Are you considering outsourcing some of your processes such as purchasing or administration activities ? To achieve this, it is more than recommended to find reliable and trusted partners.
Among all the suppliers you will identify, you will notice that some of them put their ISO 9001 certification particularly in the spotlight. What is this certification? Does this standard mean a real guarantee of quality for the type of service you are looking for? What are the advantages of an ISO 9001 version 2015 supplier? All the answers are in this article!
SOMMAIRE
What is ISO 9001 certification ?
Generally speaking, standards protect clients by providing guarantees on the quality of a company and its operations, regardless of the sector of activity in question. They also guide companies in optimizing their operating processes and in the search for a certain homogenization of practices.
For its part, the ISO 9001 standard provides a framework for the various quality management techniques. It is used to establish a certain level of requirement in terms of customer satisfaction, quality of products or services offered as well as consumer risk coverage.
As a customer, using the services of an ISO-certified supplier has many advantages. The standard guides the supplier in the deployment of its management system and helps it, among other things, to :
- apply internationally recognized good practices within its company.
- significantly improve its productivity by optimizing its processes.
- increase customer satisfaction through better returns management and frequent quality controls.
- identify opportunities in new foreign markets.
- federate its teams around a common project.
The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards are the result of worldwide expertise and make it possible to standardize the operation and practices adopted within companies. Established through consensus among many countries, they are designed to meet the needs of all markets at the international level.
Before obtaining ISO certification, the applicant company is audited by an external and independent body.
What is ISO 9001 : 2015 ?
Initially, the ISO 9001 standard was focused exclusively on the quality management system. It allowed to frame everything that was related to the manufacturing of a product or the distribution of a service. Among the elements studied were, for example, the quality of relations with suppliers, the level of employee involvement and the steps taken to constantly improve the quality of customer service.
Read also : Outsourcing Purchasing : from Cost Killer to Business Partner
The month of September 2015 marked a significant turning point for this ISO 9001 standard. It has been the subject of a major revision with three main objectives :
- Taking into account the socio-economic environment of the company and the needs of all stakeholders with the establishment of the quality management policy as a final goal.
- The integration of this quality management system within the company’s management at a global level.
- The consideration of outsourced activities and co-activities with all customers and suppliers.
From now on, the company’s strategic base and quality management system are closely linked in all ISO 9001:2015 certified structures. The economic environment in which the company operates is also important.
The ISO 9001:2015 standard also requires companies to integrate risk and opportunity management into the quality management system.
The benefits of using an ISO 9001:2015 supplier
When selecting the best suppliers, we advise you to give preference to those with ISO 9001:2015 certification wherever possible. Working with this type of company will give you peace of mind and guarantee quality.
Choosing ISO 9001:2015 suppliers has many advantages :
- The guarantee of a long-lasting and stable partnership,
- Simplified management thanks to formalized processes and homogeneous performance criteria,
- A continuous improvement process with a view to increasing customer satisfaction,
- The opportunity to conquer new public markets on an international scale.
Compared to an ISO 9001:2008 certified supplier, a supplier with ISO 9001:2015 certification will have a more qualitative approach to its internal operations. If previously suppliers concentrated their efforts on their manufacturing or quality control processes, they must now take into account the economic context of their company to make their choices in terms of quality management.
With the ISO 9001:2015 standard, the management of risks and opportunities is integrated into the quality management system that sets the guidelines for the operation of the company. This system leads the supplier to question his ability to cope with a breakdown on the production line, a strike or communication problems. The auditors ensure that these different points are taken into account in all processes for each stratum of the company.
Taking into account the ISO 9001 certification is essential to achieve quality supplier sourcing. This criterion is of paramount importance in your decision-making process in order to define the modalities of outsourcing certain parts of your activity and to delegate in all serenity.
To choose between two similar candidates, we advise you to always give preference to the company with ISO 9001 certification. This will give you the guarantee to benefit from a precise quality follow-up and to maintain relations based on clear and precise communication. And last but not least, your supplier will pay special attention to your customer satisfaction.
Whenever possible, opt for an ISO 9001:2015 supplier, such as ISP Group, which achieved it in 2017. ISP Group takes into account the specific characteristics and developments in your market, as well as the different regulatory deadlines. Compared to the 2003 and 2008 versions, this ISO standard offers a more comprehensive and global approach and is a real guarantee of quality for all suppliers who own it.
