ISO 9000 Certification Consultants: How to Choose

choose-a-consultantISO 9000 Quality Management Systems consultants are experts in the following:

  • Expanding the scope of an existing ISO 9000 certification
  • Improving the functional performance of the current quality management system by providing the needed resources, education and training
  • Facilitating a successful new ISO 9000 implementation and certification project for organizations that do not have sufficient in-house resources

The relationship between the quality management consulting group and the client should allow the consultant to lead the company through ISO 9000 certification and the client to become more knowledgeable and stronger as the implementation process continues forward. At ISO 9000 Group, we want clients to be capable of running their own quality management system as a direct result of the process leading to ISO 9000 certification. Our goal is to work our organization out of a job, leading to a successful ISO 9000 certification for our client, and a quality management system that can be managed in-house by your company.

How do you decide which quality management consultant is right for your organization?

4-step-questionmarkWe recommend taking a well-thought-out step-by-step approach to choosing your consultant. Begin the process early so you have time to gather enough information before you undertake consultant interviews.

  1. Establish an ISO Steering Committee or Working Group to select a consultant.
  2. Assess your company’s strengths and weaknesses and identify those that could support or hinder achieving ISO 9000 certification.
  3. Document what you want out of the ISO 9000 certification process. The ISO Steering Committee or Working Group should do this via an open and frank round table discussion.
  4. Define your project goals by asking questions:
    1. What are the current quality management system’s problems that need to be reduced or eliminated? Try to define both symptoms and causes.
    2. What are the expectations and goals of the ISO 9000 quality management system process?
    3. Upon successful registration to ISO 9000, what does the company want to accomplish?
    4. What consulting skills are required to make this initiative successful? Examine your own resources and identify skills you don’t have.
    5. Which departments and staff members will be the primary consultant contact points?

icn-checklistFurthermore, it’s important to note that you should understand your organization’s consultant selection criteria, which in turn makes a particular quality management consultant valuable to your company. Your consultant’s selection criteria should include a wish list of points that are synergistic with your company’s action steps leading to ISO 9001:2015 certification. Understanding some of the history of ISO 9000 in brief also ensures that your expectations are aligned with the new standard’s requirements and intent

Continue to ISO 9000 History

Return Home