be encouraged to consider lead auditor training in Brisbane.
A QMS ISO 9001 lead auditor course is designed to provide members of your staff with the knowledge and skills needed to perform management system audits for your business.
This very practical course, available now in Brisbane, not only covers the fundamentals of auditing, but also considers risk-based thinking, and communication skills.
The revision to ISO 9001 brings new challenges to auditors and to businesses.
Suddenly there is input from manufacturers and service providers to consider, along with the renewed focus on the customer.
Auditors can no longer just tick off a checklist, because interviewing is now considered more important than reviewing records.
ISO 9001 is used by millions of people and businesses around the world, and while some feared the revision would bring more work, it really only changes the work, to make it more relevant.
Quite rightly it recognises that quality assurance is not about having stacks of manuals piled up collecting dust on a shelf – it’s about action and communication.
When choosing lead auditor training in Brisbane it’s important to find an Exemplar Global approved course with consultants who have experience in your industry.
They will also be able to explain more fully the theory of risk-based thinking as a business tool.
For the purposes of International Standards, risk is defined as the ‘effect of uncertainty’ – or a deviation from the expected. Uncertainty is always present in business, with the market affected by so many different factors.
Risk can be hazard-based – such as chemical spill – or uncertainty-based, the latter referring to the economic climate, the value of the dollar, stock market, natural disasters, pandemic, government policy changes, war and so on.
And it’s not just YOUR risk. If your suppliers – or businesses you supply – run out of products or close, you will be affected. If customers move away or face redundancy, they will stop buying your goods.
A risk management plan is an essential part of any business and it will help understand those potential risks to your business and identify ways to minimise them or recover from their impacts.
ISO 9001:2015 encourages businesses to consider risk and opportunity in relation to their product or service, and then minimise the risks.
As with most International Standards, serious businesses really can’t afford not to implement them. And as more and more businesses do take up the challenge, those who don’t will be left behind, as customers will choose certified companies.
Any business serious about global trading, or winning government contracts, or supplying major companies will definitely need to be in it to win it.
Certification to ISO 9001:2015 is not a requirement, and businesses can still use it to improve the way they work without being certified. However, third-party certification – or auditing – shows all your stakeholders that you are serious about quality.
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