If you ever wondered why companies choose to register their quality management systems with international standards then you may be interested in this. The most recent issue of ISO Focus+ details the results of a far-reaching survey launched last year to gauge current and potential user interests in the Quality Management System (QMS) series of standards, chiefly ISO 9001 and ISO 9004. The survey responses were demographically diverse, with returns coming from 122 countries and covering small-to-large companies and as well as representing the service, manufacturing, and software industries.  With nearly 12,000 responses, the results give a clear understanding of the benefits of implementing a QMS.

From a total of 11,722 respondents to the user survey I’ve selected the top three reasons. A total of 4,222 companies cited customer satisfaction as the key influencing factor behind certification; 3,689 indicated “market need”; and 3,290 stated it was a customer mandated requirement.  I found these results quite interesting. While the ISO standard is focused on improved operations the reality is that the primary benefit, at least initially, is more closely tied to a marketing advantage.

Digging deeper into the survey results show several additional tangible benefits for QMS users. These include increased management commitment, better supply chain management, and improved financial performance. Finally, the survey shows that for users looking to integrate ISO 9001 with another management system standard the most feasible option was an environmental management system, which is covered under the ISO 14001 standard.

Treeline Consulting is positioned to help you achieve the benefits of the adoption of ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, and ISO 14001. We have already shepherded industry-leading companies in New Mexico through the certification process. It may not be too long before your customers require that you register to one or more of these standards, so it may be in your best interest to take a proactive approach and look into this sooner rather than later. Contact Treeline today at (505) 508-5161 for more information.