What is ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems?
ISO 9001, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), is a management system that contributes to increasing the service quality and providing continuity in management. Thus, the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems standard aims to manage, control and continuously improve all processes from use of resources to the stage of presentation to customers, regardless of the type of product or service. The standard is updated in September 2015 and named as ISO 9001:2015 which is currently being used.
ISO 9001 focuses on the concepts of customer relations, leadership, employee participation, process approach, system approach, continuous improvement, data-based decision making and mutual interest partnership with suppliers. Size or industry type are not important for the organizations to have ISO 9001. This standard can be applied to any size and type of organizations.
This is not a standard to improve quality of products. ISO 9001 is a process based standard which guides to improve processes and products or services..
What are the benefits of ISO 9001?
- It reduces errors and increases performance by analyzing processes in both internal and external operations of the institution.
- It increases employees’ awareness and knowledge of quality.
- It increases the national and international market reputation of the institution and provides competitive advantage.
- It ensures that the institution is ahead of its competitors in marketing activities.
- It enables the institution to benefit from the commercial advantages (proof of quality for export, product / service reliability) brought by obtaining an internationally valid quality certificate.
- It increases customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.
- It reduces error rates, wastage and rework.
- It enables input, production and final controls to be done effectively.
- It provides convenience in selection, evaluation and follow-up of suppliers.
- It facilitates the determination and distribution of internal authorities and responsibilities.
- It enables situation analysis to be made in line with data and statistical measurements and to use these analysis results for future decisions.
- It improves communication within the institution.