What is a Quality Management System ?

Quality Management System implementation is likely to be one of the most important decisions an organisation will make.  Many companies and government bodies now require that all suppliers tendering for supply of products and/or services have an accredited Quality Management System. If you intend to tender for contracts, then an accredited quality management system is virtually a must. 

All organisations, whether large or small, already have an established way or "system" of running their business, many systems are informal and probably not documented.  Quality management system standards identify those features which can help an organisation improve performance and competitiveness and to consistently meet customers requirements. 

Quality management systems are not about imposing new ways of business management, they are about evaluating how and why things are done, writing them down and recording the results showing they were done. Most organisations already carry out the processes which quality management system standards require.

ISO 9001

ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management systems. It is an established and proven management system model.

Previously in the UK the need for one national standard was recognised, the result was BS5750 published in 1979. The International Standards Organisation (ISO) published the first international standard version in 1987. it was revised in 1994 (ISO 9001:1994) superceeding BS5750. The lastest revision is ISO 9001:2000. In the UK ISO 9001 is known as BS EN ISO 9001.

The Benefits

More frequently today customers seek the confidence provided by organisations with an accredited quality management system.  Being customer focused, meeting customer expectations and satisfaction are prime reasons for having an accredtited management system.

The benefits include: -

• Evidence to customers and potential customers of an organisations capabilities, continual performance improvements, co-ordination and productivity

• Greater focus on your organisations objectives and your customer's expectations

• Achievement & maintenance of product and service quality to meet or exceed the customer's stated & implied needs

• Management confidence that the intended quality is being achieved & maintained

• ISO 9001 Certification and Registration with the Department of Trade and Industry provides new market opportunities and to maintain market share

• Opportunities to compete with larger organisations