ISO Quality System Objectives to Think About

by Ahmad Rajab
http://www.ahmadrajab.com

When trying to implement an ISO 9000:2000 quality management system for your business or organization, one of the first few factors you need to think about are your objectives for having such a system in the first place. Although it may seem simple enough, outlining your goals and objectives makes the process a lot easier. It also serves as a guide when things get complicated, which is often the case when trying to set up such systems. The importance of having objectives is precisely the reason why the ISO 9000 requires the establishment of quality objectives before its implementation. Bear in mind that there isn't a required number of objectives and the type of objectives you choose will totally be up to you. Just like many facets of the ISO family of standards, these two factors are up to you and perhaps your assigned auditor.

Still, even if this is the case, it still pays off to follow a handful of guidelines when thinking about your objectives. For example, having just one quality objective just wouldn't suffice, even if your business is a start-up. Conversely, having two dozen objectives is probably not a good idea either. Based on my years of experience working as a consultant in the industry, the sweet spot is somewhere between 3 to 10 quality objectives. As with many things in the world of business, it's best to keep your quality objectives as simple as can be-the same goes for your whole quality management system.

So what should your objectives be like? Good question. Many companies have centered their objectives on the subject of profitability. This is a good idea to follow, but you don't have to follow their suit just to come up with good objectives. Profitability is OK, but I often tell people that they are merely scratching the surface when selecting these types of objectives. Profit is of course, a good sign that a business is performing well-after all, no business makes money if it's it in shambles. But there are more factors you can include to create even more revenue. Not only that, your business can enjoy increase productivity, a decrease in overhead, and a satisfied customer base.

And speaking of customer satisfaction, this is also a great area to base your quality objectives on. Yet another is the satisfaction of your employees There's a saying that happy employees are productive employees, so you want to take that into mind. My point is not to limit yourself to profitability. Open your mind and think outside the box.

CG Business Consulting Ltd specialise in implementing & delivering ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems, ISO 14001 Environmental systems. Visit us at http://www.cgbusinessconsulting.com

Article submitted Monday, October 17, 2011 & read 79 times.

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