WahanaConsultants.com implement 5-Step Approach!
 

Step 1: Preparation

This step is the preparation for your ISO 9000 implementation. It’s not difficult but it’s important and should not be missed.

ISO 9000 Management Representative

First, appoint the ISO 9000 “Management Representative”. This is typically a quality manager or senior manager of the company; it needs to be somebody who has sufficient authority to change the way that the company works. This person is responsible for the ISO 9000 implementation.

A “Role Description” for the Management Representative is included with our ISO 9000 Forms Collection. We wrote this page as if you, the reader, will be the Management Representative.

Larger companies may appoint a Management Representative for each physical location or for each business unit; a corporate Management Representative would then coordinate among all local Management Representatives. Note that our Quality Manuals are based on a system of local and corporate Management Representatives.

Training

Next, the Management Representative needs to get some training. A Training Plan for Management Representatives is included with our ISO 9000 Forms Collection.

Support

Further, you should ensure that the company executives completely support the ISO 9000 effort. You may need to explain to them the advantages, requirements and costs.

Finally, you should inform all employees. It’s important that the employees don’t feel threatened by ISO 9000. In our Forms Collection you’ll find a brief Employee Intro To ISO 9000, as well as an ISO 9000 Summary; also others useful information.
 

This is the most important part of your ISO 9000 implementation, and it is the most difficult part for most companies, but we make it easy for you! Use our ISO 9000 Implementation Manual (or the ISO 9000 Package Manual if your company already has some form of quality management system in place) and the many useful forms in our ISO 9000 Forms Collection as templates and you can complete this crucial step quickly and at minimal cost!

Your Quality Manual

First, choose the right Quality Manual for you from our Products page. Note that our Quality Manuals include the Quality Policy and all Quality Procedures!

Then, take a pencil and read the Quality Manual carefully. Mark sections that need to be changed to fit your company. Feel free to make any changes but refer to the requirements of the ISO 9000 standard when making any substantial change. The cross-reference in the appendix to our Quality Manuals allows you to find the pertinent ISO 9000 requirement easily. You’ll find information on where to purchase the ISO 9000 standard in our useful link section.

Customize the Quality Manual to fit your needs. If you purchase our Microsoft Word version, you can save much time by directly editing the materials and make them your own. For example, you could use the “Replace” command to fill in your company name. We made it easy for you!

Once done, get your Quality Manual approved by the president of your company.
 

Now it’s time to implement your ISO 9000 system. During this phase you introduce the new requirements of your Quality Manual, you train employees, and you get them to adjust their way of working to any new requirements. This step will be much easier if you did a good job in Step 1!

One step at a time

Take one step at a time in your implementation process. You may want to start with the section on Document Control. Explain the requirements in a meeting or memo, or have the appropriate department managers explain to their staff.

Training and Work Instructions go hand in hand

As you implement ISO 9000, virtually all employees have to change to some extent the way they work. At the same time, ISO 9000 calls for standardization and for work instructions. Our Quality Manuals point out where work instructions are required. We recommend that you assign the writing of work instructions to those who actually do the work. Instruct them to write up the best way of doing the work. If your Quality Manual calls for a change in their work, introduce those new requirements and make the employees incorporate them into their work instructions. Review the work instructions to make sure that they meet the requirements of your Quality Manual.
 

Internal audits are performed by somebody within your company. The job of the auditor is to verify that your company meets the requirements of ISO 9000 as they are described in your Quality Manual.

The Auditor

In most cases the ISO 9000 Management Representative is also responsible for internal audits. In this case, the Management Representative audits the entire company except his/her own work, and another employee audits the work of the Management Representative. Our ISO 9000 Forms Collection contains an invaluable Audit Checklist.

Larger companies often appoint and train several internal auditors. This is an excellent opportunity for cross-training and for staff of different departments to learn what other departments are doing.

Audits as training tool

We recommend that you start Step 4 even before Step 3 is complete. Audits are an excellent way of training; they will help with your implementation efforts!

Once you have performed a complete internal audit that didn’t uncover any significant problems, you are probably ready for the certification audit!
 

Now it’s time to select your registrar! There are many companies offering certification services but be careful: some are not accredited! Start your search on the Internet and compare the different registrars. Our ISO 9000 Forms Collection contains a Registrar Evaluation Form, as well as Audit Preparation Tips.

Reaping the Marketing Benefits

Once you successfully passed the certification audit, you should leverage your certification in marketing. You may want to prepare a press release, send notification cards to your customers, print your certification mark on business cards and letterhead, add the certification to your advertisement, display a banner outside your office building and last but not least, recognize your employees for the hard work they put into this effort. Our ISO 9000 Forms Collection includes valuable ISO 9000 Marketing Tips.

Life after Certification

Remember, ISO 9001 certification is not the end, and your registrar will want to perform a surveillance audit once or twice a year. Your ISO 9000 system is designed to continually improve itself. Make sure it remains implemented, continue your internal audits, and we are convinced you’ll see your company’s performance improvements at the bottom line!