Wednesday January 28th, 2004

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What exactly are the ISO 9000 Standards? Do I need to implement them? What are the advantages of implementing the standards?

The ISO 9000 Standards were created by the International Organization for Standardization. The ISO Standards are considered a consensus on "good management practices with the aim of ensuring that the organization can time again deliver the product or services that meet the client's quality requirements" (International Organization for Standardization, 2002). In other words, the ISO 9000 standards are not quality control standards for products per se, but are instead management systems standards that help businesses assure that they are following a set system for the production of their goods and/or services.

ISO 9000 standards essentially outline what requirements a good quality system will meet. Because ISO standards are implemented by individual businesses, corporations, and government organizations, the ISO 9000 "family" also provides auditing tools to make sure that you have properly implemented the standards and are meeting the quality requirements. More specific information on evaluation systems may be obtained from the ISO http://www.iso.ch.

What about business diversity?
The ISO 9000 standards target a large range of businesses-from "Mom and Pop" operations to multi-national corporations. How does the ISO know that its standards will work for all businesses? The answer is simple: ISO 9000 standards are designed to define what requirements a good quality system will meet, but they do not dictate how businesses must reach those requirements. If you own a small business, you can go about implementing the ISO 9000 standards in a fashion that is effective and efficient for the size and structure of your organization. If you are a multi-national corporation, you can use the same standards but employ different methods in the fashion that is most effective for the size and structure of your organization.

So what are the benefits of implementing ISO 9000 standards?
Because the ISO 9000 standards are focused on customer needs and wants, implementing them will more than likely help you satisfy and expand your customer base! Most business persons know that happy customers are one of the best marketing tools available, so pleasing your customers is very important. The ISO 9000 standards help to ensure that you are satisfying the needs of your customers without compromising the stability or integrity of your business.

ISO 9000 standards are especially useful if you are in an industry with many competitors. By assuring that your product conforms to the needs of all customers seeking that product, you can move towards establishing yourself as a reputable company with both your own pool of customers and your competitor's customer pool. For Example: You own a pottery shop that creates ceramic candle holders for both wholesale and commercial consumption. By following predetermined quality standards, you can assure that the candleholders you make are the appropriate dimensions for the candles that your customers will buy. If you do not follow quality standards, and candles do not fit into your holders, you will probably lose business. Many industries use ISO 9000 standards, from manufacturers to service providers to government agencies. Coordinating with other organizations and businesses using ISO 9000 standards may also help you establish important business connections and networks.

Once you have implemented ISO 9000 standards, it will be necessary to audit your management systems process to make sure that it is effective and meets your personal needs. The ISO 9000 family provides tools for this personal assessment. You may also want to hire an outside consultant to help you determine if you have effectively implemented standards. It is incredibly important to audit your system periodically to make sure that it is both ISO compliant and effective, no matter what method you choose to audit with (personal or consultant).

While it may seem like a lot of work to implement ISO 9000 standards, most business owners are grateful that they organized their management system in the long run. Implementing the standards saves you, the business owner, the headache of drawing up brand new management systems for your venture and assures that your product or service is a viable competitor in the market.

Some small business owners may find implementing ISO 9000 standards daunting, and may not know where to start. The International Organization for Standardization offers many guides for implementing ISO 9000 standards, and publishes a handbook called ISO 9000 for Small Businesses that will help you get your standards system up and running. You can order this handbook and the ISO 9000 standards from the ISO member body in your area or through the ISO General Consulate.