The production of any product or service requires planning. And it's not enough to think about the steps; each process needs to be designed to work perfectly and without issues. Whether manufacturing a wooden bench or an airplane, strategic management is fundamental when it comes to the quality of the final product.
ISO 9001:2015 emerges precisely to improve managers' commitment to standardizing internal business processes. Furthermore, early versions of the standard initially referred to products and did not reference services. Fortunately, this changed in the new version, and now all types of outputs are covered by the regulations, whether they are software or manufactured goods.
Tadeu Figuera, director of Fatos e Dados – a partner company of Stratec specializing in ISO certifications – explains that the first two versions of the Standard (we are on the 5th version) were presented as if they were booklets where “every procedure was described as a step-by-step guide. In subsequent versions, an evolution was already noted, as the requirement for documents and prescriptions was reduced. Now, in the fifth version, we still note the need for improvements (which will come in future versions), but it is already a more mature Standard, where the proposed guidance for a management system is related to the improvement of the organization and the satisfaction of all stakeholders: clients, suppliers, public institutions, employees, etc.,” he explains.
When addressing quality management, ISO 9001:2015 requires properly detailed processes so that the company's entire framework functions in alignment with production expectations. These guidelines do not solely apply to internal processes. Outsourced services and external providers also need to be aligned with the standard.
Search for the certificate ISO 9001:2015 It's not just about improving the quality of your processes; it directly involves optimized and effective planning. Strategic management is particularly important when developing innovative and functional methodologies. As we said before, there are no satisfactory results without proper planning.
“In general, there has been quite significant evolution since the first version of ISO 9001 until this 2015 version. The great benefit the new Standard can bring to an organization is that it has ceased to be a parallel system to the business, and now manages the core of the organization's business. Previously, the company complied with the Standard and managed itself in parallel. Now there is top management involvement to comply with and implement an organization management system, to improve profit and relationships with all stakeholders,” highlights Figuera.
Let's take a look at some of the points that have been modified to better understand the concepts of the new regulation:
More active leaders
Until the 2008 version of ISO 9001, the main person responsible for quality management was the so-called Management Representative. In the new version, this responsibility has been transferred to the highest authority (president, general director, general manager, etc.), but other stakeholders continue to share the management. The practical result is greater internalization and transmission of the values that determine quality.
Maintenance of Claims
Feedback has always been important for making adjustments in production chains. ISO 9001:2015 pays particular attention to this point when it indicates that any and all complaints – not only from customers, but also from employees and external providers – must be registered and resolved. In an ideal world, there would be no complaints, but since we need to deal with everyday failures, resolving inconveniences has a direct impact on strategic planning and the quality of the final result.
Assignment Communication
An organized structure needs to have the responsibilities of each area/function clearly determined. An organizational chart makes this understanding clear and visually digestible. When we communicate all roles, responsibilities, and behavioral guidelines, we are able to unify the company culture and expect the same results and conduct at any stage of the processes.
Training ≠ Knowledge
Training has a fundamental place in any organization. The strategic management of a venture needs to anticipate and evaluate all functional aspects of the company so that ideal training processes can be created. But beyond that, it is fundamental to transform managed information into knowledge, all for the sustainability of initiatives. Training is practiced, knowledge can be shared and improved, and then, the final quality is also benefited.
As the main lesson, ISO 9001:2015 offers the concept that no production process is made up of isolated parts. When we understand that the final result is the product of a long production logistics chain, establishing parameters that guide strategy becomes fundamental for standardizing processes.
For Figuera, the biggest challenge of this certification is still people, especially those with the most authority in the company. “The challenge is to make Senior Management aware that there is a logical proposal understood worldwide and that it should be standardized throughout the organization. Sometimes you even convince Senior Management to change the system and the importance of decisions being based on evidence. But when we reach middle management, we encounter some resistance. That's why it's very important to do this internal ‘catechism’,” he emphasizes.
Ultimately, certifying your procedures to ISO 9001 is not just about improving your brand image and customer relationships. It requires a cultural and structural change, which will bring many other benefits such as: reduction in production costs, increased productivity, and new markets that may emerge due to your qualitative leap, and most importantly, an increase in your repeat business rate, which is the actual quality perceived by the customer in the medium and long term. Similarly, strategic management is an important ally, as it ensures a homogenized management culture, providing the organization with greater effectiveness (compliance with stakeholder expectations) and greater efficiency (reduction of costs and waste) in its business.
