When listening to people new to ISO 9001, one of the main stumbling blocks preventing them from starting is the belief that they simply don’t have the time. With so much on their plates, they argue, how could they possibly take on something as fundamental as ISO 9001?
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At such times I like to recount a little parable. I share the below story—despite it being just a bit of fun—because I find it often proves to be one of those “penny drop” moments.
This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done! |
Sadly, this little tale is being played out every day in businesses everywhere, causing untold problems and blighting business growth. Too often there is a general idea of what should be done, but people are generally not too sure who should be doing what or when.
Some organizations may get away with this corporate behavior for quite awhile, but eventually and inevitably the uncertainty will cause mistakes that will lead to customer dissatisfaction. The lack of certainty over who should be doing what, how, and when usually results in finger-pointing, raised tempers, and a less-than-harmonious office atmosphere. The end result is usually the same, though, and is measured in lost customers and damaged reputation.
Without effective management processes, the risks of such scenarios increase, and as organizations grow, the problems just get amplified.
This was the very reason that the ISO 9001 quality management standard was developed in the first place, to act as a good practice framework to help businesses of all shapes and sizes run a tight ship. By ensuring everyone knows what to do, how to do it, and when means that your people can truly be on the same page and deliver consistent and effective customer service. It just becomes the way things get done! It’s why I don’t refer to ISO 9001 as a quality management standard, but as a business improvement standard.
From the customers’ point of view, consistency in delivery is both demanded and expected. Imagine going to your favorite restaurant to have your favorite dish, only to have the ingredients change every time. Wouldn’t you be inclined to try another restaurant next time round?
Consistency in delivery becomes even more important in supply chains, where responsibilities are handed up and down the line. It’s for this reason that standards like ISO 9001 are specified in tenders and expected when bidding for public-sector work. You may well provide great service, but can you really prove it?
Certification to ISO 9001 offers added credibility because it’s a trusty third party that’s speaking for you. Some may continue to argue that they already have good systems in place, and many do, but benchmarking your existing processes against ISO 9001 can often help stimulate further improvements. This was certainly the case for our client All Seasons Hire, a successful, well-run company that implemented ISO 9001 with a desire to keep improving.
With well over one million organizations that are ISO 9001-certified, you don’t need to look too far to find independent research supporting how ISO 9001 helps organizations overcome the typical growing pains I’ve discussed. Take research from Dun & Bradstreet, for example, where 85 percent of firms questioned reported external benefits such as improved company perception, greater demand and increased market share.
So let’s try that question again: Do you really not have time to implement ISO 9001?
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