Establishing a coherent standard by which managers can measure their procedures and streamline processes can eliminate uncertainty, inconsistency, and inefficiencies in company management. Looking at how adherence to ISO 9001:2015 does just this, TÜV SÜD America outlines the following best practices from the standard:
Putting the Customer First
Managers are only successful if they meet the needs of their clients. Key points of interest in ISO 9001:2015 include taking actions to measure customer satisfaction, linking company goals to client expectations, building customer relationships, and forecasting the future needs of clients.
Being a Better Leader
Effective leadership is about balance, and knowing when it is the right time to give orders and delegate responsibility, to step aside and allow others to take initiative, or to let your work ethic dictate expectations.
Great leaders empower people and go above and beyond, rather than establishing dominance. ISO 9001:2015 values employee engagement at every level, focusing on respect, communication, and shared values.
Becoming Process Oriented
It can be said that building better processes can create better organizations. Managers who focus only on the end result may be tempted to take shortcuts, deviate from standards or ignore protocol. When this happens, tasks can be overlooked, deadlines may pass, and expectations could go unmet – making it potentially impossible to identify what went wrong.
ISO 9001:2015 is all about the process, especially in its latest incarnation, as Nigel Croft, chair of the ISO subcommittee responsible for the standard revision was quoted as saying in a recent press release. Earlier versions of ISO 9001 were quite prescriptive, with many requirements for documented procedures and records, said Croft.
“In the 2000 and 2008 editions, we focused more on managing processes, and less on documentation,” Croft said. “We have now gone a step further, and ISO 9001:2015 is even less prescriptive than its predecessor, focusing instead on performance.”
Continuous Improvement
There is no such thing as perfection in the business world. Organizations can always strive to be more efficient, reach higher levels of customer satisfaction, and better engage their employees.
Managers should not be satisfied with fixing a problem in a process or reaching a baseline goal, and rather should focus on raising the bar.
ISO 9001:2015 can help on this front, with the standard stressing the importance of education and training, building higher goals across the organization, tracking projects, and rewarding progress.
Additionally, managers who utilize hard data find making measurable improvements easier as there are clear metrics in place to mark growth.
Seeking ISO 9001:2015 certification is a method to improve management through the establishment of norms and procedures that align with best practice.
Furthermore, through streamlining processes and providing companywide cohesion, ISO 9001:2015 certification is expected to bring out the best in management.