With ISO 9001:2015, the International Standard for Organisations (ISO) is pushing organizations to make quality a priority. The principles of quality set for ISO 9001 certification, also known as the Quality Management System (QMS) are there to protect both businesses and consumers from errors. With this certification, you are expressing your commitment to quality and to the continual improvement of your product and service.
Of course, this is just scratching the surface of what these principles are and mean.
So, let’s take a deeper look into the seven quality management principles.
1. Customer Focus
A business wouldn’t exist without its customers. As such, the primary focus of quality management should be to meet and exceed customer expectations. That means looking at and treating every customer interaction as an opportunity to deliver higher value and boost business revenue and reputation. For that, you will need to align your organization’s objectives with your customer needs, continuously monitor customer satisfaction, and always ask for their feedback.
2. Leadership
Leaders are responsible for creating an environment where everyone shares the same values and wants to achieve the same quality objectives. When values and objectives are in line, it’s easier for departments to collaborate and work more efficiently.
3. Engagement of People
If customers are the blood of any business, then the employees are its backbone. You need to acknowledge the important role every team member plays in your organization and focus on keeping them motivated and engaged. Empower them to take more initiatives, assess their satisfaction levels, and identify and address possible issues and problem areas.
4. Process Approach
Most likely, your organization involves a variety of interconnected processes. Most logistical problems stem from miscommunication and confusion about how one should go about achieving an objective. Define your objectives clearly so that every area of your business, from the marketing department to the supply chain knows how they need to proceed.
5. Improvement
All organizations should focus on the continuous improvement of their processes to keep up with changing market and customer needs. You can only move forward by adapting and renewing your strategy and systems.
6. Evidence-based Decision Making
Making a decision always involves some level of risk. But, basing the decision making process on data and information and thorough analysis can help reduce that risk. Make sure to centralize your data so that every party in your organization can get their facts straight from just one source. Share information with every department to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
7. Relationship Management
Quality management goes beyond your internal operation and extends to all interested parties, such as your suppliers. A good relationship management with all the parties involved in your organization, both internal and external can help you streamline your processes and create better products and experiences for your customers.
Final Thoughts
These seven principles should be the foundation for QMS in any organization.
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