ISO 9000... Facts and Fiction

There is a great volume of information about ISO 9000 being shared by people who claim to be knowledgeable and experienced. But, is their information legitimate or is it just the latest flavor of the month? And....what is ISO 9000 anyway?

What is ISO 9000?

ISO 9000 sets out the mandate for establishing, documenting and maintaining an effective quality management system.

Its purpose is to demonstrate an organization's commitment to quality, their capability to satisfy customer requirements and ultimately to achieve total customer satisfaction through the prevention of error and continual improvement.

ISO 9000, it's principles and disciplines are accepted and recognized world wide as a sound basis for quality management systems.

Is ISO 9000 for manufacturers only, or can it be applied to service industries?

ISO 9000 is a specification designed to assist organizations in quality management systems in all industry sectors and disciplines.

Does ISO 9000 conformance guarantee good product or service quality to the customer?

ISO 9000 conformance gives an organization the capabilities and tools to implement continuous improvement programs, that will ultimately translate into good product and service quality. ISO 9000 guarantees nothing. Only the organization, itself, is able to ensure product or service quality.

Does ISO 9000 dictate to the organization how to conduct their business?

ISO 9000 is an expansion of sound business practices only. These practices are enhanced with quality assurance disciplines. The ISO 9000 Standard must be implemented to work for and support the organization and it's activities; the organization must not work for ISO 9000!

Is ISO 9000 difficult to implement?

ISO 9000 is a simple common sense standard set down on paper in an organized way. ISO 9000 provides the framework to direct, coordinate and control each activity from design, development and production through to installation and servicing. with proper planning, each section can be implemented easily and cost effectively.

ISO 9000 implementation is an investment into the future. Its disciplines create a useful and demonstrable structure from which continual improvement programs can be implemented and processed. The monies spent on implementing and maintaining the disciplines of ISO 9000 are recovered when the organization uses the standard as intended... a tool for continual improvement. If an organization chose to implement the ISO 9000 disciplines and not use this new tool, it may become a very expensive "White Elephant"... a mere piece of paper on the wall.

Ashbrooke Quality Assurance is an international quality management consultancy specializing in ISO 9000, ISO 14000 Series and related quality systems training. Through training and consulting services, we assist organizations through the ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 registration process.

Our activities extend from Canada to Europe to Asia to Africa to Middle East.

Ashbrooke Quality Assurance Ltd. | British Columbia | Canada