Friday, January 24, 2014

Increase Customer Confidence Gain ISO Certification Using An AS9100 Consultant

By Judy Sullivan


The search for the best method to run a company has led to a series of changing approaches that experience great excitement and then fade away, each successive technique leaving its mark on the field. None has had as great an impact as the so called quality movement which made a fundamental and lasting change, and ensured ISO standards acceptance globally. Gaining certification under ISO standards can be daunting however, making an AS9100 consultant a solid investment.

The driving force behind the quality movement in the United States was the successful introduction of foreign products that were becoming increasingly more desirable to Americans than domestic products. Aided by the demand for smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles in the wake of the oil crisis, Japanese cars rapidly gained market share, and so did stereo equipment and televisions. The superiority of American manufacturing was under threat.

It is important to realize the initial proponents of this quality centered process were Americans, Doctors W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran working independently. Their ideas were published in the United States as early as 1939 and 1951 respectively, but were largely ignored by American managers. Dr Deming focused on statistical process control, while Dr Juran believed management training was the key.

Throughout all the various ways to implement a focus on quality there is a central theme that has fundamentally changed the definition of quality and the method for incorporating into a business. It is the notion that quality is defined by the customer, and consistency in product or service is the implementation key. While consistency alone does not yield quality, a quality product or service must be produced consistently.

The development of ISO standards began in 1946, and were meant as guidelines for international products and services. The name ISO comes from the Greek word isos, meaning equal, and thus if two products meet the same standard, they should be equal. While they have been around for some time, it was not until the release of the ISO 9000 standards in 1987 that they gained global acceptance and adoption.

The aviation industry has long had an enviable safety record, largely due to the near military dedication to checklist usage. From maintenance to passenger and cargo loading, fueling and flying, companies have used checklists for every step, ensuring a high degree of consistency. Standardization has long been a central ingredient to flight and the results have been excellent.

The international travel requirements that have grown with international commerce make it even more important that everyone involved with air transportation be on the same level. Not only does ISO certification mean a company has become reliable and efficient, it engenders confidence in the consuming public. People can travel and ship material without concern that certain providers might be substandard.

Gaining certification under ISO criterion requires a dedicated approach to company wide analysis, a will to change what is necessary and a vigilance to maintain the level of performance. Ensuring compliance with all the requirements of the standard, implanting change while operating the business can be difficult. Engaging with an as9100 consultant can make the certification process a straightforward successful effort.




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