Overview of ISO 9000

IS0 9000 is perhaps the most talked management concept today. Of course media must be given due credit for it but the message has already splashed  - you will have  to demonstrate your ability to provide Consistently high quality products and services. Registration conforming lo Internationale Organisation for Standardization (ISO) offers such a mechanical. 

Almost every quality conscious company is engaged in the quest for IS0 9000. Eiter it has adopted certification and wishes to retain it or is in the process of getting it. 

Iso is a greek word meaning equal, like Iso Uienllal, Iso bar, etc. This was taken as a prefix to a series of standards developed by International Organisational for Standardization, ISO. It is worldwide federation of more than 50 national standard bodies or bureaus including India though BIS (Bureau of India Standards). Its headquarter is in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The basic objective behind the titillation  of IS0 was to meet the needs for worldwide harmonization and organisation  of terms, standards and methodologies used for assessing capability of suppliers to fulfill customer's requirements. Thus, the idea was to bring transparency in the field of Quality Management for the benefit of both maternal quality management as well as for the customers to see. 

IS0 9000 is a series of six internationally accepted standards to guide and to audit company's quality managerial practices, documents and records. These standards were issued in 1987 by IS(  in Geneva and were named as ISO 9000, ISO 9001, ISO 9002, ISO 9003 and ISO 9004. One more IS0 8402 is for definitions. Figure. clears the structure of ISO. 

  IS0 Structure

Following are important benefits of ISO certification. 

1. Transparency in the system both from external customer point of view as well as from internal customer point. 
2. Better documentation of records, facts and pertaining data, therefore streamlined records. 
3. International recognition of ability, credibility and expertise in the demonstration of consistent quality of products, hence, increase in number of customers, i.e. repeat business. 
4. Competitive edge in the domestic and global market. 
5. Culture for continuous  and consistent improvement in quality. 
6. Changes the attitude of the work-force. the result is - improved house keeping, work atmosphere arid quality awareness. 
7. Encourages the feeling of doing right things at right time thus no rework or nothing for rectification. 
8. Process of quality improvement  is maintained by reducing wastes ruled repairs enhancing profits. 
9. Sapper without IS0 certification may face higher insurance rates or be denied insurance in some markets.