The benefits of adopting the Quality Management Standard, ISO 9001:2015 as a small or micro business owner

With ever-increasing demands on small and micro businesses on quality, price and service, the most effective way to enhance the confidence of customers is through a structured certificated quality management system (QMS). For a small business, this is not as daunting as it might appear, as it should always be based on how your business systems currently operate.

This post sets out to inform and advise you as a small or micro business owner of the requirements and benefits of adopting the Quality Management Standard, ISO 9001:2015.

External benefits

• ISO 9001 is the recognized quality management system standard worldwide. It confirms that you have put in the effort to enhance your systems to meet the standard, in order to continue supplying a product or service that consistently meets your customers’ requirements

• Through the process of continuing to review and improve systems, the standard can positively help your business to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction and increase the effectiveness of your operations. This will in turn provide opportunities for orders, increased profitability and stability in the business

• BSI’s customer research (BSI voice of the customer survey 2012 to 2015) has shown that as a result of implementing and gaining certification:

50.6% of businesses attract new customers

50.6% report improvements in products or services

60.8% report an increase in trust in their business

• Once certified, you’ll be able to make your own mark by displaying the BSI Assurance Mark. It’s a valuable marketing tool that you can use to promote your organization. It signals a clear achievement and can offer a competitive advantage. We’re recognized globally as one of the most experienced independent assessors of best practice. That means you’ll also get international recognition as a business that achieves standards of excellence every day.

You’ll also be listed in our global Client Directory alongside other leading organizations, helping you to open new markets, secure existing ones and compete with confidence.

Internal benefits

• Your staff will have a common, logical system with consistent and repeatable processes for consistently getting things right

• You and your staff, having all been involved in the initial development and review, will appreciate the benefits of the QMS being the clearly defined and agreed processes, which will effectively support everybody day-to-day and in any situation that could arise

• Through the enhanced system you will all have a clearer understanding of what each person needs to do and how, which means you do not have to waste time memory testing, and searching for information

• Certification enables you to tender potential new customers and increase business. This is possible as the certificate gives them confidence in your business

• The team are able to speedily respond if things go wrong and agree on a course of corrective action to prevent the risk of a more serious outcome

• As problems are recorded as a result of the system, the team has the ability to collectively consider actions to correct and prevent recurrence. Should another problem arise there is a process in place that the team can use to identify and resolve the problem more speedily

• Through the improvement in business control and reporting you will have a clearer view of how the business is doing and any aspects that should be looked at in more detail

• To quote BSI’s research again, 61.8% of businesses have seen a reduction in the likelihood of mistakes

All of the above contributes ultimately to an improved customer experience. Planning the operational aspects of the QMS.

Let us know your thoughts on adopting the Quality Management Standard, ISO 9001:2015 in the comments below.